E
mployee Appreciation is part of the foundation for many thriving businesses. When
employees feel that their work is appreciated and that they are valued, they tend to provide better
work. Looking at the psychological side of employee appreciation goes back to the fundamentals
of psychology. Applying known psycyhology in your business practice can help amplify your
employees work and the workplace life.
Opperant Conditioning is how many people come to work hard and strive to be the best.
Opperant condition coined by B.F. Skinner is behaviour that is a result of a consequence.
Conditioned Reinforcers can be items like money, gifts, recognition and prizes that people can
win/earn because of their work(Staddon & Cerutti, 2003). Conditioned Reinforcers are important
when looking at how employee appreciation can be used and more importantly the most
productive way in using employee appreciation. These conditioned reinforcers can be examined
in how far apart, what kind of reinforcers and is recognition enough.
Employee Appreciation can come in many forms, looking at how a company can show
appreciation while also creating incentives to work harder is part of what makes a company
strong and filled with hard workers. Employee appreciation is hard in the sense that too much of
it and people will think its regula and no longer strive for greatness and too little where people do
not feel valued. Another question comes forth when how many employees get recognized and
appreciated and if everyone is than do employees feel seen or just another number.
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Research
In Opperant conditioning it is important to look at a few aspects with reinforcers and how
they can be the most effective in employee appreciation. It is important in considering the
consistency of this appreciation and how big of a reward can provide change in employees work.
In a study done on the impacts of green culture and sustainability in a workplace, there is
a lot of discussion on how when creating initiatives opperant condition played a large role in the
success of some of these initiatives (Abbas & Dogan, 2022). Rewarding employees with positive
consequences in the workplace led them to participate and contribute more to these initiatives
(Abbas & Dogan, 2022). This kind of study shows how employee appreciation and positive
consequences can help employees work harder and strive for better inside their workplace.
Another study looked at Reward preferences in the workplace and at home.
A study done
in 2022 by the University of Tennessee found there was a difference based on gender adn
whether the employee is a parent or not (Ronchetti, 2022). The study had found data that can
look into preference of reward. Gender or parental status did not play a role but age and location
had correlation with different kinds of rewards. This study shares how employee appreciation
needs to fit the demographic around age and what people want the most (Ronchetti, 2022). There
is importance in the type of reward based on the person receiving it.
Also, another study focussing on pro-environment behaviour and how it can be
influenced by employee appreciation was done looking at opperant conditioning. For this study
they looked at environmental activities in workplaces with external rewards and leadership. This
study showed that not only does leadership play a ro,e but having a role model is necessary in
these activities and workplaces. They also found the importances and the extra motivation that
rewards and recognition gave employees to participate in incentives. Placing employees in
positions of leadership and giving them rewards for doing good work promotes hard work and
enjoyment in the workplace.
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Conclusion
Throughout these studies we can see the importance of employee appreciation and how it
plays a role in the daily lives of many inside a workplace. Understanding simple things like
position of leadership and recognition as a great motivator can be implemented into any
workplace.
In these studies we can see the major impacts of external rewards in workplaces.
Sometimes recognition is not enough and employee appreciation must turn to gifting. Gifting cna
be the foundation in also creating workplace competition and competition is known to lead to
harder better work from employees. Offering rewards and bonuses is only a small parti n
showing employee appreciation. Employee appreciation can be ued to the advantage o those in
charge for initiatives and work to be done.
Employee Appreciaition comes with every business that is successful and provides
insight into the importance of hard work for employees. In further research, one can look into
how we can provide better gifts for different age groups and what kind of rewards have the
largest effect with the smallest cost.
Isabella Singh
Psychology Blogger,
The Shared Secrets Lab,
GiftAFeeling Inc.
Read The Official Research Paper On - The Importance Of Employee Appreciation- The Psychological Side