The tragic death of 26-year-old CA Anna Sebastian Perayil became a wake-up call for professionals and companies, sparking a round of online discussions with people sharing their stressful work experiences. Her mother alleged that work stress and long working hours led to her death.
A research report published by Gallup and Workhuman showed that high-quality recognition is the key to retaining employees and making them feel valued.
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Recognition is important
The report found that employees who receive meaningful recognition are less likely to leave the organization. And employees who receive good recognition are 45% less likely to leave after two years. Retaining employees by valuing them is also beneficial to the organization. This eliminates the additional cost of replacing employees and filling role voids. Lack of employee continuity hampers company culture. When employees feel recognized, they feel more connected to the organization. This organic connection is the basis of an organization’s culture. People who are connected form a bond and stay in the organization longer.
Also read: Former EY employee shares workplace horror stories: ‘Asked to work 18 hours a day, got calls at midnight’
Difference between belief and implementation
According to the report, senior leaders believe in the importance of recognition. In fact, in 2024, senior leaders are 50% more likely to agree about the positive correlation between employee retention and recognition compared to 2022. However, this belief has not changed in their everyday interactions with subordinates. Recognition should not be just lip service. Even in 2024, only 22% of people agree that they receive enough recognition for their work. To reduce this gap, senior leaders should also focus on the delivery of recognition, by making it high-quality, meaningful, and consistent.
The 5 pillars of recognition
The report identifies 5 pillars that strengthen the power of recognition, making it more effective. To maximize the impact and build a positive relationship with employees, recognition needs to adopt 5 key strategies.
1. Meeting the recognition expectations of employees: Recognition should be in line with the expectations of the employee so that it feels impressive. The amount should be proportionate to the accomplishment of goals. When employees feel underappreciated due to poor recognition they feel dissatisfied with work. Or too much praise distorts their perception of their work results and recognition. Maintaining the proportion of recognition with work makes employees feel understood and valued.
2. Authentic: Genuine and honest recognitions are more likely to be accepted and appreciated. The sincerity of honest acknowledgement helps build trust. Recognition should not be treated as an obligation. This makes it meaningless for employees.
3. Personal: Recognition should be tailored to individual performance. General recognition lacks the warmth of true and personal recognition. Personal recognition helps employees feel that they stand out and develop a deeper understanding of their leaders.
4. Justifiable: Recognition should be fair, removing bias. This creates a sense of inclusiveness. By playing ‘favourites’ with recognition, employees feel left out and isolated. It shows that everyone has the opportunity to feel valued and appreciated, regardless of their background.
5. Embedded in the culture of the organisation: Recognition should be an essential element of the culture. A culture of positive recognition creates a holistic and motivating work environment. The daily integration of recognition into the company culture ensures that positive recognition is not tied to hierarchy, and every employee can feel valued.
Validation with Feedback
Recognition should be dynamic, and work in tandem with meaningful feedback to help employees improve themselves. Feedback brings clarity to the results of their work, and is the practical side of recognition. While recognition strengthens emotional attachment, feedback is critical to work performance. According to the report, employees who receive feedback are 57% less likely to experience work burnout, while being 48% less likely to look for another job.
Also read: EY India boss on employee Anna Sebastian Perayil’s death: ‘I don’t think work pressure killed her’
