Do you ever lay awake worrying about your employees leaving? Or maybe you wonder how they’re treating your customers when you know they’re not happy. Maybe you’re trying to figure out how you can do more for employee recognition. Well, here are a few employee engagement stats that will cause many a sleepless night for you.
51% of employees are looking for another position
80% of employees say they would work longer hours for an empathetic employer
60% of workers wish their work was praised more frequently
Did those numbers make you question your employees, their loyalty, and their interest in their job? They probably should, if you were paying attention.
As a small business owner, you rely on your employees to wear many hats and take on projects that aren’t always part of their job descriptions. Thanking them for their hard work and dedication is great, but how can you let them know that you truly appreciate them?
1) Allow Them to Work from Home
If it’s feasible, give your employees the option of working from home for an afternoon each week. You can assign each employee a different day and then expand it to a day or two per week as long as they are keeping on top of things. Being flexible with work options can go a long way in showing how much you appreciate them.
2) Provide New Opportunities on the Job
There’s a good chance that your employees are already doing things outside of their areas of expertise, but take some time to find out more about their interests. They may want to work on a particular project or learn more about a certain aspect of your small business. Don’t be shy about giving them that opportunity.
3) Plan Vacation and Personal Time
At the beginning of the year, sit down with your employees and map out their vacation and personal days. Not only will this help you plan ahead and cover for your employees, it ensures that they won’t be disappointed and you won’t be blindsided by someone making a last-minute request for time away from the office. It may be more challenging around the holidays, but employees will likely be happy to compromise if they have options.
4) Write a Recommendation and Serve as a Reference
Show your employees how much you value them by writing a detailed LinkedIn recommendation that illustrates their talents and skills. In addition, make it clear that you would be happy to serve as a professional reference in the future. Don’t be concerned that these actions will cause them to look elsewhere. If they are engaged, that won’t happen.
5) Use Customized Swag for Employee Recognition
Your employees work hard for you, so reward them with items that they can associate with a job well done. Whether it’s a customized coffee cup, an eye-catching award they can display in their office, or a comfortable branded hoodie, many employees revel in the chance to let everyone know that they are part of such as awesome organization.
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