Having employees work well with one another is one of the biggest issues Managers and HR Departments face on a regular basis. Even the best companies have workplace conflicts. They are inevitable. Such conflicts are usually uncomfortable for everyone and can lead to a negative office environment. Understanding the reasons for conflict and deploying strategies to resolve them can not only restore harmony but actually make the workplace stronger and more cohesive.

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It seems intuitive to think that there is a cause/effect relationship between success and happiness or vice-verse. Success leads to happiness or happiness leads to success. Or, if not causational, at least some correlation. Like the chicken and the egg, it’s hard to know which comes first, but one is certain there is a relationship between the two. And yet, there are many examples of people who achieve career success but are not happy and people who are pretty happy but are not necessarily successful in their careers. So what have researchers learned about the relationship between happiness and success?

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What effect – if any — does appreciation have on employee productivity, creativity, efficiency and effectiveness? A lot. Words of appreciation and recognition are often more powerful than tangible rewards. According to a study by Bersin & Associates, “companies that express ample employee appreciation have 31% lower voluntary turnover rates than companies that don’t”. It also helps develop stronger organizations since recognized behaviors are often repeated. And employees who feel valued are more likely to be creative and effective. But this is true only when the appreciation is expressed in a way that is understood and received.

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When is the last time your manager took the time to express appreciation for something you did or said, or for what you bring to the table? Today? This week? This month? This year? Ever? If you are a manager, when is the last time you expressed your appreciation of something one of your direct reports did? How often do you express appreciation to each direct report? Do you communicate appreciation more often to some employees than others? A recent survey of employees showed that 44% of workers had not had their manager express appreciation for their work EVER. So what effect – if any — does appreciation have on employee productivity, creativity, efficiency and effectiveness?

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