Entitlement vs. Appreciation

I wonder if I owe employer-readers of SaskBusiness an apology. A few months back I wrote of how employers need to value their employees in a manner in which employees “feel” valued. A few weeks later, I noted that employees of one of my clients left this article folded and face up on the staff lunchroom table for over a month…the first of my articles to receive such promotion. While what I wrote remains true, it calls for a balanced perspective within the employer/employee partnership…one of appreciation on the part of the employee.

“People who are raised in North America may have a sense of entitlement simply because they have no idea how lucky they are. If you’ve never been hungry, never wondered where you would sleep, never had to go without shoes, then your sense of what is by rights your due may be askew… ”

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Value Recognition

People engage where they feel valued for their contribution.

Organizations don’t value people…people value people.

It is not so much that you “tell” people you value them…more that they recognize (sense) that they are valued. It may be that you have said, “we sure value your contribution here”…but a comment such as this may lead to feelings of being a “tool” – rather than valued as a person.

It is less likely that people really want to be an employee of the month picture on the wall…or have a parking space at the front door…this may actually work against other people on your team recognizing the value you have for them.

How do you feel valued?