A survey finds 90-percent of managers say their company does a fantastic job with employee recognition but only 30-percent of workers agree. Mike Gremmer, spokesman for the Office Team staffing service in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says while many companies can’t afford big bonuses or raises, they can do a better job of showing appreciation.

“Simple thank you notes go a long way, public recognition in front of their peers, you can celebrate milestones like production figures and certain anniversaries, maybe take people to lunch,” Gremmer says. “You just have to get creative.” While he’s not surprised by the results of the survey, Gremmer says employers need to make it a priority to create a good work environment.

“We have a thriving economy right now, there’s a labor shortage out there,” Gremmer says. “When you think about your own company and the work environment you want to create, when people are happy, they’re going to give you more performance which positively effects the bottom line of your organization.” Nobody wants to have a miserable work environment and Gremmer says it’s okay for workers to call bosses out, if it’s done carefully.

“Workers should let it be known, in a professional way,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong to mention to your employers that you really appreciate a little positive feedback. You want to be sensitive to the business conditions and budget limitations the company may have but there’s nothing wrong with saying, ‘Thank you, that meant a lot to me.'” Gremmer says it benefits the company to have a policy in place to show recognition and to be a place where people are happy to come to work.

(Radio Iowa)