At the recent WorldatWork 2018 Total Rewards Conference in Dallas, Texas, more than 100 attendees took our Work-Life Balance quiz, and the results are in. The 18 questions were designed to determine how employees in the HR space generally feel about balancing their responsibilities both inside and outside the office, identify behaviors and perspectives that correlate with workplace happiness or dissatisfaction and determine the role recognition plays in this process. Here are some of the results, and what they mean for workplace cultures in 2018:
• 64% greet their colleagues when they first arrive at their office vs. checking their email firstWhat this means: Making contact with your fellow employees matters. Whether this contact happens virtually or in person, checking in with your colleagues at the start of the day is one of the simplest and often overlooked ways to create a culture of connectedness and caring.
• 86% say they feel appreciated by their manager
• 94% say they feel appreciated by their peers
• 100% of those who felt appreciated by their peers and their managers had positive work-life balance results
What this means: The power of peer-to-peer recognition is undeniable. We know that peer-based programs help individuals feel more connected to their company and to their coworkers. Peer-to-peer awards leverage an employee’s sense for autonomy and bonding by giving individuals the power to recognize others across the organization.
Organizations that have successfully designed Peer-to-Peer programs have seen participation rates as high as 80% in the first few months of the program. By creating this type of enthusiasm, organizations engage a large percentage of people in recognition and reinforce the core values they are promoting.
• 81% of respondents say that having a formal mentorship program in their organization is important to them
• 100% of managers consider themselves mentors to their employees
• 64% of employees consider their managers to be their mentors
What this means: There’s no generation that craves mentorship more than millennials, which is why recognition-rich organizations are making formal mentoring programs a key part of their retention plans. Mentorship is one of the most effective strategies to attract and retain millennials, who already bring an arsenal of current skills and technologies, social media tools and market savvy to the table. Add sharing knowledge and coaching to the mix, and you’ve established a culture where this generation’s ambitions and desire for career development are being nurtured, while building meaningful relationships among employees and with the company at large. Social recognition, specifically manager-discretionary programs, plays a crucial role in making managers mentors by teaching them to identify recognition worthy behaviors, recognize timely and with context, and guide employees on a path of success, growth and achievement.