The CEO’s Secret Weapon for Engagement (and It’s Totally Quick & Free)

Last year, global employee engagement took a dip, dropping from 23% to just 21% (yikes!), and that slump cost the world economy a staggering $438 billion in lost productivity. Employee engagement remains one of the most powerful competitive advantages a company can have. Gallup’s most recent State of the Global Workplace Report 2025 shows that highly engaged teams don’t just feel more connected, but they deliver 23% more profit and outperform disengaged teams by over 200%. In other words, this is a massive untapped opportunity, and it starts at the top with leadership that goes the extra mile to recognize, communicate, and support their teams.

While many factors contribute to this disappointing decline, here’s one proven action you can take today to positively impact your employees’ experience at work:

Make Appreciation & Recognition a Daily Habit

Recognition is one of the most powerful, and most underutilized, tools in the workplace impacting employee engagement. It’s clear that appreciation matters. And guess what? It’s leadership’s job to set the tone and shape a culture where it thrives. Here’s the best part: it’s quick and free….two words every CEO loves to hear.

Now pause for a second and ask yourself - when’s the last time you genuinely thanked or appreciated someone for something? And I don’t mean the autopilot “thank you” as you rush to your next meeting. I’m talking about slowing down, calling out the specific thing they did, and letting them know exactly why it mattered. That’s when “thanks” turns into impact.

Try this today - Go beyond a simple “thank you” by making it personal: name the specific action or moment. I recommend using the Double Impact Thank You Approach (exclusive and invented by Rising Tide HR), which is a two-sentence format: “Thank you for…” followed by “I appreciate it/you because…”. This small habit transforms a generic acknowledgment into a meaningful moment of appreciation, helping the other person understand exactly how their actions impacted you, the team, or the client.

Try incorporating this into your daily practice for the next 7 days. Then stretch it to 30 days, and even experiment with it at home. Watch how your team responds, engages with you, and ultimately experiences a greater sense of connection and engagement in the workplace. When leaders show they notice the small wins, people double down!