Are you thanking your employees for a job well done? A new national survey of U.S. workers finds nearly half (47 percent) say they would like to receive more recognition for their work, while nearly one quarter (21 percent) of workers indicate that they are never recognized for their efforts. If you care about retaining your workers, read on.
“Our research signals that employers need to double down on employee recognition programs. Far too many employees are burnt out from their workload and say they aren’t recognized for their efforts,” says Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting. “Failing to acknowledge workers is a recipe for subpar organizational performance and high attrition, the last thing employers need in a volatile economy.”
“Employees also indicate that recognition programs drive them to go above and beyond their responsibilities, an issue employers are grappling with amid the so-called quiet quitting phenomenon. There are ways that employers can quickly set up regular recognition that will get results and are cost effective. For example, many employees say just a simple thank you email or note makes a difference, as do rewards like of time off. The key to success is creating a culture in which thanking workers is woven into the fabric of day-to-day operations from the top to the bottom, not just a one-off effort that checks the box on recognition,” Jezior said.
The results are based upon on the Eagle Hill Consulting Job Well Done national survey conducted by Ipsos from October 2022. Other key findings are as follows:
- Employees say that recognition programs should be more frequent (38 percent), more proactive (36 percent), more broadly shared across the organization (30 percent), easier to provide (26 percent), and unbiased (24 percent).
- When their work is recognized, employees say they are more likely to go above and beyond their responsibilities (53 percent), stay with their organization (48 percent), be more motivated to support their team (43 percent), and go above and beyond for customers (38 percent).
- Few employers (25 percent) ask employees how they would like to be recognized.
- Ways employees prefer recognition include cash or gifts (54 percent), time off (34 percent), a thank you email or note (32 percent), points to choose a reward (23 percent), experience opportunities like tickets (22 percent), public recognition (20 percent), and employee of the week/month programs (19 percent).
- Thirty-two percent of workers say recognition makes them feel motivated at work, just below meaningful work (60 percent) and a supportive team (51 percent), and higher than career potential (29 percent).
Employee recognition does not have to be expensive or time consuming. In fact, there are many simple ways that you can show your employees that you appreciate them.
Benefits of Employee Recognition
Employee recognition has been shown to have a number of benefits for both employees and employers. Recognizing employees can increase job satisfaction, motivation, and productivity, while also reducing stress and improving retention rates. In addition, thanking employees can help build a positive culture within your organization and improve communication between managers and workers.
There are many ways that you can show your employees appreciation. Some companies choose to give out awards or bonuses, while others may simply say thank you more often. Whatever method you choose, the important thing is that you are consistent and sincere in your efforts. Employee recognition does not have to be complicated or expensive – a simple “thank you” can go a long way.
If you are looking for ways to start thanking your employees, here are a few ideas:
-Text them personalized thank you notes
-Give employees a day off
-Buy them lunch
-Give them a small gift card or voucher
-Publicly recognize their achievements
Employee recognition is an important part of a happy and productive workplace. By showing your appreciation for your employees, you can improve morale, retention, and communication within your organization. Thanking your employees today is the first step to building a positive culture and a successful business.
Platforms in this sector include WorkTango, Motivosity and AwardCo. Check out a bigger list here.
