Sometimes an article comes along that isn’t new but sheds a spotlight on an issue that it stops us in our tracks. That was this article, which reminds us of information from the book, 1,001 Ways to Engage Employees. It’s.On.My.Bookshelf. for goodness sake! And yet, I’m probably in good company in neglecting employee recognition in the wake of COVID-stress and the new age of widespread remote work. The author states that the pandemic has made it harder to recognize remote employees because we don’t see them and aren’t reminded about what they’ve accomplished. Out of sight, out of mind. Seriously, how sad is that?
We’re reminded that the basic human need of being validated hasn’t changed. In fact, our workers may be more hungry for validation because they feel lonely, working on their own, and to a great extent, they’re alienated and in a vacuum. What we took for granted in a brick-and-mortar environment, when we stopped by to give a quick pat on the back or a short convo, voicing appreciation for a worker’s contribution, is something that needs to be planned in today’s revamped “workplace.”
The author reminded us that HR has to be intentional about recognizing remote workers and as talented as many managers are, let’s not assume they know what to do in this regard. In fact, a 2019 survey revealed that 19% of the responding employers had no employee recognition policy – and that was before COVID!
Let’s end 2020 on a different note: calling to mind and applauding the resilience of our workers; praising their dogged determination to stay productive and engaged despite all the turmoil, fear (there. I said it) and change this year; and stoking the hope that springs eternal that we’ll inch back to the old normal which, in retrospect, maybe wasn’t so bad after all. And let’s resolve to do better at this in 2021 – pandemic or not – especially since remote work, in some form or fashion, is here to stay.