Sometimes, the smallest gestures leave the biggest mark, and it doesn’t take much - a quick conversation, a few specific words.
 
And the impact can be surprising, as long as it’s genuine.
 
When it is, recognition becomes one of the most powerful tools for boosting morale and engagement in the workplace.

Since it's a core practice that is essential for fostering employee engagement and cultivating a positive workplace culture.
 
Just avoid the common mistake of creating meaningless, ritualistic programs.
 
Like Employee of the Month, where the outcome is predictable because it rotates among teams for 'fairness.'
 
The result of which is disengaged, demoralized employees, the exact opposite of the intended outcome.
 
Because recognition has got to be genuine, and employees know when it’s not.
 
And organizations are better off doing nothing at all than implementing these empty initiatives.
 
Of course, recognize employees, but do it authentically - not through a ritualistic, meaningless practice.

It’s simple to do, and it costs nothing, although later, if you want, you can consider a recognition system of some kind.

But, for now, you just need a few minutes:

• Tell them immediately after they’ve done something you want to recognize.
• Be specific - saying “good job” is not enough; explain exactly why you appreciate them.
• Talk about the difference they made.
  ​

Begin with one-on-one conversations, training your managers to focus on three key elements: immediacy, specificity and the difference the employee made.

Use Zoom to connect with remote employees and help alleviate potential feelings of isolation and disconnection.

If you later introduce public recognition, ensure everyone is comfortable and avoid empty gestures.

But, for now, start small, do it right and be consistent to see the difference it makes.

When a valued employee with critical skills resigns, it can be challenging for managers, but it's important not to panic or try to convince them to stay. 
​
Instead, use the opportunity to understand their reasons for leaving, as it may reveal underlying issues that can enhance employee engagement and strengthen workplace culture.

It’s also important to not ask them for an extended notice period.
 
Because notice periods aren’t designed to allow enough time to hire and train a replacement, as most roles require much longer for that.
 
Instead, the purpose is to give employees time to wrap up projects and transition their responsibilities to those who will handle them temporarily.
 
So, use the notice period wisely and gather as much information as possible about the job from the departing employee:

• If your organization practices cross-training, have the cross-trained employee work with the departing employee immediately.
• Attempt to find a temporary employee or contractor to fill the immediate gap.
• Or divide the most critical tasks between co-workers for the short term.

 
Focus on understanding the reasons behind their decision to leave to help uncover underlying issues in the organization.
 
This will provide valuable insights to improve employee engagement and strengthen your workplace culture.

We often hear about the importance of conducting exit interviews.
 
But why wait until people are leaving to learn what they think?
 
Instead, start holding stay interviews with your top talent.
 
Of course, if time allows, consider conducting both.

But if you have to choose, make stay interviews your priority.
 
And tackle two goals at once:
 

• Gain valuable insights about your organization and implement changes to retain your employees.
  
• Simply listening shows you value your employees, leading to significant returns.

 
You will engage your employees and cultivate a standout culture – a key differentiator in today's market.

Because two-way communication is crucial for fostering engaged employees, as is demonstrating genuine care.
 
Both of which this practice effectively achieves.

However, implement only if you intend to take meaningful action based on what you learn.
 
Otherwise, it is better to do nothing at all.
 
Since it is worse to solicit input and ignore it, than not to start at all.
 
But taking action will yield significant benefits.
 
Because if employees are disengaged and do not feel part of a positive culture, they are likely to leave.

Recognition is typically perceived as something only people leaders and CEOs should handle.
 
To some extent this is accurate, as acknowledgment from leadership carries significant weight and impact.
 
However, there's a crucial aspect of recognition that often gets overlooked:

• Peer acknowledgment and support, which can be just as impactful.
  
  

It is a powerful way to reward others, engage employees and shape the culture you want. 

Because people collaborate daily, often overcoming obstacles and challenges together.
 
And this shared experience deepens their understanding of each other’s work, making peer recognition especially meaningful.
 
Recognition software simplifies the design and management of employee recognition programs.
 
However, even if you’re not yet fully set-up, you can start implementing peer-to-peer recognition now:
 

• Decide on a very basic program structure, including what co-workers can be recognized for.
• Announce how the program will work.
• Send out a company-wide email blast.
• Include it as an agenda item in company meetings and allocate time for announcements.
• Create a channel in Slack for celebrating each other’s great work and ideas.
• Once underway, share the good news in your company newsletter.
• Share the winner’s headshot on your company’s social media account.

 
Then, introduce employee recognition software and design a strong peer-to-peer program.
 
Because, ultimately, a recognition program including both leadership and peer acknowledgment is key to engaging employees and fostering a thriving culture.

​When an employee resigns, depending on the position, it could cause some panic.
 
And some immediate questions such as how the work will get done, and how quickly a replacement can be hired to fill the gap.
 
This is completely understandable.
 
But, instead of reacting impulsively and assuming a like-for-like replacement is needed, take a moment.
 
And consider whether the job requirements have evolved since it was last advertised.
 
This doesn’t imply delaying the recruitment process.
 
It simply involves conducting a quick job analysis before proceeding further.
 
By asking a few questions:
 

• Is the role really required?
• What do co-workers think is needed?
• Is the right person already working for you?

 
This last point is vital.

Because career development opportunities are critical to employee engagement.
 
So, whenever there's an open position, actively encourage current employees to apply.
 
Of course, inviting external candidates to apply is also acceptable.
 
Just don’t assume that looking outside is always the best option.
 
Instead, cultivate an internal reputation for prioritizing internal promotions.

And watch employees thrive and become more engaged.
 
Not to mention, for employers, relying on trusted internal candidates is preferable to depending solely on external hires.

Would you trust an untrained pilot with your flight?
 
Or an untrained surgeon with your operation?
 
