How Appreciation Impacts Workplace Satisfaction & Retention

Cathie Leimbach • August 1, 2023

Human diversity is caused by many factors including genetics, environment, and life experiences. This wide range of human diversity affects many aspects of leading people including their response to receiving – or not receiving – appreciation at work. Recent Gallup research has found that the variability in people receiving appreciation is significantly correlated to the sense of fairness in the workplace, employee burnout, and turnover.


This article summarizes some of the differences between employees who feel they are receiving the right amount of recognition and those who don’t feel they are receiving the right amount. Many of the survey respondents indicated that the right amount of recognition is receiving positive feedback at least a few times a week from colleagues – supervisors and/or other coworkers.

First, let’s look at the feeling of being treated fairly at work, a factor that greatly impacts the workplace culture, morale, and productivity. Those who feel they receive the right amount of recognition are seven times more likely to feel treated fairly than those who don’t receive the right amount. Also, those who receive the right amount of recognition are four times more likely to feel respected and valued at work.


Second, let’s look at the impact of feeling appreciated on burnout. When women don’t receive the right amount of recognition, 31% of them feel burned out while only 11% of those who feel adequately recognized feel burned out. However, 24% of men report being burned out whether they feel appropriately recognized or not. Providing quality appreciation increases women’s sense of well-being and their productivity.


Third, let’s explore the potential impact of recognition on employee retention measured by people actively looking for or watching for other job opportunities. Gallup’s 2023 study found that 40% of men who feel they are receiving the right amount of recognition are looking for or keeping their eyes open for a different job. Of those not feeling well appreciated, 58% of men are paying attention to opportunities elsewhere.  32% of women who are feeling appropriately recognized are looking for or watching for other job opportunities while 56% of women who don’t feel well appreciated are considering working elsewhere.


These realities highlight the importance of managers showing appreciation to employees who are fulfilling any or all aspects of their workplace expectations. When people feel treated fairly they are less likely to complain and will be more productive. Women who feel well appreciated are much less likely to be burned out and, thus, be more productive. Overall, both men and women who feel they are receiving the right amount of recognition are more likely to be committed to staying at their current workplace leading to increased engagement and productivity. 



Managers who prioritize recognizing their employees’ contributions at work will likely receive a high return on this investment. Showing appreciation at work is well worth the time and effort! 

What’s Really Driving Employee Detachment?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 21, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because the root causes of disengagement are easy to miss. Right now, many employees are emotionally detached from their workplaces—and a majority are still watching for their next opportunity. But this isn’t about perks or pay. It’s about something more foundational. Less than half of employees clearly know what’s expected of them. Even fewer feel encouraged to grow, connected to purpose, or heard at work. Those aren’t surface issues. They’re leadership gaps. And they show up in everyday conversations. Engagement is built—or broken—through how leaders communicate expectations, opportunities, purpose, and voice. For example: When expectations aren’t clear, people guess and stay busy—and performance suffers. When employees don’t see how their work matters, connection fades. When leaders don’t ask for employees’ perspectives, people disengage—even if they stay. These aren’t big system failures. They’re missed conversations. The good news? What causes detachment is also what fixes it. Where could clearer, more intentional leadership conversations reconnect your team? Look at your last two workplace culture or employee engagement surveys. What do they show about how well your leaders meet employee needs? Where are leaders falling short? How do these strengths and gaps affect your bottom line? How long are you willing to accept the underperformance that follows?  Your Next Step: Click here to book a free conversation with Cathie Leimbach about discovering and/or closing leadership gaps in your organization.

What Problems Disappear When Leadership Gets Stronger?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 14, 2026
Most workplace issues don’t start big. They build slowly—through missed conversations, unclear expectations, and more people leave. That’s where disengagement shows up. And when it does, the cost is real: 78% higher absenteeism 51% higher turnover 63% more safety incidents These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And across the U.S., the bigger picture is hard to ignore— disengaged employees cost organizations nearly $2 trillion annually in lost productivity (Gallup). These aren’t just HR problems. They’re leadership problems. When people don’t feel connected, clear, or supported: They call off more More people quit Mistakes and risks increase The good news? These patterns are preventable. Strong leaders reduce these issues by: Addressing problems early Creating clarity instead of assumptions Having consistent, direct conversations Reinforcing expectations before things drift It’s not about doing more. It’s about leading differently—every day. A question to consider: Which of these challenges is quietly costing your organization the most right now? 👉 Join our upcoming Leadership Conversation on April 27th, 3:00 PM—this is not a webinar . This is a candid conversation with leaders comparing their employee engagement challenges and successes.  Most organizations are tolerating more of this than they realize. The question is—are you?