To Praise (or not to) Thyself

This is a controversial one or has the potential to rattle a few egos and facades. But, it's a genuine problem. Something all of us have struggled with at work. And, some still do.

Self-praise for recognition.

Self-praise to showcase going over and above the call of duty. Self-praise to tell your colleagues and bosses that you did something you couldn't think of achieving before and yet you did. Self-praise for a glass ceiling you dented, cracked or shattered. Self-praise for having the foresight to preempt a work disaster and averting it! Self-praise for setting high standards every time and living up to them. Self-praise for treating work as a 'personal responsibility' (not collective) that deserves high quality and caliber (And this is a big one coz we work in a world of bare minimum efforts). Self-praise for logging in at 7 am. Self-praise for being the one your team/client/organization can lean on.

In a parallel universe, perhaps all of us are capable of demanding recognition for going beyond. But, in this real world we inhabit, we have modest souls, introverts, and those struggling with self-worth issues who much rather not brag. Do they not crave recognition then?

In my experience, regardless of industry, everyone desires to be recognized for the work they are doing. And, I believe everyone does that 'one thing' really well. That one thing only they can do really well. And, they deeply desire to be appreciated and celebrated for it.

But, are the right people listening and noticing? Is HR or Internal Comms clued into the effort that gets put in by each team member? What does each member bring to the table? What would the table miss if the member wasn't there? I believe this awareness is even more critical in a work-from-home setup where opportunities to showcase exemplary work ethic and commitment are somewhat limited. And, often shrunk further by the ones who are more vocal about their work efforts.

While I recognize that HR/Internal Comms teams are often strapped for time as much as any other functional head, employee engagement begins with being aware of who the employees are and how they work. Engaged employees come in all attitudes and personality styles.

Are the quiet ones, the humble ones being side-lined or overshadowed by the self-glorifiers?

Opportunities to Brag a Little - Quietly

So then, what happens to those employees who prefer to let their work speak for themselves. Who prefer to let the efforts show through metrics, impact, and other measures. Who prefer delivering quality and meeting timelines over sleep deprivation, and don't brag about it!

Their engagement at work drops! If opportunities to humbly showcase their work aren't made available, simply put, these silent workers are soon going to begin feeling over-worked, overwhelmed, and overshadowed. And, they won't even know why! It is especially hard for some teammates when a few outspoken colleagues (and worse - self-glorifiers) hog the limelight. I have seen team resentments take form and brew storms none of us want. The result is often attrition, ego clashes, or worse shoddy work quality.

Often employee engagement strategies are created equal. So, how can the same strategies, and platforms work effectively when your employees neither have similar personalities nor qualities? They won't.

Customize That Engagement

The solution may lie in crafting customized engagement strategies based on the personality makeup of your employee group. This is the only way to encourage the quiet ones to modestly showcase their work, and let the loud ones have their limelight without overshadowing the silent ones.

Good place to start would be to offer unique opportunities that allow for awkward self-praisers to openly share how good a job they did! Accomplishment check-ins/surveys and celebrating those (with permission) online and/or with the rest of the team. Internal newsletters offer a great way where some of these silent hard workers can truly shine by telling a story of how they went about saving the day! Trust me, you need only ask - but the right way!

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Good Reads for HR/Internal Comms Folks to help with Customised Employee Engagement

• Why you need to customise your employee experience
• The Quiet Ones