Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we can’t tell you enough that your company’s greatest resource is its human resource—its employees.  Without devoted employees toiling away, your company won’t run!

Those employees work hard, and they want to feel valued, like their daily commitment is making a difference to their employers.  According to a recent Workforce Mood Tracker from Globoforce, more than 80 percent of employees said that recurring recognition in the workplace makes them feel more satisfied with their jobs.  The problem is, only half of employees think their employers are doing a good job offering that recognition.Employees who do not feel they are properly compensated, praised, or respected are likely to seek those qualities elsewhere.  In fact, over half of surveyed employees stood poised to jump ship for a company that would better recognize their efforts.

Do you want to chance which half of the recognition Mason-Dixon your company falls on?  We didn’t think so.  Even if your company already offers solid appreciation events, employee recognition can always be adapted and improved—and moved outside of the “holiday dinner” box.  Here are a few fresh ideas:

Office Olympics – It may not be just like The Office on TV, what with yogurt-lid medals and an origami-dove release, but your Office Olympics can be just as fun!  So grab a catered lunch and clear some floor space for the big day.  Your office might not be ready for Flonkerton or Dunderball, but you can have fun with the office chair sprint—minus the mugs of hot coffee (remember what happened to McDonald’s?).  Or how about swivel-chair soccer?  Or a little trash-bin basketball with wadded pieces of paper?  If your employees aren’t shy, you could even try a bit of rhythmic gymnastics with office supplies.  Just remember—the judges’ decision is final!

Wrap-Up Celebration – Whether it’s to celebrate the end of the year or just the end of a large project, a wrap-up celebration is a great way to recognize employees for a job well done.  Try thanking employees with a catered breakfast or lunch.  Offer special recognition for major contributors or employees who went out of their way to get the job done.  For an extra bit of fun, try adding a theme to the event—barbecue, retro, international—and decorate accordingly.

Company Oscars – Who wouldn’t want to receive a plastic statuette for being the most cheerful first thing in the morning or for drinking the most cups of coffee throughout the day?  This is a great opportunity to appreciate employees for the unique, even quirky, qualities they bring to the table.  Who has the messiest desk?  Who is most likely to pull the fire alarm to get out of work?  Be creative, go for laughs, and try to recognize every person (if your company is small enough) or department with an award.

Ignore employee recognition at your own risk!  Management should never assume that they don’t need to speak with employees unless there is a performance problem.  A simple “thank you” is always a powerful phrase and could work wonders to keep your top performers loyal and happy—and staying put.

If employee recognition or employee retention is a struggle for your business, let the HR consultants at YES! Your Human Resources Solution lend a hand.  We can assist with innovative ways to keep your employees on board.  Just look at what we did for this consumer products distribution company:

In the face of high turnover in the company’s call center, YES! reviewed the company’s sourcing and selection practices and designed an approach that included online behavioral assessment tools.  We also expanded the candidate pool using diverse and innovative sources.

Something as simple as talking to employees can go a long way toward saving the company’s bottom line, and can impress employees by your willingness to investigate.  Remember, if employee turnover is a consistent problem, it will continue to be an issue until the source reasons are discovered and remedied.

Are you ready to discover the power of saying “YES!”?  Then visit our website or call us today for a free assessment of how we can help your business thrive into the future!