I certainly wouldn't!

Why, then, do companies routinely promote employees without providing adequate people leader training?

This inexplicable gap in thinking has costly repercussions across various facets of the organization.
​
Including employee engagement and culture.

Because engaging employees and fostering an amazing culture should be a critical component of any robust business strategy.

Which necessitates ensuring that people leaders are equipped with the necessary skills.
 
And which means ongoing development in management and coaching skills, plus engagement techniques.
 
Similar to the continuous learning required of surgeons and pilots.

Because similar to the ineffectiveness of no training at all, providing a "one-and-done" program also falls short.
 
And the costs of disengaged employees are enormous:
 

• Low employee engagement costs companies $450-$500 Billion each year. (Gallup)
• In the past 5 years, toxic workplace cultures have caused 20% of U.S. employees to leave, costing over $223 billion in turnover. (SHRM)
• 69% of candidates will reject a job offer if they find out that a company’s workers are generally unhappy. (Hibob)

 
It is one thing if a manager fails having received adequate preparation for the role.
 
Quite another if they were thrown in at the deep end, with no training provided, and expected to swim.
 
Yet the repercussions of that decision will be seen in the costs associated with disengaged employees.
 
Plus, managers, who will feel they have failed, through no fault of their own.
 
In short, the impact of unprepared people leaders on organizational health and success should not be underestimated.

Have you ever been promised one thing only to receive something completely different?
 
It’s not a nice feeling, and it fosters distrust towards the person who gave you their word.
 
Yet, candidates frequently find themselves hired for roles that turn out to be vastly different from what they were led to expect.
 
Why do companies do this?
 
Perhaps it's a result of pressure to fill positions quickly, leading to compromises in transparency and honesty during the hiring process.
 
Clearly, the new hire will swiftly discern discrepancies between expectations and reality.
 
And since employees are simply not prepared to put up with things they may have in the past, they will leave.

Because being deceived breeds distrust, eroding vital aspects of employee engagement.
 
Leading to a toxic culture.
 
And compelling the organization to restart the hiring process from scratch.
 
Ultimately, they harm themselves by failing to be honest in their job postings and interviews.
 
Instead, engage employees and build a great culture, and scrupulously practice “truth in advertising”.
 
Resulting in people who stay longer, and top-notch candidates being attracted to your organization.
 

In the intricate dance of workplace dynamics, a deep irony exists.
 
Where top performers often leave due to inaction around addressing the underperformance of others.
 
So, the very people contributing positively to the workplace are the ones compelled to leave, while the poor performers stay, often indefinitely.
 
Spreading their discontent, and creating an ongoing detrimental cycle, where employee engagement and overall culture are eroded.

Because disengagement is contagious.
 
And it proliferates insidiously, affecting the morale, productivity, and engagement levels of everyone around them.
 
Tackling performance issues is, therefore, essential for fostering a thriving workplace:

• Where the right talent is retained, and everyone contributes to a positive and vibrant organizational culture
• Where employees eagerly anticipate coming to work, and
• Where leaders can take pride in the remarkable work environment that has been cultivated.

 
In short, addressing underperformance not only safeguards the integrity of the workplace and its culture, but also ensures its continued success.

Job hunting is undeniably a multifaceted endeavor.
 
With candidates optimizing their online presence, scouring job boards, networking, updating resumes and submitting applications.
 
Plus, delving into research about the companies in which they're interested, at some point in the process.

Because job seekers rely heavily on company reviews, when deciding where to apply.
 
In fact, according to a recent survey:
 

• 83% base their application decisions on company reviews.
• 46% weigh a company's reputation heavily before accepting an offer.
• 69% would reject an offer if employees are generally unhappy.

 
Yet many organizations fail to monitor their Glassdoor reviews, which play such a pivotal role in shaping public perception.
 
Yes, there are potential issues, such as biased feedback from individuals who may have had negative experiences.

However, organizations cannot afford to disregard them, particularly if they are not predominantly positive.
 
But they should not make the mistake of asking current employees to leave positive feedback.

Because no matter how it's presented, employees will inevitably feel coerced.
 
And as soon as they leave your organization, they will post the truth, further damaging your reputation.
 
Instead, organization must organically improve their reviews, by engaging their employees and fostering a positive culture, which includes:
 

• Offering learning opportunities.
• Providing continuous feedback.
• Recognizing employee contributions.
• Ensuring the right person is in every seat.

 
In other words, the fundamental practices that genuinely engage employees.
 
So that people are excited and proud to write about what a great organization they work at.
 
There’s no other way to affect lasting change, other than organically like this.

The unfortunate reality is that layoffs have recently begun to resurface in the headlines.
 
Obviously a disruptive and emotionally challenging experience for those affected.
 
With a substantial impact in terms of financial stability, confidence and even a person’s sense of identity.

Made even worse when not sensiteely handled.
 
However, the impact is not solely confined to the affected employees.
 
Because layoffs can also have a detrimental effect on the morale of the remaining employees.
 
And influence the reputation and culture of the organization.
 
Regardless of the level of employee engagement or commitment, or the strength of the organizational culture.

And from which recovery could take years.
 
Yet, when faced with challenges, organizations have viable alternatives that don’t necessitate turning to layoffs:
 

• Reduced work hours or voluntary furloughs.
• Hiring bans.
• Salary freezes, and reduced bonus payouts for a few quarters.
• Scaling back on other expenses such as business travel or real estate holdings.
• Offering voluntary layoff packages.

 
None of which are ideal, but which are preferable to being laid-off, particularly when communicated sensitively and effectively.
 
And which provide benefits such as preserving morale and motivation, as well as retaining valuable knowledge and skills within the organization.
 
Not to mention enhancing the organization's reputation as a responsible and ethical employer.