Half (53 per cent) of employees who believe their work isn’t authentically recognized by their employer are actively looking for a new job, compared to 27 per cent who believe their employer’s recognition is authentic, according to a survey by Gallup Inc. for software company Workhuman.
The survey, which polled more than 7,000 U.S. employees, found those who are recognized for work and life events are three times as likely to agree their organization cares about their well-being and 30 per cent more likely to say they plan to be at their current role in five years. Roughly three-quarters (73 per cent) of workers whose employer recognizes significant life events said they’re not looking for another job and 68 per cent of respondents whose employer recognizes work milestones said the same.
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Two-fifths (40 per cent) of respondents said they view the right amount of recognition as a few times a week or more and only 23 per cent strongly agreed they get the right amount of recognition for the work they do. Roughly a fifth of employees reported high levels of recognition from leaders, while two-fifths reported receiving recognition from leaders at their organization a few times a year or less.
Eight in 10 (81 per cent) managers and leaders said recognition isn’t a major strategic priority at their organization and almost half said they don’t know what percentage of their payroll budget is allocated to recognition.
Employees who said they’re recognized a few times a year or less from their leaders are 74 per cent more likely to say they don’t plan to be at their organization in a year, compared to 39 per cent of those who receive peer recognition a few times a year or less. A fifth (20 per cent) of employees who said their recognition needs aren’t fulfilled don’t plan to be at their organization in one year.
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Only 21 per cent of Hispanic employees and 19 per cent of Black employees strongly agreed recognition at their company is equitable, compared to 28 per cent of white employees. Black and Hispanic employees were also less likely to strongly agree the recognition they get is authentic.