The need to be appreciated is a powerful driver.

Time and time again, research shows that most people need recognition for their efforts and a good old fashioned “thank you” goes a long way to keeping people motivated. When was the last time you showed your people how much you appreciate them?

Recognising your team brings tangible benefits too. A study by Dr David Maister of the Harvard Business School found that raising employee satisfaction by 20% will increase a company’s financial performance by more than 43%. Convinced? So how do you go about it?

It can take the form of certificates, trophies, public celebrations, simple thank yous, small gifts - or you could use ’intelliweb’, a dynamic and interactive web-based solution that allows you to instantly recognise and praise individuals across the globe. In fact, how you do it depends only upon your audience and your budget. The vital thing is that you do it.

After all, if you don’t show people how much you appreciate them, someone else just might! And the costs of losing a good person and recruiting another are far, far higher than keeping a shining star in the first place.