Millions of British workers haven’t had a thank you from their boss in over a year, it has emerged. A study of 2,000 workers found more than half feel they don’t receive the proper credit for their hard work.
And, remarkably, one in four people have NEVER had a thank you from their boss.
The research, commissioned by Avery Rewards, found 47% felt they were actually paid a fair wage for their efforts, but that their superiors fail to manage them properly or show enough appreciation.
Gregg Corbett, spokesman for office experts Avery Rewards, said:
”Most people put a lot of effort into the work they do each day and take a lot of pride in what they do, but it seems many don’t receive the thanks they’d like.
”There’s always a difference between what you’re expected to do and going the extra mile, and a simple thank you at the right moment can really have an impact on workplace morale.
”In a tough economic climate workers are being squeezed more than ever before to ensure they perform so it’s important to feel appreciated.”
The lack of a ‘thank-you’ means six in ten people do not feel they are appreciated by their boss, with a third saying they’ve stopped expecting any form of appreciation.
A disgruntled four in ten people say a thank you from the boss is usually rare, if it occurs at all.
While a quarter of those who do receive a show of gratitude aren’t always convinced it’s sincere.
When it comes to signs of appreciation, a bit more honesty, flexibility with working hours and the odd cup of tea are some of the biggest factors workers say can really make the difference.
Simply having your birthday remembered, or the occasional team building exercise also build up to feeling appreciated.
Interestingly, more than half of workers in the study also felt their boss favoured certain employees.
Inevitably, when feeling underappreciated, employees’ first reaction was to start caring less about their work and put in a lot less effort.
One third will become disillusioned if they don’t receive the proper thanks, and a further fifth of people will start refreshing their C.V. to get them through.
But one in four hardy employees will put maximum effort into their work regardless of how happy they are and the credit they recieve.
Overall, just a third of people find their job rewarding, and one in four people have to treat themselves at least once a week in order to cheer themselves up from work.
Gregg Corbett added:
”Sometimes it’s easy to feel a little taken for granted and in those times it’s important to keep a level head and focus on rewarding ourselves when we deserve it and need to unwind away from the office.”
TOP 10 THINGS THAT WORKERS APPRECIATE
1. Complimenting their work
2. A Christmas bonus
3. More flexibility with hours
4. More honesty from people
5. Being made a cup of tea once in a while
6. More appreciation of how hard it is balancing work and family commitments
7. More understanding when they have appointments
8. Colleagues remembering birthdays
9. Teambuilding exercises
10. More work socials
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