When was the last time you received a thank you from your boss for a job well done? How about an afternoon off or a pair of tickets to see a movie?
If the displays of gratitude have been sporadic or even non-existent in your workplace over the past year and a half, you’re not alone. Along with staff reductions, wage freezes and bonus cuts, companies have also scaled back recognition and reward programs, experts say. That’s leaving many employees feeling a tad underappreciated.
Thirty-three per cent of North American workers feel their manager fails to recognize them, according to an OfficeTeam survey of 849 managers and employees. And the same proportion of British workers say they haven’t felt valued by their employers during the recession, according to a poll in February by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
“If recognition and rewards aren’t an ingrained part of your culture, managers tend to view it as a distraction. It’s work, it takes time to know what motivates your employees and reward them appropriately, but when they do it, it has such great impact,” says Daphne Woolf, managing partner of Toronto human resources consultancy, Collin Baer Group Ltd.
In fact, done right, formal and informal programs to recognize and reward employee achievements can be a key driver of engagement, and a valuable tool that can boost performance and lead to higher morale and productivity, says Razor Suleman, president of I Love Rewards Inc., a Toronto company that manages corporate recognition programs.
Too often, however, companies that make the effort to reward staff resort to service awards, or take a one-size-fits-all approach, handing out “trash and trinkets,” Ms. Woolf says. “Or management sends out a template letter that managers use for every occasion.”
Still, Mr. Suleman says his company is seeing a shift toward more customization, in the form of Web-based programs that allow employees to choose their own rewards. “Imagine if an employee can experience driving a Formula One car or be the first to get an iPad. That has trophy value. It’s memorable,” he says.
The right way to recognize and reward |
- Get your house in order
Before launching a recognition and rewards program, examine your culture. If employees feel exploited or underpaid, an incentive program won’t improve motivation and productivity or build morale.
-Ask employees
Seek feedback from workers about how they want to be recognized and rewarded. What motivates one may demotivate another.
-Ensure management buy-in
Avoid making recognition “the flavour of the month.” It takes commitment and follow-through to ensure success.
-Set attainable goals
Setting the bar too high or too quickly will only discourage employees.
-Make managers accountable
Provide managers with training on the right way to give praise and recognition.
-Be specific, meaningful and timely
Handing out rewards at year-end does little to encourage results you want throughout the entire year. At the same time, be careful to avoid creating a sense of entitlement by tossing out rewards aimlessly.
Source: Daphne Woolf, Collin Baer Group, Toronto, Razor Suleman, I Love Rewards Inc., Toronto
The price is right |
Don’t have a recognition and rewards budget? Here are free ways to show staff they’re appreciated.
1. Offer a sincere thank you. Do it verbally, or better yet, write a personal note to thank an employee for a job well done.
2. Ditch trash and trinkets. If you’re offering material rewards, make them items staff will really appreciate, rather than throwaways that will end up in the trash.
3. Give the gift of time. Your staff will really appreciate time off to catch up on errands or recoup after wrapping up a time-intensive project.
3. Foster an environment of inclusiveness. Communicate regularly with employees; share information and ask for feedback and ideas.
Source: Daphne Woolf, managing partner, Collin Baer Group Ltd.
Rewarding experiences |
COMPANY: Calgary Airport Authority
Employees: 160
Strategy: YYC Miles, an online peer-to-peer recognition and reward program.
What prompted it: CAA launched the program last June in response to an employee survey that suggested staff wanted more recognition for their individual contributions. Employee focus groups resulted in staff choosing peer-to-peer recognition, says senior human resources director Cynthia Ewanchyna.
