Appreciation levels in the workplace are high, but there’s room for growth

As the talent landscape continues to be as competitive as ever, building a reputation as an employer that supports the retention and engagement of employees is crucial.

A new Canva report has explored different ways Australian organisations can address the decline in workplace engagement.

In today’s competitive talent landscape, with increasingly distributed workforces, building a strong employer brand that supports retention and engagement is crucial. Cultivating a culture of appreciation is a key factor in that success.

According to the report, more than half (56 per cent) of employees feel appreciated, while just 12 per cent feel unappreciated. In terms of gender, 63 per cent of men feel appreciated or highly appreciated, compared to 51 per cent of women. Meanwhile, 28 per cent of women feel unappreciated or neutral, compared to 16 per cent of men.

Recognition and appreciation in the workplace can be crucial to business outcomes, as it can often directly correlate with productivity. This was reinforced in the survey, as 87 per cent of respondents said feeling appreciated positively impacts their motivation, while 85 per cent noted it boosts their confidence, and 84 per cent said it enhances productivity.

The overarching statistic was that 71 per cent of employees who feel highly appreciated are highly motivated.

Although recognition and affirmation are crucial to business outcomes and employee engagement, an imperative element of the modern-day workplace is that employees want to be seen as individuals, not just professionals.

Currently, fewer than half (48 per cent) of employees feel their workplace recognises their unique skill sets, personalities, and qualities and celebrates them as individuals. An interesting discovery was that employees who work onsite placed a higher percentage (53 per cent) for feeling this way compared to fully remote workers (40 per cent).

In terms of different strategies that can make workers feel like individuals, the survey revealed that 59 per cent believe feeling listened to or heard would make a positive impact, whereas 48 per cent actually cited flexible work options and benefits. Another 48 per cent pointed to leadership following through on promises.

“While many teams feel appreciated, our research shows that a one-size-fits-all approach to making teams feel recognised and appreciated in the workplace no longer cuts it,” said Charlotte Anderson, head of people experience at Canva.

“Taking the time to listen and understand what your team needs to do their best work while recognising individual value and contributions is crucial to ensuring teams feel empowered to learn, grow and achieve their most ambitious goals.”