by Anna Rosenbaum and Alexandra Günther

“Our success is sufficient recognition for the team.” “Diamonds are created under pressure.” Many companies still work according to these kinds of guiding principles. In our society, good performance is taken for granted. The only feedback we get is usually criticism when expectations are not met. However, we all know how good appreciation can feel from our own experiences: each one of us practically lights up with joy when our boss congratulates us on a successful project or when a colleague thanks us for our help.

Giving ourselves praise, recognition and appreciation is only somewhat effective; we want it from the outside. Above all from people we look up to, who are important to us or whom we spend a lot of time with (e.g. superiors, colleagues or customers). According to science, praise motivates, strengthens our self-confidence and makes us more productive. And it is soothing for the soul – as we would describe it.

Not all praise is the same

Praise is defined as expressing recognition and appreciation for another person’s performance. However, in order to be received effectively and to unfold its full potential, praise should satisfy two conditions: It should be sincere and as specific as possible. A simple “great” or “well done” is nice but also very general, so it doesn’t resonate for long. An honest and well-founded “Your email from yesterday really convinced the customer – it was very well written!” on the other hand can be a real boost to the recipient’s motivation.

Behind the desire for praise is, as one might expect, the pursuit of recognition. Even more deeply rooted, however, is the desire to protect our own self-confidence. Scientists at the University of Bern have found that perceived threats to our self-esteem are among the main causes of stress. That’s exactly what a lack of appreciation is. It eventually translates into behaviour that most of us probably know: tasks feel burdensome and unnecessary and are only completed sloppily, the conversational tone becomes harsher, and the level of satisfaction with ourselves and our surroundings declines. A lack of recognition therefore not only frustrates the individual, but also affects the working atmosphere for everyone. Conversely, a culture of appreciation can work wonders for the team.

Why recognition increases performance

The profound effects of recognition in the workplace have been proven by various studies. The aforementioned researchers at the University of Bern studied the effect of praise on officers in the Swiss military. When the officers felt appreciated, they reported being more satisfied with their work and feeling less resentment. Praise also affected the level of social support and equality in the team, as well as perceived control over the job. Appreciation also reduced the negative effect of overtime on job satisfaction: If the officers felt appreciated, they were more satisfied with their jobs despite putting in extra hours. Researchers at the University of Iceland observed the same effect in the particularly stressful field of healthcare. They were able to show that praise changed the perception of work as a whole: nurses who were praised often or very often performed their tasks in a more professional manner, reported a more positive working atmosphere, took more pride in their work and tried harder to make an effort for the hospital or the department than those who were rarely praised.

So if you are a manager looking for new ways to boost productivity, you don’t have to invest anything more than a little attention and appreciation. Even mutual recognition among colleagues is guaranteed to improve the working atmosphere.

What should I praise?

If you feel under pressure and your desk is bursting with tasks, it’s often difficult to even notice the achievements of others. However, with a little practice, you can sharpen your perception of your colleagues’ work – and slowly create an atmosphere of appreciation.

Here are three tips to make you show more appreciation for others:

1. If you are one of those people who can’t think of anything to praise others for, start paying attention to your own thoughts. In your interactions with colleagues, you surely have thoughts like: “How did she do that?”, “Wait, this is already done?” or “I didn’t know that!” – These are all opportunities for recognition, you just have to express them.

2. You can also ask yourself questions or observe yourself: What do you like to be praised for? What gives you the biggest confidence boost? Most of the time, these are things you relate to yourself and to your individual skills, which makes the praise more specific and authentic. The same concept can be applied to others. It shows that you care about the person and recognise their strengths.

3. Mindfulness exercises can help increase your awareness in relationships. Here is a simple exercise: regularly remind yourself what you can be grateful for, even in small ways. Surely this gratitude also affects other people, and you can then express honest praise much more easily. Once you’ve managed to recognise and express appreciation for others a few times, their positive reactions will automatically lead you to praise them more often. The reason is that your brain picks up on the reactions, analyses them and adjusts your behaviour accordingly, all on its own.

So the lesson is: start praising other people in your life! Everyone knows how good honest compliments feel, and with a little practice it’s not difficult to bring others the same feeling of joy.