Connecting with Employees: Recognizing Effort and Demonstrating Value September 21 2015
We often talk about how the attitudes regarding workplace rewards are changing. As younger employees enter the workforce, office tenures are becoming shorter. There is a growing body of evidence to support that the value of work incentives have shifted from the financial towards the emotional; employees are growing more concerned with matters of organizational culture, work-life balance, and social ties. This isn’t to say that financial incentives aren’t important, but that they do not feel the void left by social affirmation. To keep employees loyal, it is important to keep them engaged; to keep them engaged, it is important to provide recognition and demonstrate that they themselves are valued within the company.
The idea of offering recognition as an incentive is hardly a novel one. The idea of recognition as an award is the same sort of reasoning behind the archetypical “Employee of Month” wall, though the concept here may be inherently flawed. One key aspect of recognition mechanism is the understanding that they are ‘fair’: all employees should have a chance to receive it. The behaviors for which employees are rewarded should be specific and it should be awarded as close to immediately as possible. Lastly, all employees who meet the requirements should receive recognition, rather than selecting one from a pool of nominees. This serves to eliminate the possibility favoritism, both real and perceived.
But recognition needs not necessarily be demonstrated through and award system. There are a variety of ways in which employers can show workers that they care. Rather than offer a variety of expensive perks and benefits, here some cost effective ways that employers can connect with employees:
Be Present.
The simplest things can often be the most effective. Even if for short appearances, it is important for leaders to be present in the office and participate actively as part the team. This can be as involved as leading regular meetings, or even simply attending office celebrations. The simplest things can also be the most difficult; as a leader, your time may be both valuable and in short supply. However, this just makes it all the important that you set aside the time ensure employees see you as a person, rather than a title.
Be Timely.
As much as possible, it is important to try to be timely with giving employees feedback. People learn best when they are provided with immediate reinforcement; the longer their kept waiting, the less powerful the link between the behavior and the reward (or even punishment, for that matter) becomes.
Be Authentic.
There is a certain “culture of propriety” that begets automatic questions and responses. “How are you today?” “How was your weekend?” Chances are, you often ask these questions without much caring about the answer; we all do. There’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself. But when attempting to demonstrate value to an employee, it is important to speak with sincerity rather than automaticity. When you don’t mean it, people can feel it.
Teach Balance.
It is important for employers to demonstrate healthy work-life balance for their employees. Workers who feel burned out by their jobs are unlikely to stick around and less likely to be productive members of the team. Balance goes beyond the mere number of hours worked and can also manifest itself in the form of team outings and activities.
Offer up Challenges.
In addition to recognizing employees for their accomplishments, it is equally important to offer them a chance to accomplish something. Giving them unique assignments can also help demonstrate that you trust them and have faith in their capabilities.
Individualize.
While people might enjoy being a part of a team, that doesn’t mean that they are interchangeable. People want to feel valued based on their individual traits and contributions. Just as different people value different things, the way you approach a given employee should feel like a unique encounter. People don’t want to feel like you’re talking to anyone; they want to feel like you’re talking to them.
It is often said that the workplace is changing. As the older generations retire, new workers arrive with their own sets of beliefs and values. But while it may be true that organizational values are shifting, people have always desired affirmation. People have always longed to recognized, and people have always desired to work somewhere they feel that they belong. For workers, both new and old, that sense of belonging can be a fundamental component in the creation of loyalty.