Using Praise Effectively and Why It Is Important

Many of us may have experienced praise after a job well done. Can you remember how you felt afterwards? Were the words more meaningful to you than completing the job? Maybe you were motivated to put in effort for even more success?

It is common knowledge that being praised often makes people feel good. Satisfaction, pleasure, pride and increased feelings of self-esteem are all common reactions to being paid a compliment or receiving positive feedback. This is because these reactions trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps control the reward and pleasure centres of the brain. As well as making us feel good, dopamine can also contribute to innovative thinking and creative problem-solving at work.

Psychologists and researchers have long been fascinated by the effects of praise on workplace performance and behaviour, and what this means for organisations. In 2004, the Gallup Organisation conducted a worldwide research project, surveying more than four million employees about the importance of praise and recognition. Gallup concluded that employees who receive regular praise are more productive, engaged and more likely to stay with their organisation, than those who do not. The survey results also indicated that employees who are praised receive higher loyalty and satisfaction scores from customers, and even enjoy better health than employees who are not.

There are probably many leaders who think that money is the main factor that engages employees in their work. But can this be sustainable in the long term, and are they actually satisfied primarily with the salary?

Putting effort at work is not just “to finish the job” we are paid for. A task completion can mean much more for our job satisfaction and wellbeing than the money. A Meta Analysis showed that despite the popular theorizing, results suggest that there is only a small correlation between job satisfaction and pay, and that there is a much bigger correlation to the high performance equation than merely income.

Performance feedback may be more effective if others acknowledge it, or if praise is given when positive goals are reached. Acknowledgement and praise are examples of types of social recognition that may increase intrinsic motivation when provided as information rather than as an attempt to control behaviour (Deci et al., 1999).

Delivering Praise Effectively

Although praise seems like such a simple thing, it is often done unsuccessfully, if at all. The way in which the praise is delivered has a significant bearing on its effectiveness.

World-renowned psychologist Carol Dweck has found that children who are praised for being inherently “good” at something (e.g. You have done the task excellently without putting an effort) are less likely to take on new challenges than those who are praised for their approach to the task (Great job! I can tell you put a lot of time into that). When it comes to praising employees, Dweck's advice is to highlight the value of constructive feedback; managers should be specific about which aspects of their team members’ performance have particularly impressed them and why.

The Gallup Organisation has pointed out that only genuine achievements should be praised, and that empty words have little or no value. Indeed, Gallup says that ‘unearned praise can do more harm to an individual and a workgroup than none at all’. It not only prevents employees from knowing when they need to improve, but it can diminish the impact of the genuine praise that is offered at other times.


As you reflect on this text, take some time right now and catch some of your colleagues doing something right. And when you do, praise them and look at how their body responds to you. You will immediately see how it is worth doing more often than not. Hopefully, there will come a time when some (or most) of your colleagues will do the same to you.

By: Sonja vos Ralevska