Make Their Day Blog

We often hear that believable recognition is specific recognition. Specifics certainly help in demonstrating that you really “see” the recipient, but is that really the key to making recognition believable?

The foundation of effective recognition is respect. With respect, employees tend to see recognition in the everyday acts of managers and supervisors. Give them difficult customers to help and they know you trust their capabilities. Same thing when you ask them to take their vacations at a different time than you do. They see the recognition potential in your actions if you have a respectful relationship. But is it enough to overcome slightly vague recognition? A note from a reader gives us some insight into this. She received the weekly tip, Put It In Writing:

People generally love thank you notes and written words of appreciation. They love them so much, in fact, that they hang on to them for weeks, months, or sometimes years! It takes you a few minutes longer to create a note than it does to just tell someone how much you appreciate their contribution. The effort is worth your while.

In response to this tip, the reader sent me the following message:

I have notes of appreciation or recognition that I received years ago. Some are as simple as a post it note that says “Great Job!!!” that I know really came from the person’s heart.

I have saved notes both from my supervisors and the people I supervise. I don’t usually save the notes if I know they aren’t from the heart….if they are just a superficial nice thing to say.

I read this and thought, “great job” isn’t very specific. Yet here is a reader to hung on to the note because it was meaningful. This made me wonder (and ask):

What tips you off that a “great job” is from the heart or not?

She wrote back:

Good question. I think that their other behavior supports the recognition. That they aren’t just saying it to check it off their to-do list. Also, when they look me in the eye when they talk to me, a written note is more likely to have more meaning. Also, supervisors don’t always have to agree with me or my ideas, but when they at least take time to listen and consider my input it goes a long way in feeling heard. If I feel heard, I have an easier time believing what they say or write is genuine -if I am important enough to listen to, they probably really care if they take the time to write a note.

The reader refers to other behavior: looks me in the eye. listen and consider my ideas, these behaviors sound like respect to me. The lesson? Work on the respectful relationship first, you can get eloquent with your message later. Your returns will be greater.

Copyright Cindy Ventrice

We all know it has been a tough year for organizations of all kinds. They have made changes that can significantly affect employees.

So I am wondering, to what extent have changes affected how valued we feel at work? And what changes had the most affect on how valued we feel? To find out we are conducting a short survey.

If you are an employee please participate! The survey will only take about three minutes and the results will be published in this blog as soon as they are available.

Take the survey now

I am on my way back from the Motivation Show in Chicago, where I spoke about the current perception that, given the economy, recognition is too expensive.

From trips to donuts, anything that is intended to demonstrate that employees are valued has become a media favorite for demonstrating the wastefulness of organizations.

The topic of cost versus return isn’t new. What is new, this past year, is the media coverage of anything that could possibly be viewed as an employee perk and this includes recognition. It’s not just about Return On Investment right now; it’s about perception: taxpayer, shareholder, and employee perception. It is up to you to manage that perception

Imagine: You are the CEO of medium-sized company. Like nearly everyone else, your company has had a rough year. Your sales team finally landed a client that may just allow your company to turn it around. Employees have worked long hours to meet the client’s demanding specifications. The team has pulled off the impossible. You want to celebrate and show your appreciation with a nice gift for each person. Employees certainly deserve the recognition. Yet, just a few short months ago you laid off a quarter of your workforce, people have taken a cut in pay and benefits, and shareholders are far from recouping their losses. How would an event and gifts be perceived? Most likely, given the scenario, the nperception would be that you are wasteful.

You may be a manager facing a similar dilemma. Or you may be a program administrator who has to resolve this problem for the entire organization.

On one hand, you need to demonstrate that employees are valued. On the other hand, you have to show that you are frugal. How do you do both?

As you struggle to balance on this organizational tightrope, here are a few questions to think about:

1)     Can you demonstrate the correlation between great recognition and productivity increases? If you aren’t tracking the business results and behavior change that correlate to your programs, it will be tough to sell recognition.

2)     Have you communicated the ROI well? If you are benchmarking the changes that you are seeing, be proactive rather than defensive. If you are an administrator, convey, to both managers and senior leaders, the importance of the programs . Create a recognition strategy that outlines what improvements you anticipate from your programs. Communicate your results as soon as they become available. The same strategy holds true for managers. Be prepared to justify your spending. What are the results that recognition has achieved?

3)     Are your people making as much as they were before the downturn? If people have been asked to tighten their belts, you have two options: keep spending low so that they don’t feel you are wasting “their” money, or give rewards that will help their bottom-line. Cash incentives commensurate with the achievement are appropriate, so are gift cards for anything employees think of as a necessity. If you are a manager, you may not have a say in what rewards you offer, but if you do, think practical rather than luxury, if compensation is down.

4)     Have shareholders recovered their losses? This question is for administrators. Managers, you should be able to assume that administrators and senior leaders have this covered. Administrators, if profits are down keep reward spending minimal. Even with strong ROI, be cautious of awards that will be seen as extravagant. Move spending up as the health of your organization improves and you will have minimal pushback.

When in doubt put your attention on maintaining a respectful workplace, setting big goals, and focusing on success, Give appreciation instead of rewards and your recognition efforts will be successful.

Berrett-Koehler, the publisher of Make Their Day, is offering a fantastic promotion right now.  Purchase your books through any participating author using this link (and entering the coupon code when asked):

Berrett-Koehler Publishers - 40% Off with Summer Sale Coupon SUMMERSALE09

and they will give you 40 percent off your order!

Take a look at their offerings. You will find tons of books that belong on your bookshelves.

A few readers have asked about where I will be appearing over the next few months. When that happens, it is usually my cue to post (or repost) that information.

Since the second edition of Make Their Day is in the middle of its launch, I have more public appearances than usual for April and May:

 
SHRM Staffing Conference Las Vegas, NV - April 29, 2009 - Recognition Preferences of the Emerging Workforce

Recognition Professionals International - Naples, FL, May 4, 2009 Recognition Preferences of the Emerging Workforce

Unbound Ideas - web seminar May 12, 2009 - Generational Preferences in Recognition

NACCB - Redwood Shores, CA - May 12, 2009 - Small Budget, Big Payback

CSP - San Mateo, CA - May 14, 2009 - Small Budget, Big Payback

May 20 - Vienna, Austria keynote for Best Workplaces in Europe conference
 

If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

On May 12 I will presenting a webinar for Unbound Ideas on the topic of Bridging the Generational Gap with Employee Recognition.  Every participant will receive a copy of the newly released second edition of Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works.

If you aren’t familiar with Unbound Ideas check out their other offerings. They bring in experts such as Marshall Goldsmith, Jim Kouzes, and Bev Kaye. You will learn from the best!