Michele Bailey, Author at Global Trade Magazine

The holiday season is a reflective time, and as company leaders look back on the past year of challenges and accomplishments, it’s important that they show gratitude to their employees – and not make it a rare occurrence.

Research has shown a strong correlation between employee recognition and employee retention. Specific to the holiday season, one survey found that about 60% of employees would be more likely to stay in their job if they received meaningful holiday gifts from their employer. As the “Great Resignation” sweeps the country, employers should be mindful of making the holidays the “Great Appreciation” for their best employees and making it a habit. says Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com), ForbesBooks author of The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.

“As leaders reflect, those who haven’t made gratitude a core value of their organization should strongly consider it going forward into next year,” Bailey says. “The current context of workers leaving in droves basically demands it. And the holidays are the perfect time for leaders to set a new tone and show they are sincere about showing appreciation on a consistent basis.

“This really benefits everyone in an organization; led by the leader, everyone is influenced to show gratitude for each other. When you make gratitude a habit and recognize the value of the contributions of your colleagues, you encourage them to strive for greater results. And your business will inevitably grow as your team members champion your brand.”

Bailey offers five ways leaders can express gratitude to employees during the holidays and make the practice a regular feature of their organization:

Prioritize mental health. The nearly two-year-long pandemic has added anxiety for millions of workers, and every holiday season many people experience increased stress and depression. Therefore, Bailey says it’s vital that company leaders keep these factors in mind and check on the mental health of their employees. “Lots of employees feel burnout this time of year, and remote workers can feel more isolated,” she says. “Make sure to check in with your people one-on-one and in small groups. Let them know that you care.”

Give praise. “By publicly praising an employee or team who has done an outstanding job, you make them feel valued,” Bailey says. “This can boost their confidence and their enthusiasm for the company. A personal handwritten note also goes a long way with an employee. The holiday season is an ideal time for the leader to champion their top people and energize them going forward into next year.”

Make gifts meaningful. Bailey says leaders should put a good amount of thought into gift-giving as a reward for employees, showing a personal touch and making it something useful and memorable. “They don’t have to be expensive,” she says. “The value is in the thought. And along with material gifts, consider experiential gifts, which allow the recipient to have an experience that ties in with their interests.”

Give paid holiday leave. “Extra time off during the holidays to be with family is a bonus in itself,” Bailey says. “As work-life balance becomes more important to employees nowadays, this is the time of year when employers should show they’re sincere in making that happen.”

Survey your teams on what they need for next year. This is a way of paying your gratitude forward, Bailey says. “The holiday season and end of the year are a great time to tune in to your teams and listen to how you can help them do their jobs better next year. Being heard and having their thoughts turned into action by management help your employees feel appreciated.”

“If your work culture is not operating with gratitude,” Bailey says, “not only will the holidays feel a bit empty, but your potential as a company will remain unfulfilled.”

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Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com) is the ForbesBooks author of The Currency Of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures Into Powerful Business Results. She also is founder/CEO of The Blazing Group, a brand and culture agency born of her strategy-first approach to business and desire to enhance employee wellness in pursuit of business goals. She is also the founder of My Big Idea®, a mentoring program designed to propel individuals toward their personal and professional goals. Bailey has been recognized for contributions to women and entrepreneurship with honors such as the Bank of Montreal Expansion & Growth in Small Business Award and the Women’s Business Enterprise Leader Award in 2020. Bailey is a popular speaker and is also the author of a previous book, It’s NOT All About You, It’s About the Company You Keep.

The job quitting isn’t stopping: a record 4.3 million workers left their jobs in August – a milestone that followed the April landmark of 4 million Americans exiting their companies.

Some people are leaving their jobs because the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to reconsider how much their companies value them. In that context, whether it’s a matter of pay, work demands, work-from-home flexibility, or overall culture, it’s important that businesses seeking stability and growth know how they can retain their best employees, says Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com), ForbesBooks author of The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.

“With over 10 million employment vacancies, some people are leaving because they are confident they can find a better job, a better fit in line with the new perspective the pandemic has given them,” Bailey says. “So at this point, a good number of jilted employers should be asking themselves, ‘Why are talented people leaving my company? What can I do to change that, regain stability and grow?’

“The answer is often looking back in the mirror at them, and in how they treat people more as laborers than rare gems who are special – people who can make the workplace special. It’s fixable, but it’s all about putting your employees first.”

Bailey says in terms of retaining top employees, companies and their leaders should think about these points:

Know the cost of replacing good employees. One report shows that it costs 33% of a worker’s annual salary to hire a replacement if that worker leaves. “Clearly, retention and development of existing employees make the most sense if they are the right fit,” Bailey says.

Encourage professional development. Bailey says forward-thinking, growth-oriented companies hire talented people with the capability of taking on bigger responsibilities. “Professional development provides the opportunity for steps up in their career path,” Bailey says. “Employees who do not see a clear path are at risk of leaving.”

Build culture by acknowledging the whole person. “Work-life balance” has gotten a lot of attention during the pandemic, but Bailey says good leadership ensures that balance is in place by going the extra mile to know employees and to listen to their concerns, whether personal or professional. “The reality is that all of us bring our personal selves to work and our work selves home with us,” she says. “When something is going well or poorly in either space, it tends to seep into our attitudes and behavior in the other. When you address the overall wellness of your people as part of your business mandate, you have people well-aligned and rowing in the same direction.”

Create an army of brand ambassadors by empowering your employees. Employees who feel their voices are heard at work are nearly five times (4.6) more likely to feel empowered to perform their best at work. Employees who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged at work, 8 percent more productive, and 15 percent less likely to leave their jobs. “Many businesses tout themselves as collaborative workplaces with great cultures; however, worker frustration suggests that the reality is otherwise,” Bailey says. “A good culture is a place where they’re freed to flourish, energized, and proud to represent the brand to clients.”

Reward and recognize. “Showing gratitude to your workforce is imperative to having a successful business,” Bailey says. “Eventually people want you to show them the money – and you must if you truly value them – but frequent shows of gratitude in any form should be consistent and timely.”

“We can hold onto our talent and keep our people engaged,” Bailey says, “by creating an environment where employees become emotionally connected through gratitude to company leadership, to each other, and to the company’s purpose.”

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Is Your Boss A Grinch? How To Show Holiday Gratitude – And Retain Employees.

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