Are We Headed for an Employee Retention Crisis?

Here are a few interesting job-related stats:

• 10-14 jobs will be held by the average employee entering the workforce today by age 38
  
  
• Over half of all employees plan to leave their current job after the recession ends
  
  
• 71% of Gen Y employees expect to find a new job after the recession
  
  
• 1 out of 4 employees has been with their current employer for less than a year
  
  
• 50% of employees have been with their current employer less than 5 years

How does HR respond to the new career expectations of today's employees? Success seems to depend a good onboarding processes and engaging new hires starting on day one. (Read up on tools for making employees feel welcome and appreciated - employee recognition tools)

What is the HR leader's role in building long-term employee relationships?

Unique Employee Recognition Idea: Elmer's Award

Our sales manager was traveling recently in Oregon and came back with a fun recognition story that I thought I'd share.

Liberty Bank in Eugene recognizes outstanding employees with a unique award that's all their own. It's called the Elmer's Award. Like the name suggests, the award is an emptied bottle of Elmer's Glue that is mounted on a plaque with engraving explaining how the recipient is the "glue" that holds Liberty together and makes them a leader in southern Oregon banking. The HR manager at Liberty Bank says that more than any other award, the Elmer's Award is coveted.

Liberty's Elmer's Award follows the principles of award theory with the bank's own twist: The award is exclusive-- it can't be bought. It's symbolic of the achievement; and it reflects the unique culture of the organization.

Visit unique employee recognition ideas for other case studies and examples of employee recognition programs being used in businesses around North America.

Temporary and Contract Employees Need Recognition Too

Most employers have formal programs to recognize the contributions of their full-time and part-time employees. But what about the efforts of the workers who are on temporary assignment in your organization? For many businesses, temporary and contract workers contribute on many levels, adding value to the culture and the success of businesses they work for.

How does your organization motivate and engage your temporary and contract employees? How do you recognize their contributions? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Last week was National Staffing Employee Week, honoring contract and temporary employees in the US. Read about the 2010 National Staffing Employee of the Year. http://www.americanstaffing.net/newsroom/newsreleases/sept_14_09.cfm

On-the-Spot Recognition...anyone can do it!

Most managers believe that appreciation leads to better staff motivation, yet 86% of company leaders say that their organization's managers could be doing a better job of recognizing and thanking employees for good work. If everyone agrees that recognition is so important to the success of a business, why are so many businesses lacking in this area?

Much of the problem boils down to two popular myths that have wormed their way into many businesses.

Myth 1: managers don't have time for recognition.

Myth 2: managers don't know how to do it.

The truth is anyone can thank or congratulate an employee for a job well done, and it doesn't have to compromise the other tasks that fill up the to-do list. Here are three tips for making spot recognition a part of your daily schedule without getting in the way of other obligations.

1. Jot it down: When was the last time you received a hand-written note of appreciation? Chances are, you held onto it for days, weeks or even years. Make an appointment once a week to write a quick note of appreciation to a coworker for a contribution or achievement you noticed. It can be just a couple of lines and it doesn't have to take more than a couple of minutes, but the impact will be worth it.

2. Use two little words: Thank you. You can't use them often enough. Thank employees for the ways they contribute, even if it's a part of their expected job function. Appreciating people and valuing their work means they'll be more willing to contribute in the future.

3. Remind yourself to recognize: Keep a recognition reminder visible in your work area. maybe it's a stack of note cards or an icon on your desktop. Get regular recognition reminders and tips when you follow Terryberry on twitter. If you remind yourself daily to look for ways that employees are contributing, you'll get in the habit in no time.

If you're looking for tools to help you enhance your personal spot recognition plan, check out Recognize Me Managers' Performance Packs. These desktop organizers contain hundreds of tools for spot recognition to help managers find the right way to say thanks or reward an employee in the moment.

For more ideas, visit www.Terryberry.com/tools. You'll find a free certificate maker for personalized recognition certificates, an award presentation cheat sheet to help you prepare what to say when you're presenting a special award, and many other helpful tools.

Peer-to-Peer Employee Recognition Video

If you do not already subscribe to our e-Newsletter you may not have seen our latest video about peer-to-peer employee recognition and the Give a WOW! solution. Watch it below, and feel free to leave any comments or questions on this new program offering from Terryberry.

Free Employee Recognition Tools

Terryberry has assembled some of our most frequently requested employee recognition tools and made them available to HR practitioners and business leaders. Here are some of the highlights:

Free Employee Recognition Certificate maker: Make your own printable award certificates to recognize employee achievements.

New-Hire Recognition Survey: help create a welcoming environment for new employees by finding out about their recognition preferences

Award Presentation Cheat Sheet: prepare your comments for award presentations

Browse our free employee recognition resources

Are you using a recognition tool that's helped you create a positive workplace environment? Share it with others by leaving a comment.