Positively Perfect

Positive reinforcement. You’ve heard the term. Maybe while raising a child, training a dog or just flipping through channels. However, do you truly understand what it means to offer positive reinforcement in a business sense?

BusinessDictionary.com defines positive reinforcement as a “Condition where the introduction of a stimulus (challenge, penalty, reward, etc.) increases or maintains the likelihood of the recurrence of the same response (behavior or output).”

Ok, that’s great and all, but maybe we could get some layman’s terms in here? Positive reinforcement is a thank you note, bonus, an incentive trip. It’s how you say “I appreciate your work” while also expressing that you want that same high caliber of work to continue. Oh, and guess what? It works.

By expressing gratitude and rewarding employees for a job well done, you are conditioning them to continue to strive for excellence — every time.

I’m not good at this kind of thing. What do I do?

1. Be sure to use specifics when offering praise — be clear in exactly why you are pleased.
2. Try to spread the appreciation as evenly as possible amongst employees. Sure, you may have a rockstar, but you’re setting them up for failure if the remainder of your team perceives them as a favorite. The better your team works together, the more likely you are to have success across the board — versus success in only whatever your rockstar covers.
3. Be consistent. If employees produce similar quality results, reward similarly.

Is everyone a delicate flower these days?

This isn’t only about keeping your employees happy. It’s perfectly acceptable to have ulterior motives in this situation.

Ok, so what do I get out of the deal?

Studies show that positive work environments create more productive offices, cut down on health insurance costs, and lower the chance of stress-related disease and even death.

Employees who become disengaged from their work within high stress environments often seek new positions outside of the company. The Center for American Progress estimates that replacing a single employee costs approximately 20% of that employee’s salary. By increasing workplace satisfaction, you’re actually increasing your chances for success.

So, next time your employee does something to shine, make sure you acknowledge their hard work — in turn, they’re likely to help make your company shine.