How do you show appreciation? For me, I show appreciation through TIME – taking time to stop by someone’s desk, make that call I have been saying I would make for a month, having dinner with my family, whatever it might be – I take the time.

I am a firm believer that we don’t need a specific day to show love and appreciation. Taking time to say ‘thank you’ or ‘nice work’ should be part of our everyday life.

Appreciation is interesting – for some, it’s a feeling, and for others, it’s something you do. Either way you look at it, appreciation is a powerful and transformative thing. So powerful, that it can instantly change the course of a situation or conversation.

Think about the last time you were in a tense situation with a family member, friend, or colleague. By merely pausing to remind someone that you appreciate them, their feelings, and their opinions, it allows you to disarm the tension and bring an element of kindness to the situation. Will it completely resolve the situation between you? Probably not, but it will transform the conversation and allow you to work through the tension in a more positive and constructive way.

What’s special about appreciation is that its transformative power doesn’t only apply to those who receive it—it has a big impact on the giver as well.

The more you practice ‘mindful appreciation’, the more you will find yourself seeking the good in people and situations. And the more you acknowledge the good going on around you, the harder it is for the negativity to breakthrough.

As a CEO, appreciation at work is very important to me. I try and take time each day, sometimes twice a day, to walk around the entire office and check in with employees. We also have an entire week dedicated to appreciating our employees. I know that one of the key factors to productivity, engagement, and culture is appreciation. At work, appreciation may start with a fun day with treats and activities, but the goal is that employees seek opportunities to make appreciation part of their daily lives as parents, coworkers, friends, and leaders.

Let’s look at some statistics about the importance of Employee Recognition:

1. The #1 reason most people leave their jobs is a lack of recognition. Source:Gallup 
2. 52.5% of employees want more recognition from their immediate manager. Source:Recognition in the Workplace, Quantum Workplace and BambooHR
3. Organizations with recognition programs had 31% lower voluntary turnover than those without. Source:Bersin by Deloitte

So, there you have it. Taking that extra time to say ‘nice work’ or ‘hey thanks for helping me with that’, whatever it might be. Reaching out and showing that appreciation makes such a difference and can have a valuable impact on your business and your personal life.

Enjoy the journey and APPRECIATE YOUR PEOPLE.