It is so simple…
Honestly folks – recognizing employees for a job well done is so simple to do; yet I hear more and more frequently from friends working within companies that they never get that “pat on the back.” Frankly – I know where they are coming from! It’s so easy for employers to take their employees for granted. Maybe the boss assumes that you know you are doing a great job and he/she is pleased; maybe they assume they don’t have to say a word you should be thankful you have a job; or maybe they just don’t even think about it! I have seen good employees leave their companies because they didn’t feel appreciated (guess what boss – there are options out there!); I know a few of them would have stayed if they just got some recognition. One friend told me he felt like he was begging the boss to recognize his good work!
Here’s how simple it is – just take these steps:
- Ask the employee into your office
- Say “Thank you” for the wonderful work they have been doing
Wow! That was easy! (Where is my Staples “Easy” button when I need it!)
Want to take it a step further – you might – at your next all hands or all staff meeting say a public “Thank you” to those employees who have gone above and beyond.
Well…what are you waiting for! Get going! Say that “Thank you!” today! You’ll make someone’s day and they will appreciate that you noticed the hard work they do for you!
Perfect David! Nothing like the boss popping by a cubicle to ask how someone’s project is coming along or to say “I heard you were successful with xyz client – good work!” I had read somewhere (wish I could remember where!) of a comparison of strong, good leadership to a football coach – which makes your post Super Bowl Monday morning statement right on target! Too often bosses have no idea what is going on with their staff – nor, unfortunately, do some of them care. A shame really.
Thanks for your comment and for reading!
Best,
Gina
Hi, Gina!
I’ll go a step further and recommend that managers avoid step #1 and get out of their offices! They need to go see where people are working, and recognize the work they do – as they do it! (Going to “Gemba” in Leanspeak). Immediate feedback is well-known as a much better influence on peoples’ behavior than delayed feedback. Waiting for that next staff meeting is good, getting out from behind your desk to see what people are working on, and recognizing it then & there, is great!
On a post-Super Bowl Monday morning, let me put it this way: Does the coach sit back in an office without being able to see the game, or is he down there on the field? Would the coach wait until after the season ended to let his team know how they were doing? After the game? Half time? After each series? The more immediate and frequent the interaction, the greater saliency it has, and the greater the opportunity to make adjustments when things go wrong, or reinforce positive behavior when it happens.
Hi Peter,
You make a great point. It is sad that some first line managers/supervisors feel they need to take all the credit to look good up the ladder. Frankly, if the team does well, the supervisor does well – and that is how they should look at it and should therefore promote their staff’s hard work and efforts. Companies will lose good talent if they don’t start recognizing their efforts – which will have an impact on the company as a whole. There are always companies willing to snatch up some great talent! It is all about the work of the team as a whole.
Thanks for reading!
Best,
Gina
Hi Gina
I think sometimes it’s difficult for superiors, especially middle-level managers who have to report to senior managers, to recognise an employee’s hard work and give them a pat on the back because of selfishness. The desire to get all the credit maybe for promotional gains often result in some managers overlooking the good work of their star employees. The key I guess is to remind everyone within the organisation that ‘it’s all about team work’. In today’s knowledge-based economy where many organisations have to maximise the potential of their intellectual capital, employers need to be aware of the risks inherent in not recognising their efforts. They need to remember that knowledge resides in people’s heads and once these employees who possess this knowledge jump ship, replacing such knowledge might take long periods of time and by then competitors would have covered ground.