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Retaining Peak Performers
by Individualizing Employee Recognition
by Cindy Ventrice
Regardless of economic conditions, employers will always struggle with the issue of
turnover and retention among their peak performers. Even in an economic downturn, high
performing employees have options. Keeping the best and the brightest requires employers
to create a positive work environment. One of the tools that they use to do this is
employee recognition. The problem is that these programs frequently fall flat.
Imagine the impact on morale, when every employee receives a potted plant on the
anniversary of his or her hire date. The business office generates the purchase order, the
florist delivers the plant, and employees wonder if the manager is even aware of the
anniversary.
Look at recognition from the perspective of the diabetic employee, who receives a Mars
candy bar as a symbol of appreciation for "out of this world" customer service.
Clever idea... that shows disregard for the employee's needs and preferences.
Consider the company that regularly hands out awards for "going beyond the call of
duty." Sounds like a good idea, except that the employees at this company view the
recipients of the award, as "simply doing their jobs." They wonder if anyone
would even recognize exceptional behavior if they saw it.
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Recognition programs can be successful. They can have a positive effect on employee
turnover, morale and motivation, particularly among those employees that offer the
greatest retention challenge, the peak performers. To keep peak performers and keep them
happy, recognition must take two things into account.
1) Peak performers want to do work that matters. They want to know what the
company values, and how their work personally contributes to the organization's goals.
They want to be recognized for their individual contribution.
An employee from IBM shares that his manager sends out a hand written note on the
anniversary of each employee's hire date. That note recounts the employee's contributions
to the department. People in that manager's department look forward to receiving and
sharing these notes with each other. This manager has their loyalty because he values both
the employee and their contribution.
2) Peak performers want their unique abilities and interests recognized.
They find recognition meaningful when it takes into account their unique offerings.
A maintenance officer in the Air Force received an award that was both unique and
meaningful. He received a hand drawn picture of the three types of aircraft he maintained,
mounted with photos of the eighteen people who worked with him in that section. This was a
one of a kind award that had significant impact.
To be effective, managers must personalize
recognition. This is best done with a three-part process:
1) Identify how the employee can best contribute to achieving organizational goals and
values.
2) Determine what the employee values in terms of recognition.
3) Recognize the employee's unique contribution with personalized rewards.
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When a manager takes the time to get to know an employee and what they value, they offer
one of the most important forms of recognition. They understand the unique contribution
and needs of each individual. The employee feels both valued and valuable.
The payoff to an organization is that when peak performers feel both valued and
valuable—when they know that someone cares about them and their growth within the
organization, they have greater job satisfaction and are more likely to want to stay with
their current job and/or organization.
1) Identify how the employee can best contribute to achieving organizational goals and
values.
A manager should schedule at least one meeting per year with each employee in order to
discuss how their job impacts the values and goals of the organization. The conversation
should begin with the manager restating the organization's values and goals. This
conversation can be something as simple as, "Jeff, as you know, XYZ Corporation
values innovation, quality, and adaptability. The company's three main goals for the
coming year are to release one new product, upgrade our three most popular products, and
find new markets for two products with declining sales." This statement of values and
goals sets the stage for the questions that follow.
How does your work relate to these goals and values? Use this question or
something similar to help the employee explore their job responsibilities and relate those
responsibilities back to the values and goals of the organization. Make sure the employee
understands that you are not questioning whether or not their work has value, but are
interested in discovering how they perceive the value of their contribution.
Jeff, of XYZ Corporation, might respond that as a salesperson, the information he
gathers from customers and clients is used to determine consumer preferences. This
information helps the company to develop products that will be in high demand.
What tasks are you currently doing that don't support these organizational values
and goals? The purpose of this question has two parts. One, to uncover
responsibilities that are not of value to the organization so that operations can be
streamlined. Two, to help the employee understand how specific tasks do contribute to
achieving the organization's values and goals.
Jeff might feel that the time he spends compiling statistics on lost sales is a waste
of time.
