By Laurie Dawkins, GRCA Team of Expert for Employee Talent Development
Looking back over my 30 years of professional experience in the fields of adult education and business, it was the times I felt valued, recognized and rewarded for the contributions I made that motivated me to learn and achieve more. Through my company Workplace Talent Solutions, I get the opportunity to work with companies all over the Greater Reading area to see their employees learn, grow and advance in their careers through education and training. I firmly believe that lifelong learning is the key to career advancement both personally and for others.
Getting Back to Basics: The Three Rs of Employee Engagement- Recognition, Reward, and Retention
Here are a few simple ways to Recognize and Reward your employees, which can lead to improved Retention and ultimately greater employee engagement.
When it comes to employee engagement, many questions and challenges can swirl around in our minds. How do we recognize our employees in meaningful ways? How often do we recognize our employees? Are monetary rewards the most effective way to acknowledge our employee’s efforts for a job well done? Is there any value in recognizing our employees? Why spend valuable time and effort?
Psychology Today reported a crucial finding in a 2013 study that shows 70% of survey respondents said their most meaningful employee recognition had no monetary value — a substantial increase from 57% in a similar 2007 survey.
Overall, employees want to feel appreciated. Through consistent feedback and recognition, you are filling that vital emotional need to feel valued.
Recognition is a key to retaining your employees, and it is always well worth the investment!
Recognition doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money. Here are a few simple, low-cost ways to recognize an employee for a job well done:
- Food. Who doesn’t love a pizza party? Dedicate a luncheon to a team or an individual and recognize the employee(s) in front of their peers. This makes recognition more meaningful and reinforces desired behaviors to the rest of the team.
- Did an employee run a marathon, donate blood, volunteer at an animal shelter, or buy a new house? Acknowledge personal achievements during meetings or in writing.
- Call an employee to your office to say thank you. Since many employees assume that something is wrong when called to a supervisor’s office, they will be especially pleased to receive your honest gratitude for a job well done.
- Use your company’s Facebook page to recognize team accomplishments. It’s a great way to show off your team to prospective clients and recruits.
- Follow the five-minute rule. When you hear or see a positive comment about an employee, recognize that person in five minutes or less with a simple, heartfelt thank you.
“Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated.” –Robert McNamara, Fmr. American Secretary of Defense
Reward your employees with learning and development opportunities!
Have you ever considered rewarding your employees with opportunities for learning and development? Recognizing that each employee has strengths and potential can be the first step in creating a learning opportunity for your employee. What skills do they bring to the company outside of their current position? How can they develop those skills to further contribute to the growth of the company?
“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?” -Benjamin Franklin
Retention is a process!
There is no quick fix to solving retention issues-you need a strategy; however, small efforts like recognizing and rewarding employees can increase retention and be an excellent place to start.
Workplace Talent Solutions is eager to partner with companies ready to grow and develop talent from their entry-level workforce. We can partner with you to recognize, reward and ultimately improve retention of employees, who demonstrate outstanding potential but need some skill development.
For more information, visit our website or fill out the contact form to tell us a bit of how you would like to reward your employees through learning and development opportunities. We are anxious to hear from you!
All GRCA members have access to the Team of Experts. Request a free 30-minute consultation with either Laurie Dawkins or another expert.
If you are interested in joining the GRCA Team of Experts, please contact Julie Larison, Director of Member Services at jlarison@greaterreading.org.