Many people feel underappreciated at work. Why? Perhaps the organization does not have a culture that promotes appreciation. Maybe everyone constantly feels under the gun and no one has time to stop and say thank you. You may ask, “How long does it take to say thank you?”

The reality is, in many workplaces, “thank you” is not automatic, and cannot be expected. In the cut-throat environment where many people toil away every day, it takes a lot more than a job well done to attain the acknowledgement or reward you’d like to see.

Here are tips to get the recognition you deserve when you feel underappreciated at work. (Tweet this thought.)

Identify the stars at your organization and follow their leads. 

Once you figure out who’s doing a great job getting recognition at your workplace, you can leverage that knowledge for your own benefit. Did someone get a huge shout out at the last staff meeting?

Why?

Identify key factors that often lead to recognition. For example, what accomplishment led to the appreciation? Perhaps the organization has more of a tendency to appreciate extra effort; is going above and beyond the call of duty needed to attract appreciation? Is someone appreciated in your office because he or she is a really helpful person to have around in a crisis?

Different organizations value different characteristics at work. Once you see where the bar is set in your organization for recognition, you know what you need to strive to achieve.

Offer insights instead of complaining. 

No one likes a complainer. Like it or not, if you have a reputation for always being a downer at work, it’s going to be difficult to achieve much in the way of recognition. That’s not to say you necessarily have to be a “yes man or woman,” either. Be aware of your attitude and keep it in check if you have a tendency to spout off about every single thing that annoys you. That includes comments on social media, especially if you are connected in any way to anyone connected to your workplace.

Keep in mind: your privacy settings are only as good as your least loose-lipped friend.

Be a problem solver. 

What’s the biggest problem your organization or team faces right now? If you can help take major steps to help solve the problem, or come up with a way to solve it altogether, you will earn recognition. If you still don’t feel appreciated, you may be in the wrong job.

Network in and outside of the office. 

Sometimes, appreciation comes hand-in-hand with relationships. If you’ve been skipping team nights out or prefer to lunch alone, maybe it’s time to make a change and to try to get to know some of the people at work. If you’re not a social person, consider it research instead of socializing. Make it your business to determine what’s most important (in and outside of the office) to your colleagues – and your boss, if possible. You may be surprised to find that a few well-placed lunch appointments can yield interesting information that may help you attract the appreciation you deserve.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

Join professional or volunteer organizations. 

While it may not specifically land you appreciation AT work, when you volunteer for your professional association, it’s very likely you’ll have an opportunity to receive some kudos and the “thank you’s” you want at work. A side benefit, you’ll have the opportunity to network with people who can get to know you and your work ethic. Those contacts are key when it’s time to find a new job.

Ask for it. 

While it’s not ideal, perhaps you need to ask for recognition in your workplace. That includes requesting a promotion, a raise or other benefits when appropriate. (Such as after a huge win.) If you don’t get any feedback at all from your boss, request a review. Create a list of your accomplishments and ask for what you want.

It’s possible that you work in a place where the culture is to believe providing a paycheck is thank you enough. If that’s not a good fit for you, after you’ve taken these steps and still aren’t satisfied, it’s time to find a new job where you’ll feel more appreciated.

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com. 

As an employee, whether or not your company incorporates being thankful into its mission, do you feel appreciated? Do you believe you should expect more than a paycheck?

Bryan Miles, CEO and co-founder of eaHELP, a provider of virtual executive assistants, knew he wanted “gratitude” to be featured prominently in his company’s values. Here are his suggestions for all leaders and employees to consider this week and all year long:

1. Don’t wait to be grateful. Regardless of your position in an organization, cultivate gratitude as a core part of your work. “Don’t wait until you’re leading a team, a division or a company to become a grateful leader,” Miles says. “If you do, when you start telling people you’re grateful for them once you’re in the position you want, people won’t buy it.” He suggests you make sure those around you right now understand that you’re grateful for the many ways they help you each and every day.

2. Be humble. Miles believes that if you’re a leader, you know down in your gut that what you’re leading doesn’t have much to do with you. He suggests you acknowledge that you’ve achieved your role, in part, because your team works hard and takes advantage of market opportunities. “Your team looks to you for leadership and for guidance, but when it comes down to the day-to-day wins and losses that actually make up your business, you need to know that those don’t have much to do with you,” Miles says. “You need to be grateful for the team that powers the engine of your business.” Similarly, as a team member, recognize your role in ensuring your team continues to move forward. Be grateful for everyone around you, and don’t be shy about expressing appreciation.

3. Acknowledge that your success depends on others. Being a grateful employee will make you a smarter employee. Admitting that you don’t know everything and that everything you’ve ever learned that’s made you successful has come from someone or something else helps improve your standing in a team. “Being grateful for those from whom you’ve learned is essential if you want to stay humble and teachable and will actually propel you forward in your career,” Miles says.

4. Be sincere. In many cases, being grateful can be disarming. As a leader or a team member, when you are thankful and express it – sincerely and frequently – it will often make people stop in their tracks. “Genuine gratitude is pretty rare in today’s society, which is a shame, but expressing real gratitude sets people apart,” Miles says. If you lead a team, your employees will know when your gratitude is genuine, and they are more likely to put in extra effort. “Grateful leaders have stronger, more effective, more loyal teams,” he says. As an employee, demonstrating gratitude can help set you apart from others in your organization.

Consider how being appreciative at work and expressing those feelings to all team members can help make your organization more successful. When you do, you give the people who work with you even more reasons to be thankful.

Miles says this approach has helped contribute to the success of his organization. He believes his success could very well end, should he fail to incorporate gratitude for those around him. “Gratitude is the only lasting motivator of change,” he says. “It’s the only thing that will propel you to change in the future, if you’re grateful for what you have now.”

This post originally appeared in U.S. News & World Reports.