Many employers believe salary is the primary factor in retaining employees. However, according to a recent HR survey, 79 percent of employees singled out "lack of appreciation" as one of the top reasons they would leave their job. These results coincide with a national trend of employees leaving companies for other career opportunities. In January of this year, 1.9 percent of the U.S. workforce turned in their resignations - up from 1.6 percent the previous year.

Showing appreciation for an employee's skill and hard work not only creates a congenial environment, it can improve productivity, retention of materials, and encourage natural teamwork. Companies can create an appreciative workplace using both tangible and intangible methods. A tangible recognition might be thank-you cards, lunch at a restaurant, or gift certificates. (Extravagance isn't necessary since the gesture is usually more valuable than the gift itself.) Intangible gestures include greeting the person each day, saying "thank you" and asking for feedback.

It's also important to remember that while some people thrive on public recognition and fanfare, others prefer more subdued acknowledgements. Managers should know their employees well enough to modify their recognition into "user-friendly" versions, or they can simply ask how their employees would like to be recognized.