Only 20% of employees strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work.
Employees are significantly more likely to be engaged when they receive feedback from their manager a few times a week or more. Feedback and recognition go hand in hand -- yet only 23% of employees strongly agree that they get the right amount of recognition for the work they do.
Leaders often misunderstand what feedback and recognition should look like, resulting in disengaged employees.
How Leaders Miss on Feedback and Recognition
- Vague feedback: Employees are told what went wrong but not how to improve or grow.
- Focus on the past: Feedback often dwells on mistakes rather than empowering employees with future-oriented guidance.
- Inauthentic recognition: Recognition is given too late or feels generic, failing to connect with employees on a personal level. Only 10% of employees are asked how they like to be recognized and appreciated.
How Leaders Should Respond
Feedback and recognition are the cornerstones of a thriving, engaged workforce. By embedding them into your daily operations, you can promote continuous improvement that drives both individual and organizational success and engagement.
To create a culture that thrives on continuous improvement, feedback and recognition must be prioritized. Eighty percent of employees who receive meaningful feedback every week are fully engaged.
Leaders can prioritize feedback and recognition by:
- Making feedback continuous: Ensure every manager is having at least one meaningful conversation per week, per team member.
- Cultivating recognition across the organization: Leaders and managers should lead the charge, promoting recognition as a daily, integral part of company culture.
- Personalizing recognition: Tailor recognition to each individual's unique contributions and needs, making it authentic and impactful.
- Tying recognition to culture: Use recognition to reinforce your company's values and culture, ensuring it's not just about performance but also about reinforcing the behaviors and mindset that drive success.
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This content first appeared in our "10 Lessons to Improve Employee Engagement" microlearning email series.
