Disconnect: Employees, employers don't agree on workplace recognition

More than three in four HR managers in Australia believe that their staff are consistently being recognised at work, but employees don't believe this is the case.

A new survey from Reward Gateway found that 61% of employees do not feel recognised in the workplace, while 65% don't feel their relationship with their employer is appreciative.

The findings uncover a disconnect between employers and employees when it comes to recognition, which ultimately extends to employee engagement.

"Our index found that Australian employees have an engagement score of 6.2 out of 10, while that's not terrible they're not exactly thriving," said Kylie Green, Managing Director, APAC for Reward Gateway. "In contrast, HR managers perceive the employee engagement score to be 7.9."

Green said their findings present an opportunity for employers to "close the gap."

"We have some more work to do to support our people to be at the top of their game, creating an environment where they can thrive, and maximising productivity and performance," the managing director said in a statement.

Impact of recognition at work

Employees who don't feel very recognised at work are re-evaluating their situations, with 35% citing it as reason for looking for a new job.

In fact, nearly half of HR leaders who said their reward and recognition programmes were underfunded reported turnover rates of 11% or higher.

Recognition is also cited as a productivity driver for 33% of Australians, according to the report.

Overall, 68% of employees feel productive, with other factors contributing to it including fulfilling job responsibilities (41%), as well as a strong and supportive leadership (38%).

"We know that engaged and productive employees are the lifeblood of every successful organisation, and that recognition and rewards are crucial to keeping productivity high," Green said.

"If employers do not make significant efforts to bridge the clear disconnect gap in priorities, they will run the risk of further disengagement and, ultimately, employees leaving."

Reward Gateway's Workplace Engagement Index surveyed 1,000 HR managers and 1,000 employees across Australia.

Reward Gateway was awarded as Best HR Software Vendors in Australia and New Zealand. Read the report here.