The Great Recognition

The Great Recognition

I came across the phrase “The Great Recognition” for the first time this morning and, wow, did it make me happy to see a more positive rephrasing of the current state of employment. After months of the exhaustive and aggravating “The Great Resignation,” employers can view “The Great Recognition” as a more actionable and empowered path forward.

Recognizing and rewarding employees is the name of the game, as many realize that even their most loyal employees are being actively recruited. With many seeking alternatives, candidates are taking notice of those companies who are ahead of the curve in their execution of both systematic and spontaneous ways to engage—and recognize—the value of their employees. Hats off to Bluecrew! They are consistently trail blazing new ways to value and recognize internal staff as well as a deeply investing in recognition programs to improve the lives of our hourly Crew Members.

OK, so what can you do? We all know that monetary rewards are the silver bullet, but that’s not sustainable. The more sustainable solution is to empower workplaces with tools to create a more positive workplace that bridges both economic and human goals! With the promotion of mental health in the workplace gaining increased buy-in, here are a few of my thoughts on creating a more positive workplace:

• Make calculated efforts to introduce messaging, resources, and best practices for balance, such as flexible hours and hybrid (or fully remote) workplace environments.
• Invest in up-skilling your current hourly staff to provide a trajectory in their growth potential
• It isn’t just about eliminating toxic influencers in the workplace, but also about taking active measures to monitor and intervene when you see behaviors that are destructive to your culture. Leadership needs ongoing training on being mindful of not rewarding the worker who constantly puts in 12-hour days, but rather intervening to reward and encourage balance and well being. 
• Recognize accomplishments, both great and small. For example, Bluecrew uses Slack as a tool to create a community of recognition. We host weekly contests to share your accomplishments and have your peers and leadership respond with emojis and comments that stack up for a weekly winner (gift cards, charitable donations, etc.). What a great way to allow your employees to be recognized for their successes! 

I hope that you find this new frame of reference a little more inspiring as employers work to gain a stronger foothold on the path forward; I know I do! Onward and happy hiring, friends!