More Than a Paycheck: Poll Shows 59% of US People Never Had Boss Who ‘Truly Appreciated’ Their Work
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While such aspects as a nice paycheck, extra perks and professional development opportunities are always listed as most important in surveys, a new poll has highlighted the value of relationships with peers and managers.
A daily dose of “under-appreciation” from their bosses is acutely felt by 63 percent of workers in the US, according to the revelations of a new survey. Furthermore, 59 percent never had a boss who truly appreciated their work, according to the survey of 2,000 Americans, all of whom have either been employed over the last five years or are currently searching for a new job, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bonusly.
A majority (41%) of the respondents claimed that manifestations of favouritism among employees on the part of higher-ups contributed to their perceived lack of appreciation. Another 39 percent cited lack of communication and recognition on the part of management.
Woman working on her laptop
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Of those polled, 65 percent even acknowledged they would likely stick with a job even despite an unappreciative manager if their coworkers and peers recognised their work. One in three of the participants (29%) went as far as to claim that they would be ready to sacrifice a weeks’ worth of pay per year in return for more recognition from their employer.
While close to half (46%) of those surveyed confessed that they had quit on occasion because they felt unappreciated, 65 percent admitted that they would put in more of an effort at the workplace if they felt it would be noticed by their management.
This comes as “the Great Resignation,” also known as the Big Quit - an economic trend in which employees have voluntarily resigned from their jobs en masse, beginning in early 2021, primarily in the US – has highlighted how employees “want more than just a paycheck”.
“As many companies transition toward remote work, there is an increased need to create positive interactions to build stronger connections, even if those are virtual. Retention and high-performance are directly impacted by how employees feel valued and recognized at work,” said Raphael Crawford-Marks, Bonusly Founder and CEO.
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As for the form this recognition from management should take, a third opted for salary increases, 35 percent said they would prefer bonuses or a recognition program, while 30 percent - wellness and professional development stipends.
Career advancement remains important, with almost seven in 10 of those surveyed not at all eager to work for a company that lacks internal advancement opportunities. Over 77 percent of the people polled underscored the importance of being granted an opportunity to “climb the ladder”.
Twenty-two percent stated that praise from management was their preferred form of recognition, while credit from their peers was important for 22 percent. As for the bosses whose praise and appreciation mattered so much, according to the poll, direct supervisors ranked first with 38 percent of the respondents.
“Trivial perks, like free food, a ping pong table or even a box of treats sent to your remote employees, don’t warrant great work in return… Organizations need to adopt a culture of recognition and appreciation to give employees a sense of purpose, progress and belonging at work. If recognition programs are executed well and with intention, employee retention increases, as does productivity and morale,” said Crawford-Marks.
