Celebrating Employee Success and Improving Engagement and Retention

Engaged and motivated workers are key to any Canadian company’s success. Prioritizing employee recognition and celebrating the achievements of in-office and hybrid employees can boost morale and create a positive culture, which can increase job satisfaction and retention in the long-term.

It’s especially important to recognize the efforts of administrative and customer support professionals, whose evolving and complex skills will be needed for many of the strategic priorities managers have slated for the year.

Specifically, Administrative and Customer Support leaders told us where they are investing their time and focus in 2024:

Employee training and development (24%)

Operational efficiency (23%)

Workforce management (20%)

Learn more about the demand for skilled talent here

Highlighting your organization’s employee appreciation activities could set your organization apart in the talent race, since fewer hiring managers in the administrative and customer service space plan to increase recognition efforts for the rest of the year — 33% compared to 66% in Q4 of 2023.

With Customer Service Week 2024 on the horizon, and with so many important business functions to consider, it makes sense to appreciate and reward customer support colleagues, who possess evolving, multidisciplinary competencies that make them indispensable in today’s workplace.

Here are 5 ways to show your gratitude:

1. Celebrate important milestones. Get together, whether in person or virtually, to recognize achievements. If office festivities include food, arrange for treats to be delivered to remote colleagues. 

2. Publicize wins. Acknowledge employees’ contributions in a certificate or an email and copy key executives. Feature top performers in the company newsletter for more exposure.

3. Give the gift of time. Consult with your HR and legal departments for this one, and if approved, encourage team members to log off early after completing a big project and offer additional time off or extra vacation days for jobs well done.

4. Provide new opportunities. Invite employees to mentor others and introduce new leaders to management. Interview and promote from within and encourage team members to pursue growth opportunities in the company.

5. Offer a monetary reward. Award a one-time bonus or financial incentive to individuals or teams who meet specific goals or metrics.

More tips for improving your Employee Recognition Programs

The administrative and customer service hiring managers surveyed by Robert Half Canada shared the following strategies they currently use or plan to implement between now and the end of 2025:

Increasing compensation (43%)

Expanding/enhancing professional development offerings (40%)

Offering retention bonuses (35%)

Accelerating promotions or job title changes (34%)

Increasing recognition efforts (33%)

Letting employees work flexible hours (30%)

Allowing employees to work a hybrid schedule (30%)

Alleviating workloads by hiring contract professionals (28%)

Acknowledging your hardworking team using any of the tactics above will go far in showing employee recognition – no matter how big or small the gesture. Even if you’re working with a limited budget, you can celebrate employee success in ways that will have a lasting impact. An effective employee recognition program is a win-win for both the worker and employer.

Want more? Get time-tested management tips for increasing productivity and morale so your workers feel valued and want to stay with your company. Visit Robert Half Canada Management tips.

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