Just 3% of workers thanked by their bosses

Just 3% of Irish workers are thanked every day by their bosses, according to a survey.

Research carried out by gift card company One4all found that almost seven in 10 workers (67%) believe they should be thanked more often and that almost two in 10 respondents (18%) would also take a lower salary if the employer had a reputation for thanking employees.

More than six in 10 (61%) of respondents said that when considering competing job offers they would be more likely to choose an employer with a reputation for thanking employees for their good work, which Michael Dawson, group CEO at One4all Group, said shows the value of a simple ‘thank you’.

“It has long been known that the employment relationship relies on more than monetary rewards,” said Mr Dawson. “The key to using ‘thank you’ to increase motivation is for it to be sincere and genuine and for it to be based on a person’s individual efforts.

“What we need now is for managers to really listen and start saying ‘thank you’ to their teams more regularly and with sincerity. Saying ‘thank you’ and showing gratitude will increase loyalty and motivation with the likely result that productivity and ultimately profitability increases, while simultaneously improving employee retention and reducing costs.”

Regarding the most effective way to deliver a ‘thank you’, 62% of respondents highlighted that a ‘thank you’ — be it a cash bonus or other reward, had to be given with genuine sincerity for it to be valued. The converse was equally true with 60% saying that an insincere ‘thank you’ would make them feel less motivated.

Research carried out in the UK also found that just under a quarter of UK employees (24%) receive a tangible thank you in the form of cash or gifts at least once a year. Also in the UK, 7% of people receive a Christmas bonus based on their performance. However a similar number, 20%, of UK employees never receive any form of thanks from their employer.