More than half (57 per cent) of employees say feeling recognized in their current role would reduce the likelihood that they’d take a call from a headhunter, according to a new survey by Achievers Workforce Institute.
The survey, which polled more than 4,200 employees and more than 1,600 human resources leaders, found 64 per cent of employees would prefer to receive more meaningful recognition as opposed to more frequent recognition. The top three components of meaningful recognition are something specific an employee did, something they valued and the way they made a difference to the person who sent the recognition.
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“Business leaders in this new era of work are facing new and sustained challenges, from driving retention to adapting to hybrid ways of working and everything in between,” said Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at Achievers, in a press release. “Recognition is proving to be the best lever to pull to influence engagement, productivity and advocacy.”
The survey also found just 41 per cent of employees said they’ve received training on recognition best practices, compared to 90 per cent of HR leaders who said they offer such training.
“An optimized program is critical to building a culture of recognition that starts at the top with people leaders and is supported and reinforced at every level,” said Baumgartner. “Recognition is a powerhouse engagement tool on many levels and a strong culture of recognition can help retain talent by competing beyond salary and standard benefits and perks.”
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