Monthly Archives: September 2017

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Focus on Recognizing People Instead of Generations

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When I write, you don’t necessarily know which generation I belong to.

Oh, there may be the odd word or two I use that might give away which generation I’m from. But for the most part I write the same way I speak.

And as each of you read what I write about authentic recognition, I hope you will respect and value what I contribute from my expertise on the topic of employee recognition and not by which generation I’m from.

What has this got to do with generational differences and employee recognition, you ask?

Some of you know me, I know. But most of you do not.

You are blind to my age and generational category.

Yet you read what I write because you believe that I have something in my content that might help you in your work.

You respect me for what I write and this correlates with you respecting me as a person.

You do not value or recognize me for my age. You do not categorize me into a generation and say I must treat you differently. You hopefully engage with me as a human being who has worth independent of anything I write, say or do. Then if I do contribute something that merits recognition you will acknowledge me the same way you would your neighbour at work or at home.

You will recognize me as a person and not a generation.

You will recognize me as a person and not a generation.

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Recognition Tip #39: Let them eat cake.

Whether a birthday or workplace celebration, a decorated cake with a message on it can be shared with almost everyone. Consider ice cream cakes in the summer. Make note of any personal allergy or diet restrictions and accommodate with a substitute treat.

 

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Why Time Is An Excuse For Not Giving Recognition

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I promise this will not surprise you.

From my learning sessions and surveys, the number one reason people give me for not giving recognition to peers, employees and managers is “time”.

I’ve confirmed this explanation from managers across North America, Europe, Middle East and India. Managers in thirteen countries in total all claim they don’t have time to recognize one another.

But is that the real reason? What’s stopping those you work with, and maybe even yourself, from recognizing the people where you work?

I don’t think time is the reason. (more…)

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You Can Get Unstuck From Rewards With Recognition

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One of my Rideau colleagues recently shared with me their observations of how many mid- to large-sized businesses are challenged with how to transition more away from rewards towards recognition.

Then within a week of this conversation one of our blog subscribers at a financial services company wanted to know how to reduce their budget costs and lessen the amount of gross up tax spend on their gift card rewards program.

So, it seems the topic of rewards is in the air again!

Since many companies are using rewards it only makes sense I should share with you how best to transition from, or lessen, your use of rewards and move towards more recognition, or at least a happy medium between the two. (more…)

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How To Solve HR’s Multi-Faceted Problems With Recognition

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Does your CHRO or HR Manager seem overwhelmed?

Human Resources leaders are getting fatigued with all that is on their plates right now. They tend to get bogged down with all the administrative details versus the strategic work they want to do.

They’re expected to keep the talent acquisition pipeline filled, increase the engagement level of all employees, have the most attractive benefits and compensation packages, keep up with diversity and inclusion, and ensure everyone’ productive and performing well.

Where should HR prioritize?

HR needs to focus on the people side of the company and all actions that will add value to the business.

There is one tool, however, that will help you with both these areas.

It goes across all the functional responsibilities HR has to handle.

Are you ready? (more…)

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The Amazing Spillover Effects of Formal Recognition

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Over three-quarters of surveyed companies have some form of best-of-the-best or above-and-beyond formal recognition award program going on.

This is great for those employees who seem to excel and shine at everything they do. They end up enjoying the celebratory experience at the annual awards event.

But what about employees who don’t get an award?

Award programs can appear to create an exclusivity that pits one person winning over and above their fellow employees.

So how do peers perceive formal award winners? What are the benefits for companies of doing formal awards when so few employees actually end up receiving them?

I am going to explore this topic through the lens of some recent academic research I discovered this week.

Spoiler alert: The outcome is positive as the title of this post implies.

Let’s dig in! (more…)

Be a positive emissary for recognition.

Talk up the positive power of reinforcing people’s actions and encourage others to recognize those you work with. The most powerful weapon against negativity towards employee recognition is speaking positively about it. It’s so much more fun to emulate a positive attitude by setting the right example.

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How To Prevent Overwhelm With Recognizing Everyone

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You can read the research statistics out there on employee recognition and wonder where do you begin.

Take this example from the Gallup Business Journal of June 28, 2016:

“According to Gallup’s analysis, only one in three workers in the U.S. strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good work in the past seven days. At any given company, it’s not uncommon for employees to feel that their best efforts are routinely ignored. Further, employees who do not feel adequately recognized are twice as likely to say they’ll quit in the next year.”

That means if you had 1,000 employees in your company that 667 of them would say they did not receive sufficient or any recognition or praise for doing good work in the last seven days.

Or consider this nursing example where only 31.6 percent of nurses received praise or recognition often or very often from nurse unit managers. Yet these recognized nurses “showed more job satisfaction, stated they had more opportunities to practice professionally, described a more positive work climate and were more committed to the organization such as being proud to work at and willing to make effort for the unit and hospital” – than those nurses rarely or very rarely receiving praise.

So you have 1,000 nurses in your hospital and the likelihood is high that 684 of them are poorly praised and recognized and have low engagement towards the institution and with patient care.

Overall, that is a lot of people needing recognition.

Overall, that is a lot of people needing recognition.

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Is This the End of Awards at School?

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I don’t know if you remember what your experience of award assemblies at school was like for you. I only know I never got an award when I was at mine.

Not that my academic skills and abilities merited an award.

I recently found my high school report card booklet from England that showed several years of my educational abilities. Most of my teachers seemed to use the same old comment over and over again, “Could do better.” Problem was, no one ever explained to me what “better” actually was.

Thank goodness I found myself when I was at university!

But what I do remember from my schooldays was seeing the typical kids who did well academically in class, marching across the stage receiving whatever accolades and acknowledgments for their accomplishments they’d earned that year.

Not too motivating for me. Hopefully it was for them. (more…)

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How To Get the 3 Essential Factors for Recognition to Work

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For over 30 years now research studies continue to show one of the highest reasons for leaving a place of employment is a lack of recognition for workplace contributions.

You can learn to solve the challenges in your organization’s approach to giving people effective recognition, by looking at The 3 Essential Factors for Recognition.

Understanding these factors will provide you with insights as to where your own organization is presently at in appreciating the work and worth of your employees and what you need to do next.

What are these factors? (more…)