Never Underestimate The Value Of Senior Leader Endorsement

Employee recognition is everyone’s responsibility, no doubt about it.

But there is something about having the personal support and endorsement of your senior leaders that propels recognition to a whole new level.

The 2015 WorldatWork Trends in Employee Recognition Survey showed only 34% of managers felt they had a high level of support from their senior management team for employee recognition programs.

Your goal should always be to get a senior leader’s commitment to making employee recognition practices and use of recognition programs a high priority as part of your company’s people strategy.

You can then prove to them how recognition can help them achieve the business goals you all want to see reached.

Don’t ever underestimate the value of an executive endorsement for employee recognition. (more…)

Why Recognize Them When They’re Just Doing Their Job?

One of the standard complaints against recognition that some people make, is if people are doing their jobs, why do you need to recognize them?

A good friend of mine likens this to someone saying, “I love you!” to their partner when they propose to them and then never saying it again. When the partner desperately asks after a year together, “How come you never say how much you love me anymore?” the response is simply, “I told you when I first proposed. Why do I have to say it again?”

It get’s worse when the diehard cynics in the room confront the need for employee recognition by saying things like, “We pay them well enough, what more do they want?”

Yet, for many people, though not everyone, there is an inherent need to feel that they’re making a difference. They want to know that their contributions are valued and appreciated by others.

I am going to tackle this question the best way I can by painting a picture and letting you decide.

Remember the question: Should you be recognizing people when they are “just doing their job?” (more…)

Recognizing Loyalty Is Such a Simple Thing

The day started out so much better than two days ago when I attempted to fly with another (not-to-be-named) airline. There were unpredictable mechanical problems that day. And I must confess, the pilot and flight attendant appropriately handled apologies, even though we had to deplane to exit and rebook our flights.

But the handoff after leaving the plane was lousy.

On that unforgettable occasion, it resulted in a 16-hour long day of being in airports and planes. My experience was the gate attendants and ticketing staff all dropped the ball multiple times.

I did not feel like a valued customer. It was easy not to feel loyal to that airline that day. And naturally, I told my sob story as often as I could find a listening ear. (more…)