The Secret Sauce of Employee & Organization Success

About a decade ago, I joined a Consulting Company where the gestation period for revenue realization was long and uncertain. Operating on wafer thin margins, the time to determine annual increases and variable payouts was fraught with challenges. Across the board standard increments took a toll on performance differentiation and morale of the employees. There seemed to be no motivation for high performers to contribute at a level which was above the average. High impact projects and client testimonials were fast losing their lucre.

Over a period of time the Organization grew and became financially robust. Bonus payouts for superior performance became an awaited annual feature. The consequential happiness quotient however lasted only for a month. The thought of keeping people energized for the rest of the year seemed to be a daunting prospect. We decided to capture their voice through an employee survey. More than 70% of the employee population felt that their efforts were not being recognized by the Organization. Around 40% said that appreciation and recognition mattered more than pay hikes & promotions. Positive Strokes rather than Negative Feedback emerged as a key to improving performance and came as an actionable insight.

Employee insights were supported by research. Shawn Anchor in his book “ Happiness Dividend” shows that Employee Productivity can increase 30% a day on receiving praise. Companies that recognize their employees are 12 times more likely to generate strong business results than their peers according to Josh Bersin 2012.Deloitte Studies report that recognition builds 14% higher engagement and enhances trust between employees and their Managers. Underlying improved performance is the secretion of happy hormones by the body due to praise and respect received by the employee.

Armed with these data points, the Design Process followed the tried and tested route:

1) First the Management “buy in” for the design of an Employee Recognition Plan was secured. The “Buy In” silenced the “Nay Sayers” whose skepticism rested on the factors of cost, tedium, value and time.

2) Next the Key Stakeholders were involved. Through the crowd source approach employees shared their expectations and several “moments of truth” which deserved to be recognized.

3) Best practice research from the sector was informally commissioned. The experience of an External Mentor was formally sought and proved invaluable.

4) Some informal traditional practices were realigned others discarded.

The Non Negotiables of the Plan

a) We rested the model on four pillars: Organization Values, Inclusivity & Equity, Consistency & Fairness, Process & Outcome Integrity.

b) The underlying objectives of the Plan was to provide “ equal opportunities” to be recognized , foremployees tofeel valued for what they are and what they’ve done, get noticed and make them feel important to others.

c) To embed recognition in the DNA of the Organization we removed the “ winner vs loser mentality” and all such guardrails which could restrict appreciation from flowing freely in a consistent / continuous manner.

d) We decided to recognize “non scale victories” not just “big wins” or “episodic events “

e) The Plan was to be a blend of instant and time bound , structured and rarely informal

f) Most importantly the Plan was conceived to provide “equal opportunities “ to be recognized.

What did we decide to “Recognize “Managers were urged to wear their “recognition glasses” and look for opportunities to appreciate in multitude ways. Employees were recognized for:

1)Going above and beyond the Call of Duty

2)Demonstrating the Organization Values

3) Early adapters of new processes , technology , policies and practices

4) Self-initiated skill development , acquisition of subject matter expertise above the norm

5) Actionable suggestions resulting in cost optimization , quality improvement

6) Championing Mental Well Being and Employee Assistance Programmes

7) Being the “ Go to” for the Peers / Team

8) Living the “ Client First “ principle. Acknowledged as a “trusted advisor” of a Client .. How did we Appreciate Employees and create “Memory Momentz”for them..

a) We provided Recognized Employees opportunities to:

i) Teach, train and build internal capacities

ii) Shadow Senior Managers for accelerated learning

iii) Resolve complex business problems and present at leadership Meets

iv) Perform tasks with renewed delegation of authority

v) Buddy new employees

vi) Volunteer for causes they were passionate about

b) We provided Peers & Clients opportunities to cite specific anecdotes to: i) Appreciate employees especially for Off the Clock contributions at Monthly Meets

c) We prompted Managers to blend a standard communication with a personalized note handwritten by them to recognize individual contribution.

d) Instant Appreciation included. A Pat on the Back, Kudos Notes, Digital Wall of Honour, Thoughtful Gifts, Shout Outs, Weekend on Wheels…

e) Some others were customized to meet the preferences and aspirations of the employees. Stories were flashed via mails and shared through videos with new hires during their immersion, self-nomination for upskilling and reskilling for future roles

All the above initiatives helped to keep the Plan fresh and effective.

Impact:

Recognition made employees feel important, reinforced a positive sense of self-worth, engendered a feeling that they mattered and that their contribution is truly making a difference. It helped them know they are on the right track. Recognition worked like the emotional contagion in groups and its ripple effect got amplified creating “positive reciprocity” and most importantly quietened the negatives that usually take up so much of the employee’s thoughts.

Pro Tips :

1)Follow the FourGolden Rules of Appreciation:

M-ake it Meaningful related to Impact

U-nified & Inclusive. Provide Equal Opportunity to all to get recognized.

S-potlight your recognition so it uplifts all & reinforces what is valued.

T-imely not making employees wait till a time it loses its lucre and impact

2) Avoid hollow, comparative and impersonal praise.

3) Best Practices serve as a good reference point but every organization must develop its signature style and keep maturing based on feedback and impact.

4) Constantly keep striking a balance between scope & impact of employee actions & appreciation

5) Remember it’s not a once and done exercise

If you have experiences to share on this subject write in to me: [email protected]

Authored by Triveni Mehta

Senior Human Resource Consultant