Can these tasks be modified to make them more relevant? This question is
used as a follow up to the preceding question. Allow the employee to make appropriate
changes to how tasks are performed in order to help them contribute in a more meaningful
way.
Maybe Jeff could also track why the prospect didn't purchase their product. This
information might be used in development, upgrading, and expanding current markets.
What goals can you set for yourself that will allow you to contribute to an even
greater extent? Use this question to explore how an employee would make their
contribution more relevant and impactful.
Jeff might want to work with R&D and facilitate a series of customer focus groups
that explore customer preferences in greater depth.
Employees, who understand how their responsibilities affect their organization, make a
more meaningful contribution. When managers set aside time to help employees clarify and
improve their role within the organization the positive impact on productivity and quality
is measurable.
2) Determine what the employee values in terms of recognition.
Some rewards can, and should recognize the efforts of work groups, departments or even
the entire organization. These rewards will be celebrations of achievement and won't to
take into account each individual's unique recognition preferences.
While group recognition has a place within the organization, most recognition should be
directed to the individual. For individual recognition to have impact, it should be
personalized. An employee of a high-tech company shares that an award of an overnight trip
was memorable because "it was tailored specifically to what I like to do."
When it comes to rewards and recognition, everyone values something a little different.
It is the manager's job to determine what each employee values and recognize their
individual contribution with a reward that has special value to them.
| Common recognition wisdom
says that we should recognize the employee's family; acknowledge their contribution to the
employee's success. One company chose to recognize the wife of a top salesman. She
shares the impact of that recognition; "my husband's company sent me a big gift
basket when he became the top salesman. I really resented that he had to work many
overtime hours with no days off in order to make top salesman. I was actively lobbying to
get him to change jobs at the time."
The fruit basket was a reminder of all the hours her husband had spent away from the
family. It had an impact, but not the one the company was hoping for. |
No two people want to be recognized in exactly the same way. One loves the spotlight
and would be thrilled to have their accomplishments announced at a pizza party given in
their honor. Another prefers to stay in the background, receiving private praise and a
thank you. One employee would like the opportunity to take a class; another wants the
chance to teach it.
When asked about recognition that had a lasting impact, employees across the country
had very diverse answers.
- One employee shared that being asked to take the president's place on a panel
discussion, was an honor she would never forget.
- An employee of a semiconductor manufacturer pointed to her manager's willingness to
allow her to work whenever and wherever, as long as the work gets done.
- An employee of a large telecommunications company appreciated having her direct
supervisor praise her work to the department head.
Recognition is most meaningful when it allows for the employee's personal preferences,
needs and values.
Interviewing for recognition preferences
Everyone has different preferences. It is up to the manager to identify those
preferences in order to recognize the individual in a way that will have meaning to them.
The best way to do this is by asking good questions and listening to the employee.
Listed below are some open-ended questions about recognition preferences. The responses
given are examples of what an employee might say, along with some hints regarding how the
information might be used to motivate.
What do you love about your job? (Listen for hints about what they
value.)
- "I love that I can leave at 5:00 most evenings to be with my family."
In
order to keep this employee, a manager shouldn't make a habit of asking them to stay late.
A suitable reward might be time off, to be used at their discretion.
- "I love the independence I have to do the job as I see fit."
If the
job is getting done satisfactorily, a manager should make sure that this employee doesn't
become restrained or restricted. Reward with increased autonomy.
- "I love having the opportunity to learn and grow."
An astute manager
will make sure that this employee doesn't keep the same duties for an extended period of
time. Reward them with a new, challenging responsibility, or the workshop of their choice.
Asking, "What do you love about your job?" can provide specific information
about tasks that the employee enjoys most. Use this information to reward them with more
of what they enjoy, and less of what they consider drudgery.
As your manager, what could I do to make your job
more satisfying? (This is not the time to debate, just listen and take
notes.)
- "You could allow me some flexibility in what hours I work."
