A stamp of a thumbs up that says "great work"

Happy workers tend to be better workers. Unfortunately, the trying times America is going through has many feeling down in the dumps. That's why now is as good a time as any for business leadership and managers to recognize the positive things their employees are accomplishing. 

The following are four benefits of showing employees positive recognition, according to Employee Benefit Adviser.

1. Keep Employees Around

Turnover can cripple a company because it's so hard to find a replacement for a worker who leaves and then train that new hire. It also hurts because an understaffed team sometimes has a difficult time getting the job done right. Fortunately, research shows that businesses can improve upon their turnover rate by creating a culture that promotes positive recognition.

2. Make Workers More Engaged

Citing its own research, Employee Benefit Adviser says that the majority of highly-engaged employees (84 percent) were recognized for their performance the last time they did more than asked. Conversely, just a quarter of disinterested employees had received recognition for exceeding expectations.

3. Keep Employees Happy

The numbers don't lie: 70 percent of employees say they would be happier and more motivated if their managers thanked them more for a job well done. Other research shows that happy employees are more productive and better at making sales.

4. Encourage Peer Recognition

It appears that workers are happier when their job well done is recognized in front of their peers. In fact, SHRM found that peer recognition is 36 percent more likely to positively influence financial results than recognition that's only shared between the manager and employee.