The more power the boss has, the less grateful he is to his employees: a common mistake that drives away talent

The labor market is at a time of particular effervescence. Outside our borders, the phenomenon of the Great Renunciation is taking place in several countries, and although in Spain it is not yet strongly felt, there are sectors in which the war for talent is already virulent, such as technology. And in this dispute, companies are devising strategies that go beyond offering more money so that their employees do not leave: telecommuting forever, a four-day work week, unlimited vacations or training according to the concerns of professionals, among others. .

Now, a Harvard Business Review study suggests that companies can start by doing something much simpler to keep their employees happy and not feel the need to leave: make bosses, especially higher-ranking ones, more grateful to them.

Power does not understand gratitude. The authors of this study conducted several investigations and found evidence that higher-ranking bosses tend to thank their subordinates much less for their work than middle managers. According to the researchers, this is because people with greater power feel more entitled to receive favors and benefits from their employees, given their high position, so they do not see the need to show their gratitude as often.

Also, the researchers found that many top managers are also not grateful because they consider that it has no effect on their workers. But they are wrong.

Gratitude as a Strategy. A 2013 Glassdoor survey found that 53% of employees would think twice about leaving a company if they felt their bosses truly appreciated their work. Another study, in this case by the American Psychological Association, confirms this statement and goes further: employees who receive gratitude from their superiors not only feel more committed to the company, they also perform better and are more creative.

For this reason, from the Harvard business magazine they point out that working on the gratitude of senior management towards workers at all levels of the company would increase their well-being in the company, make them feel that their work is important for the organization and It would increase the chances of them staying.

“Don’t assume that your employees or peers know how much you appreciate their work or their specific contributions to a project. Communicate those feelings with gratitude, because everyone benefits when those feelings flow through the organization,” the study authors recommend.

Appreciation Tools. The results of all these studies have not gone unnoticed by the professional software industry, which has incorporated tools and advice so that teams can recognize the work of their members or other members of the company through their products.

Thus, Microsoft Viva, a work and well-being platform that those from Redmond launched in February 2021, incorporates functions that allow you to send and receive recognition for the work done by colleagues and bosses. And Slack, for its part, recommends that its clients create a specific channel dedicated to congratulations for tasks well done as a strategy to reinforce the company culture and increase employee engagement.

Image | Jonathan Borba