How Recognition Makes Employee Appreciation Day a Transformative Event

At the beginning of this year, I predicted the exodus of workers brought on by the Great Resignation would only get greater. I believed that, because much of the accelerated turnover was occurring primarily in service industries such as hospitality, we had only begun to see workers in other sectors leave or change jobs. As we move further into 2022, it looks like my prediction was largely on target.  

There are many reasons why we continue to see workers leave for greener pastures or quit altogether. Among them is the cumulative effect of not interacting with humans in their company and their team, causing employees to lose some of the community connection that will compel them to stay. As we evolve new hybrid work models, it’s incumbent upon HR and business leaders to create an environment where people feel like they belong and can grow. Otherwise, they are going to leave. Or worse yet, stagnate.

Marking Employee Appreciation Day

With that as a backdrop, along with the heartbreaking geopolitical events that have unfolded in the last few weeks, this Employee Appreciation Day (EAD) takes on a particular poignancy. It’s a day to make your employees feel valued as you thank them for their contributions to your organization’s shared success. And it’s an opportunity for you to create the kind of human connections that will make your employees want to stay even during the employee migration we continue to see.

There are several things you can do even today to make this EAD a special one for your workers. I suggest you have senior management — ideally your CEO or CHRO — send out an email or a live video expressing their appreciation for your employees’ hard work. Or perhaps use the day to recognize the extraordinary achievements of a team, a department, or the entire company (especially for their resiliency during the pandemic). Maybe let employees leave work early today?

Embrace the Day to Spark Real, Intentional Change

For me, the most meaningful and impactful way to show appreciation for your employees is to use this day as a launching point to renew your efforts to build a culture of gratitude and connection. When employees feel like they belong to a supportive work community that encourages them to share their entire selves at work, they feel connected and positive as they merge their “work” and “outside-of-work” persona into one complete person.

Let’s face it… Even the best cultures have seen some loss of vibrancy as we mark the second anniversary of the pandemic’s arrival. Today, it’s critical that companies become intentional about finding ways for employees to make connections, both inside and outside of work. As I see it, intentional culture is about seizing every opportunity to make a human connection. Such opportunities will not happen by themselves; we have to be intentional about building and nurturing them from within. 

Be the Catalyst for Cultural Transformation

The question then becomes: How can you be the catalyst that makes a vibrant culture of gratitude truly come to life in a real and meaningful way? We at Workhuman® believe it starts with a unified, comprehensive employee recognition program. 

Recognition works best when everyone in the organization, not just managers, participates in giving and receiving. Workhuman researchOpens a new window shows that a values-based recognition program, funded at just 1% of your total rewards budget, is the most effective. 

Recognition, in our view, is the key to creating a culture of gratitude and connection. It is a powerful force in maintaining human connection, especially when employees are working remotely. And it enhances performance and productivity while fostering a community of greater inclusion. With recognition, employees lift each other up, see the good in their co-workers, and build the connections that shape your culture.

Through employee recognition, you can recreate the level of connection and trust we had before the pandemic. Recognition tells your employees, “I see you. I see the work that you’re doing. And it’s making an impact.”

Implement HR Technology for Humans, Not Just Resources

The world has changed dramatically, and organizations are now being held more accountable for eliminating systematic biases and eliminating antiquated business structures and people policies. 

Current HR tools are built to manage resources, not humans. They look only at meeting basic requirements, such as salary, and fail to address core human needs such as respect, positive reinforcement, appreciation, and connection. As we move toward automation, it is critical to find ways to go further into the human layer through human-focused applications.

The future of HR technology gives people the tools they need to give their best by creating a more nurturing, connected workplace in which diversity is embraced, and community is strengthened.

Make Everyday Employee Appreciation Day

These are frightening times, and the need for human connection has perhaps never been greater. Make Employee Appreciation Day a day to recognize and thank your employees for their resilience and achievements over the past two years. But just as important, mark the day by making it a company mission to build a vibrant, more inclusive culture of gratitude through employee recognition. To do so, tap into the power of today’s human-focused software.

In doing so, you’ll be transforming your organization into a place where each and every day, your employees forge a strong community as they celebrate each other for their achievements and successes and a place where they want to work and stay.

How are you making this Employee Appreciation Day special? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .

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• 4 Ways to Foster a Culture of Recognition in the Workplace