Opinions are divided between employers and their staff on what constitutes effective employee recognition, according to a new OfficeTeam survey.
Eighty-nine percent of senior managers say their organization is good at showing appreciation to workers. However, 30% of employees gave their firms low marks when it comes to shining a light on their achievements.
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Managers and workers were asked, “How effective do you think your company is at recognizing employees for good performance?” Their responses were:
Managers | Workers | |
| Very effective | 33% | 27% |
| Somewhat effective | 56% | 43% |
| Not too effective | 10% | 20% |
| Not at all effective | 1% | 10% |
OfficeTeam offers five tips for managers when recognizing staff:
- Say thanks. Regularly acknowledge employees’ great work verbally. Point out how their efforts will help the company or assist clients and customers.
- Put it in writing. Prepare a handwritten thank-you note or copy senior executives on an email about a worker’s accomplishment.
- Publicize achievements. Feature standout employees in the company newsletter or recognize them at a staff meeting.
- Support continuing education. Provide tuition assistance for courses that will help workers in their jobs and subsidize the cost of exams required to attain professional certifications.
- Give a little. Offer gift cards, movie passes or sporting event tickets to employees who go above and beyond on a project.
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“Acknowledging staff just once or twice a year for their hard work isn’t enough—regularly saying ‘thank you’ or offering small tokens of appreciation can speak volumes,” says Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Giving kudos for a job well done seems obvious, but when managers are time-strapped, this can be one of the first things that slips.”
The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and include responses from more than 600 senior managers with 20 or more employees, and more than 900 workers 18 years or older and employed in office environments in Canada and the United States.
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