Do you feel like a valued member of your company? If you do, you are likely in the minority.
More than 70% of employees don’t feel valued by their employer according to Gallup-Heathways Well-Being Index. Clearly in this case it’s a problem. In fact, Gallup estimates that it’s a $300 billion a year problem. I’d say if any problem is worth looking into, it would be one with a price tag like that.
It’s an easy problem to fix really. People feel under appreciated, so it’s time to appreciate them. It’s not quite as simple as a pat on the back or a good job in passing. It takes sincerity, a little planning and some tact to make people feel like a valued member of the team.
Be Timely and in the Moment
The best praise is given in the moment. If you catch someone living the core values of your company or really be a team player, make them feel appreciated for going above and beyond. This shouldn’t be forced and needs to be something worth recognizing. The feedback you give also needs to be clear and concise, there should be no room open for interpretation.
Context is Key
Make sure whatever you are recognizing ties in with the larger goals of the company. Praise given randomly is appreciated but much less effective. If an employee goes above and beyond in their job to really move the needle for the company, then that employee needs to know that you appreciate and understand the depth of their efforts.
Don’t be a Robot
This shouldn’t be a knee jerk reaction. It should be sincere and meaningful. If it is anything less and the employees pick up on it, it will hurt a whole lot more then it will help. Be attentive, not automatic. Human touch and feeling is a huge piece of the recognition pie.
Don’t treat your employees like robots either. They aren’t numbers, they are valuable members of the team, so treat them that way. Monetary raises are always appreciated but not always the answer. Most people have a good idea of when they are or aren’t valued, make sure your employees never feel the latter.
Setting the Bar
Once an employee has been recognized or rewarded for a certain task or accomplishment then it needs to be recognized when any other person in the company does the same.
Always remember other employees will be watching and taking note when any one receives praise. Playing favorites or being inconsistent with your appreciation will cause dissention among the ranks. And it will absolutely get noticed, so make sure you hold everyone to the same standards and spread the recognition around as fairly and as evenly as possible.
Peer Recognition Works and Works Well
When recognizing employees for their hard work, one of the biggest things you want to avoid is favoritism. When managers are continuously selecting the winners, it will almost always be viewed as favoritism and is the reason why singling out individuals for employee of the month type awards is rarely effective when conducted by management.
Instead consider involving the rest of the company. Do something to get the rest of the company involved, like a peer nomination system. Anything to get the employees involved. They will also likely have the best ideas of who is really working the hardest and should be recognized.
It seems easy, and it is, but there are a few things to consider before passing out the compliments and high-fives.
Now that you have the praise down, lets look how how to keep your employees firing on all cylinders.
