Using Recognition and Other Workplace Efforts to Engage Employees
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has collaborated with Globoforce on a series of annual surveys about engaging employees through employee recognition and other workplace efforts. The purpose of this research is to examine workforce management challenges HR leaders and practitioners face and the strategies that help them conquer those challenges.
Key Takeaways:
- Leverage employee recognition to improve recruitment and retention. Retention/turnover was the top workforce management challenge cited by 47% of HR professionals, followed by recruitment (36%). Most respondents agreed recognition can help create a positive workplace culture and employee experience, and more than one-half said their program positively affects retention (68%) and recruitment (56%).
- Align employee recognition programs with organizational values and talent strategy for greater impact. Employee recognition programs were rated higher by HR when they were aligned with organizational values and talent strategy. Monetary investment is also important, but it had a more positive impact on employee recognition program ratings when recognition was core to the organization’s talent strategy.
- Consider a variety of workplace programs to help with culture management—the third biggest workforce challenge (34%). Unsurprisingly, the most common programs offered were health and wellness (70%) and learning and development (68%). However, another 60% of responding organizations helped employees celebrate life events like having a child, birthdays or retirement. For example, organizations may provide a card, gift, budget, supplies, food or have a place to share photos/news.
- Improve the accuracy of performance reviews with frequent manager and peer feedback. Although organizations continue to use annual performance reviews (71%), providing ongoing, high-quality employee feedback from both managers and co-workers may help improve the performance review process.
