The power of thanks: using recognition to boost engagement

It looks like new working practices are here to stay, with many organisations offering a mixture of home and office work in the post-COVID-19 world. But the downside of remote working is loneliness and a lack of connection to colleagues and the wider business. Even in roles where employees have continued to attend their workplace, PPE and social distancing mean that it’s harder to build personal connections than before.

In the current environment employers need to work harder to foster a sense of belonging. You need to show your people that you care, by creating a culture that celebrates employees’ hard work.

Reward and recognition

Employee reward and recognition is a good place to start - we all like the warm glow of being thanked for a job well done. Peer-to-peer recognition has been shown to be especially effective in boosting engagement. When employees recognise each other’s efforts and receive recognition themselves, their sense of purpose and commitment to work improves.

A culture of recognition helps employees to form strong social connections at work; making them happier and healthier, which has a positive impact on their experience at work. As workforces are increasingly remote, it has never been more important to make employees feel like they belong, and are recognised by (and thus and more connected to) their colleagues and the wider business.

Awards

These can be everything from cash prizes to a virtual pat on the back. Simple yet effective, awards recognise achievements like exemplifying company values or delivering exceptional customer service. By singling an employee out for praise, they feel like their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed and are likely to keep up the good work.

Likewise, long service awards offer employees the chance to be rewarded for their loyalty to your organisation, increasing retention and employee advocacy.

Using tech to drive effective recognition programmes

An effective recognition programme needs to reflect your current working practices.

Millions of UK workers don’t drive a desk – bus drivers, carers, and factory workers just to name a few. There’s also the growing population of contingency workers and the wider gig economy. So to stay connected to their workforce, employers are turning to tech-driven solutions.

Being enabled for mobile is a key part of this, since people in the UK now check their smartphones, on average, every 12 minutes of the waking day (Source: Ofcom). It’s important to recognise that the way we access information is changing and relying on desktop intranet won’t cut it anymore. For instance, having access to a mobile-enabled recognition platform makes it simple and convenient for employees to recognise a colleague for their hard work, even if both are working remotely and/or on the go.

For more information about how Personal Group can help with Reward and Recognition services, contact us.

Author: Andrew Walker, Business Development Director, Personal Group