Recognition.
It’s something we all seek in our workplaces and yet, it’s the kind of feedback so many of us find noticeably absent in our interactions with those who lead our organizations.
There’s been numerous studies that show how making time to recognize the contributions of others helps to create both a positive environment and a more productive workforce. So why then are there so many employees who feel under-appreciated or under-valued by their organization’s leadership? To answer this question, we need to examine two aspects which are behind this quandary.
The first part of the problem is the misguided notion among leaders that their employees already know how good a job they’re doing and as such, there’s no need to point out the obvious to them. However, the problem with such thinking is that it’s self-centric, in that the leader’s focus is only on their own perceptions, as opposed to taking into consideration how their team members perceive the situation.
This leads to the second part of the problem over why there’s this lack of genuine recognition in the workplace. In cases where recognition efforts are made, leaders tend to concentrate on how offering such feedback benefits the company’s image, rather than as a gesture of appreciation or acknowledgement for the contributions of their team members. Indeed, for many leaders, providing recognition to their team is something that is addressed only in annual performance reviews or through formalized processes like ’employee of the month’ programs. As most employees can attest, it’s a rare if unheard of practice to have leaders providing spur of the moment recognition for their efforts.
So how then can leaders address these two problems which are responsible for this lack of recognition in the workplace?
To find out my answer to this question, click on this link to read this guest post over at ReadyToFeedback.com.
I think the recognition efforts have to be made more personal to increase effectiveness. Many companies have an incentive program but there's no personal touch behind it. You are awarded points through a computer without any real "good job" from your boss outside of that third-party transaction. Takes a little more effort but goes a long way.
Agreed. Leaders should be giving recognition to those in their organization because that's what they want to do, not because they feel obligated thanks to some formal process. When leaders offer recognition out of a sense of obligation, the focus is more on how giving such feedback makes them look, instead of how such information can benefit the recipient of their words.
That's why offering recognition outside of formal processes works best as it shows employees that leaders are doing it for their benefit and not simply to tick another task off their To-Do list.
On an aside, I have to tell you, Drew, that I love the fact that your comment links to a piece on your blog called "Employee of the Month".