Survey respondents believe employers can do better than to give out generic rewards
A generic thank-you message sent through group email won’t do much to keep staff motivated. When it comes to appreciating a job well done, employees want specific and timely feedback from managers, new research from Reward Gateway revealed.
Employers worldwide are pouring $46bn into employee rewards and recognition programs, yet workers reportedly crave more meaningful ways of receiving praise, not just generic thank-you’s.
Companies can do better than to give out annual recognition and rewards that fail to specify an employee’s accomplishment, according to respondents surveyed by the employee engagement specialist.
- 23% of employees prefer being recognised during specific instances
- 64% believe their managers can improve their approach by giving in-the-moment praise
- 75% claim employee morale would increase if companies praised good work more often
READ MORE: How can HR leaders use reward and recognition to engage talent?
In contrast, some employees (40%) believe their managers reward staff members unfairly, with some workers being recognised more than others. Some staff, meanwhile, claim they have been rewarded for work that did not truly reflect their efforts (29%).
“Companies need to be investing in the right kind of recognition and reward programs that fit both the employees and company’s goals,” said Doug Butler, CEO of Reward Gateway.
“While it’s great to see so many HR leaders understanding the positive impact of employee engagement on business, traditional methods and manual processes to achieve current workforce employee engagement goals are no longer an option,” Butler said.
“What employees want is continuous, instant and impactful recognition which reflects the ‘always-on’ workplace culture and the ‘always connected’ personal life many now have.”
