Employee recognition trends 2022
The global pandemic has triggered a shift from 1st Stream Change to 2nd Stream Change where people are at the centre and the reason for the change. The Great Resignation is requiring companies to rethink how they engage their people in change and take them with them on the change journey as co change-makers.
People want more from organisational change projects. They expect their work experience and contribution to be augmented by change. This is being called The Great Awakening. At Brownie Points we call this 2nd Stream Change.
Thought leading organisations around the world understand the value of passionate employees and what they bring to their business.
They appreciate the correlation between passionate and engaged employees, and brand value and corporate performance.
Engaged employees are proven to take fewer sick days, stay longer, are more productive and deliver greater customer/guest experience.
Global consulting organisations such as Gallup are predicting that post Covid we will see the years of “talent wars” as many employees (up to 50%) look to move on from their current role, having waited during the pandemic as a form of security.
Implementing a strategy around talent retention and attraction is critical to businesses looking to become an employer of choice and compete in the war for talent.
Recent studies have indicated that 51% of home based workers are concerned that their manager or supervisor doubts their quality of their work and productivity. This worry may contribute to employee burn out, as nearly half (46%) of employees say they worry their manager doubts their productivity and commitment when working remotely and this causes them to work longer hours, logging on earlier and logging off later than they need to.
Almost half (46%) of all employees feel less connected to their company and colleagues since the start of the Covid pandemic. In addition, 42% admit that they feel that the company culture has declined since the start of Covid, with most employees placing the blame on a lack of communication or lack of effort to make remote workers feel connected and part of the corporate vision.
Senior managers need to realise that these are serious concerns that are likely to create stress and burn out, and that health and wellbeing is likely to suffer as a result, with top talent deciding that they should move on.
It is therefore critical that management focus their attention on the corporate culture and developing a method for appreciating great work and giving positive feedback across the organisation is a key factor to maintain enthusiasm and passion in the workplace, wherever the employee is based – head office, home, satellite office or café.
Building a culture of appreciation that allows employees to give real time positive feedback that can be viewed by everyone in the organisation is a powerful motivator in the fight to maintain and improve corporate culture, productivity, and wellness across the entire workforce.
Everyone wants to feel appreciated, valued and respected. If you don’t recognise your employees contribution with positive feedback your competitors will cherry pick your top talent, making your challenge even greater.
Turning a group of employees with varying degrees of engagement into a high performing team does not happen overnight. It takes time, commitment, patience, and belief that it is worth the effort.
If employee’s needs are not met, they switch off and eventually look for somewhere else to work.
There are five primary needs that employees have that MUST be met if they are to become passionate about their work and committed to your business success.
These needs are:
- The need to be respected
People need to be treated with respect. They need to be listened to and know what they do is valued by their manager. Disrespect is probably the fastest way to create disengagement.
- The need to learn and grow
People have a natural desire to develop their skills and talents. They want to perform at their best. To do that they need to be given opportunities to learn and develop.
- The need to be an insider and included
No one likes to feel left out. Feeling judged or being treated differently kills engagement. Employees need to understand how their work fits into the big picture. Successful leaders focus on inclusion to build great team spirit.
- The need for meaning
Everyone wants to know that what they do is meaningful, and that it makes a difference. They need to understand the purpose behind what they do and how it contributes to the success of the business.
- The need to be part of a winning team
Being part of and contributing to the success of a winning team generates team spirit. High performance teams significantly outperform others because they are fueled by a passion for what they are trying to achieve.
Many managers do not possess the necessary skills to meet these important employee demands. If they did, engagement across the workforce would be much higher.
It is therefore important that mangers have a clear path to follow to develop the fundamental skills and beliefs they need to succeed, so make manager training a high priority if you want to get the best out of your employees.
Building a culture of appreciation to inspire staff and increase passion in the workplace should be a top priority.
Passionate staff are proven to stay longer and are more productive.
If you don’t appreciate your staff your competitors will,
Tony Delaney, CEO Brownie Points
