Do American workers actually feel appreciated during the holidays?

What do American workers want for the holidays? Connection and appreciation, says a new study.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. employees found that 55% feel more appreciated during the holiday season than any other time of the year. 

For the holidays, two in three (65%) said they’d likely attend their workplace’s holiday party this year. Many said they would either come for free food (39%) or if their workplace friends came (34%). 

Among the holiday cheer, the study, commissioned by Motivosity and conducted by Talker Research, found a surprise that questions some traditional views about company culture.

An overall 72% of respondents say being connected to their company’s culture is important to them. At its core, 48% believe what makes a company’s culture so special are their coworkers — more so than the leadership (38%) or a belief in common values and missions (33%).

Along those lines, 63% of employees said ‘face to face’ communication is the most effective way to build positive relationships with their coworkers. 

Nearly half of employees also cited how appreciation from peers (48%) and their direct boss (46%) was the best way gratitude can be shown in the workplace — valued higher than receiving regular raises (39%).

Of a lengthy list of non-traditional benefits, respondents again chose appreciation from their direct boss and peers as what they would value the most (37% and 32%, respectively), compared to things like snacks, mental wellness programs, and relaxation areas.

A majority of employees (58%) said having a company commit to employee recognition and rewards has a “major” or “significant” role in their decision to stay with their current company. 

In comparison, only 13% said they aren’t influenced by recognition when deciding whether or not to stay or leave.

“There’s a mountain of data telling leaders that success is all about the people and that recognition is the #1 driver of job satisfaction, yet leaders still struggle with meaningful results,” said Motivosity CEO, Scott Johnson. “Here’s the secret to success: don’t do it yourself. You can’t do it yourself. You can’t ‘drive’ this kind of culture from the top down. We see ever increasing importance placed on the role of ‘coworker’ in companies. Leaders need to leverage that power by empowering their teams to be more connected and to appreciate each other more.” 

The research found connection and communication was the central foundation for good culture. Thirty-eight percent believed their workplace has an “extremely” good work culture — nurturing feelings of belonging, camaraderie, and friendly communication between coworkers.

The most influential factors in having a positive relationship with coworkers was found to be working together in person (34%) and communicating often in a work setting (27%).

The most common forms of primary communication between coworkers is through face to face conversations (61%), email (30%), phone calls (24%) and texts through their personal phones (20%).

What makes people feel appreciated at work?

Personal thank you’s from their direct boss – 48%

Being able to easily communicate with their coworkers and boss – 46%

Being appreciated by their peers, customers, or the public – 41%

Being paid a living wage or being given regular raises – 39%

Having a flexible work schedule – 35%

Respect for their time outside of working hours – 35%

Being empowered to be more autonomous – 18%

Having a wellness program offered through my workplace – 17%

Company-wide and/or team-wide shoutouts – 15%

Winning an internal award (MVP, employee of the month, etc.) – 13%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 employed Americans; the survey was commissioned by Motivosity and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Nov. 11 and Nov. 15, 2024.