Recognition, Employee Wellness and Supporting People at Work

I recently shared my latest podcast conversation in which I talked with Robert Ordever Chartered FCIPD and Stuart Cheesman from O.C. Tanner about their latest Global Culture Report.

I had been lucky enough to be in Park City for their annual Influence Greatness conference last September and was keen to dig deeper into some of the findings. Researching into the role recognition plays in our daily working lives is fascinating, and an often overlooked part of the employee experience.

Rather than summarise the full conversation - I want you to listen to it! - I'm sharing some of what I see to be the key takeaways...

Employee Wellness and Thriving at Work

Surviving vs. Thriving: A small but significant proportion of the employees covered in the research classified themselves as merely surviving at work (31%), and they specifically highlighted issues like financial insecurity, poor work-life balance, and the feeling of a lack of autonomy.

Support Systems: 81% of employees said that they look for some form of mental wellness support from their employers, indicating its critical role in showing what type of organisation you are to work for and highlighting mental wellness support as a key driver in employee satisfaction and retention.

Recognition and Mental Health

Recognition as a Wellbeing Strategy: The research found that recognition can significantly reduce burnout (57%), anxiety (24%), and perceptions of depression (28%). It can also enhances employees’ sense of belonging and uplifts engagement.

Appreciation Matters: Recognition and appreciation are intertwined but importantly there is a distinction for our people - recognition acknowledges achievements, while appreciation validates efforts, particularly in challenging times.

Proactive Investment in Wellbeing: Organisations need to start focusing on preventative measures like recognition to help reduce the long-term financial and emotional costs of poor mental health.

The Role of Total Rewards

Holistic Rewards: Total rewards need to evolve beyond transactional benefits to demonstrate both care and stability, especially during times of external instability.

Cultural Manifestation of Care: Benefits need to reflect an organisation's culture of care, and not just seen as retention tools.

AI and Recognition

AI as a Support Tool: AI can be used to amplify recognition by

• Acting as a coach to improve the quality of recognition messages
• Identifying any unconscious biases and providing suggestions to enhance authenticity
• Using machine learning to analyse employee engagement, retention risks, and connections

Limitations of AI: Recognition should always be authentic and human centered, however care must be taken not to over-automate recognition as it risks eroding the emotional and relational value of recognition.

Future Workplace Dynamics

Adapting to Change: AI will drive change to many roles, so careful organisational restructuring, up-skilling and res-killing will be crucial for employee development, engagement and retention

Leadership Role: Leaders must focus on emotional intelligence and meaningful recognition to navigate transitions and support employees effectively.

Generational Perspectives

Authenticity is Key: This is especially true for the Gen Z workforce who can easily spot inauthentic messaging and will find it unacceptable. This serves to emphasise the need for genuine, emotionally intelligent communication and recognition practices.

(I shall be writing more about the Gen Z perspective on recognition in my next newsletter!)

Hope you enjoy the conversation...

You can listen to the full podcast through HR Happy Hour or by clicking the image below: