Employee recognition remains high on the priority for some business. Below is a quick Q & A I did for an external journalist that I wanted to share.
What have employers found to be most effective, and do they measure the effectiveness?
Measurement was always production levels. My own theory goes, the more someone is engaged and interested in their work, the more output you get from them. From Our research, financial rewards are top of the list.
When we dig deeper into other effective recognition programs and move away from monitory things such as shares and bonuses. Comfort and security is also very high on the list. We created tools on how the business conveys information. Being more transparent with progress. Releasing sales targets and actuals. We brought people into the sales conversation, who and why people buy the products people are servicing or building. The more information we sent, the more help we asked for and we found employees getting more buy-in. Very simple and cost effective way to bring people together.
Employee engagement is at an all-time low, so do these programs help?
The MACRO environment in 2024 is shaky, I speak with countless job seekers looking to leave jobs because they are uncertain of their future. Now, some companies are in trouble but others are steady but restructuring. Reassurance from leadership regularly (not per quarter nor mass emails), I mean leadership meet with people, be seen around the company. Trying to help, understanding people’s job. The effectiveness of that is fantastic. Transparency remains critical.
Feedback is also important, certain for newer generations. Feedback is what makes people understand their abilities (strengths/weaknesses etc). Creating programs around each person is important to continue production and productivity. I have worked with countless businesses that simply leave people to their job. Without constant feedback, weekly at least. Employees don’t understand if they are doing well or not. Psychologically, if they are unsure about how they are progressing, they will dip in performance.
Can employee recognition programs help retention?
Yes, an easy way to measure any Employee Recognition programs is retention. Year on year as programs are developed you will see your key staff stay longer. Exit interviews are really important for HR departments. So they understand and measure why someone leaves. If a common reason starts to unfold, it’s a great way to take action on new programs.
How can employee recognition programs be done cost-effectively?
Yes, these programs can be built into Managements day to day activities. By restructuring the role of a Manager or Leader in the business ever so slightly it can make a world of difference and be very cost effective.
it’s important to note that the workload of a manager should be adjusted, not added to. It’s important to keep Managers and Team Leaders equally motivated and not overworked.
Do the employee recognition programs differ for different genders and ages?
It’s important to note, people are unique. Some people like to just get their head down and work, less communication the better. Others need constant feedback, need to know they are impressing. Others simply don’t care.
The best managers know their team’s personality and adapt accordingly. However, the company should have programs designed for everyone. Fairness is also critical. People want to be treated the same. Same promotional opportunities, feedback, information etc. Age would come into that. It’s important to have a diverse group of employees, some adoption of change will be necessary. Managers will need to read that as they lead their teams.
Do employee recognition programs differ for in-office vs. remote vs. hybrid employees?
Yes, but any program I have done has generally had the same components. They are transparency, feedback, information and leadership. All programs I have had are built around these principles. Each business is different and HR and Leadership need to adapt. There is arely a one that fits all.
Each business needs to assess the business, understand what their strengths are firstly, and act accordingly. I would want to maintain the strengths and make them stronger. They assess weakness, assess them and build programs to improve. If they notice people call in sick a lot, go back to my opening comment and create incentives. Maybe it’s monthly, Quarterly or annually.
Please see other relevant links below that will allow you more insights into similar topics:
Navigating Uncertainty: HR Strategies for Leaders to Boost Employee Morale – Elwood Roberts
Employee Retention Strategies: Nurturing and Retaining your Top Performers – Elwood Roberts
4 top tips to make a great employee value proposition (EVP). – Elwood Roberts