Respect + Empowerment = Appreciation

Employees that are loyal and satisfied are essential to the success of any organisation. When you appreciate, empower, and celebrate your staff, you are guaranteed to have employees who go above and beyond.

In essence, it is vital to envision and contemplate how you would like your team to look. Personality-wise, ethics are at the top of my list. As someone who lives and breathes morality, it should come as no surprise that I would look for it in potential employees. Nowadays, finding such people is extremely difficult, and the reasons for this are numerous. One explanation for this is that authoritarian employers do not appreciate or value their employees. I recall an incident a few years ago, in 2018, when I was teaching at a private kindergarten owned by an extremely wealthy Chinese man — we'll call him Tao. 

Tao was obnoxious, ruthless, haughty and highly insensitive. He once exclaimed aloud in Mandarin, "Who hired that girl, she's extremely ugly! At this school, we're only supposed to hire attractive people”. Unsurprisingly, the kindergarten was unable to retain local staff. Tao and management were, to say the least, harsh, authoritarian, and exceedingly contemptuous of Chinese employees. It is rare to find employers in China who respect, empower, and appreciate their staff, particularly in the education sector. It goes without saying that "true motivation comes from achievement, personal development, job satisfaction, and recognition." - Frederick Herzberg 

Here are 10 ways to empower and appreciate your staff:

1. Respect goes a long way; adopt an approachable tone of voice when addressing your staff and treat them as you would your father or mother.

2. Be kind, understanding, and empathetic. Try to put yourself in their shoes and see things through their eyes. Moreover, be open-minded and willing to consider alternative viewpoints.

3. Implement a reward or celebratory system, or both. Who doesn't enjoy receiving gifts and incentives? Providing awards or gifts to your employees raises their spirits and communicates value and appreciation.

4. Initiate meaningful conversations. Ask your employees for feedback or opinions on certain issues and listen to their recommendations. 

5. Give your employees freedom. Encourage them to complete a task in their own way if they ask how you would like them to accomplish it.

6. Personal growth is essential for anyone, including yourself. If feasible, ensure that all of your employees are promoted.

7. Check in on your employees frequently and inquire how they are doing. Be genuine about it rather than doing it as a routine.

8. Place a high value on collaborative teamwork.

9. Train your personnel regularly to improve their skills and expertise. You may train them yourself or pay for them to take classes.

10. Take your staff on relaxing getaways or excursions. If that isn't possible, take them out to lunch or dinner to congratulate their achievements and encourage them to achieve even more.