Trust - The Elephant in the Room

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If you work in talent, leadership, or people operations, here’s a question worth sitting with:

When was the last time someone on your team felt genuinely appreciated — not just paid, but truly valued?

That thought has stayed with me since reading a recent Harvard Business Review piece, “The Little Things That Make Employees Feel Appreciated.” It struck a nerve because it reflects what I see every day in recruiting and retention conversations. Time and again, when people decide to leave an organization, it’s rarely just about compensation or career path. More often, it’s about something harder to quantify — they stopped feeling seen.

What the research reinforces is simple but powerful: people don’t need grand gestures. They need steady, authentic signals that their work matters. That their effort is noticed. That their voice counts.

A sincere thank-you after a long week. Public recognition for a job well done. A manager who takes the time to listen. These moments may seem small, but over time they shape culture more than any policy ever could.

In healthy organizations, appreciation isn’t occasional — it’s woven into daily leadership behavior. Teams perform better when respect is visible, not assumed. Because in the end, the little things really are the big things.

If you lead a team, this article by Kerry Roberts Gibson, Kate O'Leary and Joseph R. Weintraub is well worth your time.

What’s one small act of recognition you’ve seen make a lasting difference on your team?