You know what they say: A little kindness goes a long way.

2020 has been a challenging year full of transformations in the way we work, study and socialize. Building service contractors and their workforces have become more important than ever now that cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting are top priorities for so many people. With cleaners shouldering this burden amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important now than ever to show your appreciation for your staff on Thank Your Cleaner Day.

Here are four reasons why you should show gratitude and appreciation for your cleaners on Thank Your Cleaner Day.

It’s an Easy Yet Effective Way to Build Relationships With Your Cleaners

Forbes pointed out that consistently thanking workers and showing appreciation for their accomplishments is one of the easiest ways to improve morale and create a sense of loyalty and teamwork. If your cleaners feel seen, acknowledged and appreciated, they will appreciate you in return.

This means a gesture of thanks will pay off in two ways. Your cleaner will feel more appreciated for the work he or she does, and your company will benefit from the subsequent loyalty and pride your cleaner feels.

It’s an Easy Yet Effective Way to Build Relationships Among Your Cleaners

Creating a culture of gratitude and setting the thank-you standard from the top will lead to a more engaged, appreciative workforce all around. If managers set the example by showing appreciation and thanking workers, the workers will follow suit and foster a culture of appreciation and camaraderie.

Greater Good Magazine explored the relationship between showing gratitude and appreciation for workers and fostering connection and authenticity among team members. The magazine quoted consultant Stephanie Pollack as saying gratitude bonds workers together. Exercises in appreciation and voicing thanks for coworkers’ support brought the workshop participants together, even those who seemed most closed-off and reticent at the start of the workshop. A workplace culture of appreciation, then, can lead to higher satisfaction among coworkers.

Gratitude Improves Confidence Among Workers

The benefits of gratitude in the workplace are clear. The Huffington Post tracked the logical progression of a thank-you in the workplace, pointing out that kindness leads to gratitude, which boosts self-esteem and contributes to higher confidence among workers. This higher self-confidence will also translate to work, elevating your team’s performance and in turn your company’s reputation.

On the flip side, the Huffington Post warned, bosses who take their workers for granted can hinder a sense of teamwork and drive talented workers away to other companies.

Workers Prize Appreciation

Companies nowadays are racing to outdo each other with extravagant amenities for workers. But a 2015 survey from NBC News suggests that one simple, cost-free amenity — kindness — is highly regarded by workers. NBC News found that 70% of survey respondents would prefer a kinder boss to a 10% raise.

It’s not a stretch to imagine that gratitude and appreciation are characteristics of the sort of kind bosses prized by workers. Thanking your cleaners for their hard work, especially during this uniquely challenging year, will communicate your gratitude and appreciation, potentially helping you earn a reputation for kindness in the workplace.