Recognition
for a job well done might include the freedom to leave early or come in late twice a week
so long as the department has someone to answer the phones.
- "I would like you to help me prepare for a promotion."
Recognize their
efforts by introducing them to key managers or by providing a coach.
- "You could provide more social opportunities for the department."
This
employee values the social bonding of the group. Reward them with impromptu pizza parties,
team-building activities at meetings, or put them in charge of celebrating birthdays.
- "You could let others know how hard I work, so they don't try to dump their stuff
on me."
This employee wants public praise.
Which would you prefer? (Offer only specific
alternatives that are possible within the constraints of your organization.)
Which would you prefer:
to be recognized for your performance by being given control over a more prestigious
project
or
receive a weekend getaway for two?
a sincere thank you card for overtime on a special project
or
having your efforts recognized in front of your team?
a cash bonus for being the top sales performer during the quarter
or
a week in Hawaii presented at the quarterly sales meeting?
having your family present when you receive an award
or
having the VP personally recognize your achievement one to one?
the opportunity to telecommute one day a week
or
the opportunity to attend a professional development conference on the topic of your
choice?
Combine these preference questions with those about goals and values. Together, they
form the foundation of a recognition interview. The recognition interview helps a manager
to learn more about what their employees value and how they want to be recognized.
A final thought on the recognition interview...
It takes commitment to set aside the time to interview every employee. Effective
managers make that commitment because they know that the time they spend with each
employee demonstrates that they value both the person and their contribution.
Done well, the recognition interview itself is a significant form of recognition.
Employees who have had a say in developing goals, who know that their manager is aware of
what they value, and who believe that their manager cares about them personally, will
experience greater job satisfaction.
Employees experiencing high-job satisfaction stay in their jobs longer, produce quality
products, and provide quality service. Retaining these employees means managers need to
spend significantly less time recruiting and training.
3) Recognize the employee's unique contribution with personalized rewards.
The information that the manager gathers during the recognition interview will provide
most of what is needed in order to recognize an employee's contribution:
Measurable goals - the employee and the manager will have set measurable
goals for performance. Recognize both achievement of these goals, and the behaviors that
contribute to future achievement.
Insights into what they employee values - the manager will have insights
into the work that the employee sees as valuable, and the forms of recognition they see as
desirable. Use these to increase employee satisfaction with personalized opportunities and
recognition.
The effective manager doesn't stop there, they:
- Track the recognition given, why it was given, when it was given as well as the
employee's response. This information helps to tailor recognition even more.
- Attempt to give some form of recognition every week. When recognition is infrequent,
they look into the cause. Is the employee off-track in meeting goals? Has past recognition
been poorly received? Has the manager ceased to focus on recognition? The effective
manager will take corrective action.
- Continue to learn more about the employee, such as what kind of candy bar they like,
whether they enjoy skiing, golfing or photography, and they use that information to better
show appreciation.
Recognition programs do have a place in retaining and motivating peak performers,
provided they take into account key criteria. Gallup researchers Marcus Buckingham and
Curt Coffman found that peak performers want to know what is expected of them at work, and
that their work has meaning to the organization. They want to receive frequent
recognition, and know that their supervisor cares about them as a person.
Recognizing performance is time-consuming. Recognizing performance in a personalized
and unique way can be even more time-consuming. The over-burdened manager doesn't want to
create more work for himself or herself. They want to reduce workload. The inclination is
to dismiss recognition as an extra, but the manager who focuses on recognizing peak
performance and peak performers reduces their workload by freeing up the time they would
otherwise spend recruiting and training new employees.
© Copyright Cindy Ventrice, 2001
For more on recognition visit
www.maketheirday.com
Cindy Ventrice of Potential Unlimited Seminars has been a
consultant/trainer for the past 16 years. Potential Unlimited's seminars provide
relationship building solutions that improve morale, productivity and profitability.
She can be reached at 831-476-4224, or
email: CVentrice@potential-unltd.com
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