How can you create a supportive organizational culture through recognition and appreciation?

Stress is a common and inevitable challenge in the workplace, especially in times of uncertainty, change, and pressure. However, stress can also be a source of motivation, creativity, and resilience, depending on how you and your organization cope with it. One of the most effective ways to reduce stress and enhance well-being is to create a supportive organizational culture through recognition and appreciation. In this article, you will learn how to do that by following these six steps:

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1 Define your values

Before you can recognize and appreciate your employees, you need to have a clear and shared vision of what your organization stands for, what you expect from each other, and how you want to work together. Your values should reflect your purpose, mission, and goals, as well as your core beliefs and principles. You can define your values by involving your employees in brainstorming, surveys, or workshops, and then communicating them clearly and consistently across all levels and channels.

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Dmitry Vladimir Ryan (MIIRSM) (GradIEMA) (MCIEH) (MIIAI) (CertIOSH)

NEBOSH | OSHA 30 | IOSH MS | BIH | CSSA | BOSIET | OGUK | IRCA/CQI Lead Auditor ISO45001K
To foster a supportive organizational culture, define your values and implement strategies that align with them. Regularly recognize and appreciate employees, establish a formal recognition program, be specific and sincere, foster a feedback culture, provide training, celebrate diversity, measure and adjust the effectiveness of these initiatives, and lead by example. This approach will create a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and supported, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity.
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2 Align your actions

Once you have your values, you need to make sure that your actions are aligned with them. This means that you need to model the behaviors that you want to see in your employees, such as collaboration, innovation, or integrity. You also need to provide the resources, feedback, and support that your employees need to perform well and grow. You can align your actions by setting clear and realistic expectations, giving regular and constructive feedback, and offering opportunities for learning and development.

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Dmitry Vladimir Ryan (MIIRSM) (GradIEMA) (MCIEH) (MIIAI) (CertIOSH)

NEBOSH | OSHA 30 | IOSH MS | BIH | CSSA | BOSIET | OGUK | IRCA/CQI Lead Auditor ISO45001K
To create a supportive and consistent organizational culture, leaders should lead by example, communicate clearly, integrate values into decision-making, set expectations, incorporate values into hiring and onboarding, evaluate performance against values, provide feedback and coaching, create accountability mechanisms, celebrate successes, regularly review and adjust, seek feedback, and maintain transparency. This ongoing process requires commitment, consistency, and genuine dedication from all members of the organization.
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3 Celebrate your achievements

Another way to create a supportive organizational culture is to celebrate your achievements, both big and small. This means that you need to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts, contributions, and results of your employees, as well as the milestones, successes, and improvements of your organization. You can celebrate your achievements by expressing gratitude, giving praise, sharing stories, or rewarding performance.

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Dmitry Vladimir Ryan (MIIRSM) (GradIEMA) (MCIEH) (MIIAI) (CertIOSH)

NEBOSH | OSHA 30 | IOSH MS | BIH | CSSA | BOSIET | OGUK | IRCA/CQI Lead Auditor ISO45001K
Celebrating achievements is crucial for motivation, morale, and acknowledging hard work. To celebrate, reflect on your accomplishments, set milestones, share the news, reward yourself, acknowledge your team, host a celebration, create a memory, give back, set new goals, express gratitude, learn and grow, and remain humble. Remember that success often comes with the help of others and may involve luck. Celebrating achievements is not just about the end result but also about the journey of personal and professional growth.
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4 Encourage your diversity

Diversity is a valuable asset for any organization, as it brings different perspectives, skills, and experiences that can enhance creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. However, diversity also requires respect, inclusion, and understanding, which can foster a supportive organizational culture. You can encourage your diversity by recognizing and appreciating the unique strengths, talents, and backgrounds of your employees, as well as creating a safe and open environment where they can share their ideas, opinions, and feedback.

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5 Promote your well-being

Well-being is not only a personal matter, but also an organizational one. When your employees are healthy, happy, and satisfied, they are more likely to be productive, engaged, and loyal. Therefore, you need to promote the well-being of your employees by providing them with the resources, policies, and practices that can help them balance their work and life, cope with stress, and enhance their physical, mental, and emotional health. You can promote your well-being by offering flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, or counseling services.

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6 Strengthen your relationships

Finally, one of the most important aspects of a supportive organizational culture is the quality of the relationships among your employees. When your employees feel connected, valued, and trusted by their colleagues and managers, they are more likely to collaborate, communicate, and cooperate effectively. You can strengthen your relationships by creating opportunities for social interaction, team building, or mentoring, as well as fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and kindness.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Adriana Schumacher

Copywriting | Social Media | Email Marketing | Project Management
Jamais deixe de trazer um feedback positivo quando o colaborador faz um bom trabalho. Jamais. As pessoas precisam ser lembradas de que estão no caminho certo. Precisam ter certeza de que estão entregando o que é esperado. É isso que trará segurança aos colaboradores para trabalharem com tranquilidade e, consequentemente, entregarem melhores resultados. Na dúvida, ocorre o oposto: o colaborador "trava". Emperra. Não sabe se está acertando mais do que errando, e vice-versa. Se você elogiou o bom trabalho de um colaborador uma vez, elogie de novo quando isso se repetir. Não caia na armadilha do "se não estou falando nada é porque está tudo certo". Seja repetitivo se for preciso. Mas não deixe um colaborador sem saber se está no caminho certo.

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How can you create a supportive organizational culture through recognition and appreciation?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define your values

2 Align your actions

3 Celebrate your achievements

4 Encourage your diversity

5 Promote your well-being

6 Strengthen your relationships

7 Here’s what else to consider

Stress Management

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How can you create a supportive organizational culture through recognition and appreciation?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define your values

2 Align your actions

3 Celebrate your achievements

4 Encourage your diversity

5 Promote your well-being

6 Strengthen your relationships

7 Here’s what else to consider

Stress Management

Rate this article

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