As a manager or business owner in the engineering industry, regularly recognising and rewarding the efforts and contributions made by your team members is important.
Regular recognition is the key to building a more motivated and engaged workforce. It’s also essential to retaining employees. Studies show that up to half of employees would consider leaving a company that doesn’t give them enough recognition for their work. At a time when skill shortages are making it increasingly difficult for businesses to access the talent they need, the right approach to employee recognition can reduce your risk of turnover.
The good news for business leaders is that a strong recognition strategy does not rely on high-cost, extravagant gifts. There are plenty of simple, budget-friendly ways to show your team members how much you appreciate them.
The Importance of Employee Engagement
Workplace recognition motivates and engages employees, driving powerful results for businesses. In any engineering workplace, practical recognition efforts can lead to:
- Higher productivity: Recognised employees are more engaged in their work and aware of what they need to do to achieve their goals, which means higher productivity.
- Improved retention: A Gallup report found that employees who don’t feel adequately recognised at work are twice as likely to consider quitting.
- Better talent acquisition: A culture of feedback and recognition appeals to top talent. It can improve your employer brand and make attracting professionals to your engineering team easier in a skills-short environment.
- Enhanced business outcomes: Organisations that practice recognition regularly are 12 times more likely to achieve strong business results, such as increases in shareholder returns and profits.
A recognition program is necessary to attract and retain talent in the engineering industry, boost employee productivity and performance, and create an engaging company culture.
Low-Cost Recognition Strategies to Use
It’s easy to assume that the best employee recognition strategies demand a massive budget for bonuses and financial rewards. However, companies with limited cash can experiment with low-cost ways to boost employee morale. Here are some great options to try.
- Say Thank You
It might seem simple, but saying “thank you” to employees – whether in private or in a public team meeting – for their input and hard work can go a long way. Sincere gratitude from a business leader or manager significantly improves morale and doesn’t cost anything.
- Written Recognition
A written note can be equally impactful alongside verbally saying “thank you” to an employee.
Handwritten and personalised thank you notes are an intimate and authentic way to show appreciation to a team member.
Furthermore, congratulatory messages could be added to the company newsletter, intranet, or even social media if appropriate. This would be a great way to highlight your culture of recognition to other job seekers, both internal and external, in the company.
- Peer-to-Peer Recognition Programs
Managers and business leaders aren’t the only people who can show appreciation to staff members. Encouraging a culture of peer-to-peer recognition is a great way to make sharing positive feedback an integral part of your business culture. The idea is to create a digital recognition platform where team members can say thank you to their colleagues in a public space.
- Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexibility has become a valuable benefit in the engineering workplace, with more than 71% of workers considering flexible options when choosing which companies to work for. Offering employees flexible work and work-from-home options as rewards is a great, cost-effective way to show appreciation to your team members. This gesture helps employees maintain a good work-life balance, reduces the risk of burnout, and shows employees that you trust them to work independently.
- Professional Development Opportunities
More than 76% of employees want more training opportunities to build their careers and skills. This means that development opportunities are an excellent reward as part of a recognition program. Offering your employees access to mentorship, cross-training, workshops, or online training programs shows you’re invested in helping them achieve their goals. It also creates a win-win situation for your company, as you benefit from the new skills and abilities your employees can bring to your workforce.
- Small Gestures with a Big Impact
Even the smallest gesture can improve the success of an employee recognition program. For example, you could consider hosting team lunches or “pizza party” days for teams that achieve their goals, helping to boost camaraderie and team bonding. Another option is to create a “wall of fame” for exceptional work, where you highlight a specific employee each day or week. Alternatively, you could make an employee of the month program, with a reward like a premium parking spot.
- Responsibility and Autonomy
Rewarding high-performing engineering employees with extra work or responsibilities is not the most appealing form of recognition. However, many high-performing staff members are motivated by the right combination of challenges and responsibility. Entrusting a performing team member to lead a new project can help them feel trusted and respected in the workplace. It also allows them to learn valuable new skills and experience, which they can use when applying for promotions.
Implementing an Effective Recognition Program
Employee recognition programs don’t have to be costly to be successful. However, you must still follow the right strategy to make recognition an intrinsic part of your company culture. Here are some quick tips for better recognition strategies.
- Democratise Recognition
Make it easy for everyone in your team to recognise their peers. Use software and online tools to simplify sharing kudos with colleagues, or run regular group meetings where you encourage everyone to vote for the most valuable employee of the week. The easier it is to share recognition in your workplace, the more ingrained it will become in your company culture.
- Prioritise Fairness
A fair approach to employee recognition doesn’t mean you have to give every engineering employee the same amount of praise. However, it would help if you considered every employee’s contribution equally. Make sure you have a plan for monitoring the performance and achievements of every staff member.
- Make Recognition Specific and Personal
While a simple “thank you” can go a long way, more specific, personalised recognition efforts often have more robust results. Letting your employees know precisely what you’re thinking of them will reinforce positive behaviour and show other team members what they need to do to access the same rewards.
- Adapt Recognition Efforts to Individual Preferences
Different employees have different preferences when it comes to receiving recognition. Some workers thrive on public praise, whereas others might appreciate a private “thank you” more. Additionally, the rewards that appeal to some engineering employees, like flexibility or development opportunities, might be less appealing to other team members. Be mindful and adaptable in your praise.
- Lead by Example
Train your business leaders on effective employee recognition strategies. They commit to sharing timely, prompt feedback with their staff. When leaders regularly show recognition to other employees, this helps to encourage others in management positions to follow in their footsteps.
- Measure the Results
Pay attention to the impact of your employee recognition strategy. Use software to track productivity, engagement, absenteeism, and retention rates and how these differ among employees who receive different levels of recognition. Use surveys to gather anonymous feedback for deeper insights into improving your strategy.
Master the Art of Employee Recognition
Showing your employees that you appreciate them has always been essential to boosting motivation levels in the engineering industry. However, in today’s skills-short landscape, it’s more important than ever to prioritise recognition if you want to retain and attract the best talent.
Fortunately, employee recognition strategies don’t have to be costly to implement. Use the budget-friendly strategies above to show your appreciation to your employees and boost productivity, engagement, and satisfaction in your engineering team.
All the best
Steve
At Coalesce we have been partnering with engineering businesses for over 28 years; if you would like our input into employee recognition, then give us a call on 07512 821708 or email us here.