One of the most popular questions I get involves employee appreciation. Many bosses believe that showing an employee how much they’re valued crosses some sort of line, making things too personal. And yes, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed in the workplace, but I enjoy pointing out that this isn’t one of them. You can – and should – let your employees know that you appreciate the hard work that they do day in and day out.

Proper communication goes beyond task-based instructions and other work interactions. You need to build up your employees’ self-esteem by doing more than giving them larger work loads and additional responsibilities. In fact, giving some employees more work may make them feel as if they aren’t being valued at all, and that’s the best ways to lose great workers.

Use Words to Show Appreciation

The proverbial “pat on the back” works well here, especially when you want your workers to feel that they are valued. A quick compliment, such as “good work on that account” or “you did a great job of organizing that meeting” goes a long way. This humanizes you, showing that you do have feelings and that you are happy with the work that was completed. In turn, your employees will be inspired – they will keep working hard and go above and beyond what they are told in order to make you happy. This increased productivity is good for the company, and for your employees’ self-esteem.

Small Actions Build Positivity

Words aren’t the only things that matter – actions do as well. Whether it’s extra money in the form of a performance bonus, additional paid time off, or even something as simple as a birthday party, complete with cake and a half hour to enjoy it, your employees will appreciate the gesture and feel as though they are valuable. These small actions, particularly the last one, will create a sense of teamwork amongst your workers. Remember: people who enjoy their colleagues and their jobs will work harder than those who hate what they do.

Your workers need to know that you – their boss – isn’t a robot. By showing your humanity and complimenting them on a job well done, whether it is done through words or via actions, they will know that they are a valued member of your company.