Page 242 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

The Never-Ending Source of Engagement C229

: The employee receives delayed recognition for accomplish-
ments, or none at all.
: Responses to administrative or HR requests are delayed or
absent.
: Rules and bureaucracy stifle employee creativity and initia-
tive.
: The employee is being paid less than entry-level workers or
workers in similar jobs at other companies in the same mar-
ket, or is paid less because of any factor other than perfor-
mance, especially favoritism.
: The employee is recognized in a way he or she does not value
or finds embarrassing, such as public recognition.
: Only team accomplishments are recognized, while the con-
tributions of a key contributor on the team go unacknowl-
edged.
: The employee is left off e-mail distribution lists.
: The employee is not invited to a meeting where he or she has
knowledge that could provide valuable input into a decision
affecting the employee or the team.
: A manager is not given the authority or budget in deciding
how to reward employees.
: Employees do not receive any form of acknowledgment on
their anniversary with the company.
: Remote office and evening shift workers receive less frequent
attention.

The list is more illustrative than exhaustive. We could probably
uncover dozens more ways leaders and managers reduce employee en-
gagement through their lack of focus, empathy, and commitment.
While it is no doubt true that some employees have an exagger-
ated sense of their own value, we believe the failure of managers and
senior leaders to acknowledge the daily contributions of their work-
ers is usually the bigger problem. What many managers and leaders
don’t stop to consider is that missed opportunities to acknowledge,
respond, invite, include, praise, remember, and reward are also missed