Research evidence shows that employees consider personal, immediate recognition by their managers to be one of the most powerful workplace motivators.
However, close to 60% percent of employees report that their manager rarely, if ever, offers praise.
The techniques that have the greatest motivational impact (affirming feedback and praise) are practiced less than more expensive but less effective techniques such as performance bonus schemes.
Charles M. Schwab (1862-1939), founder of the Bethlehem Steel Company, said, “I have yet to find the person, however great or exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than he would ever do under a spirit of criticism.”
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