Do You Have Employee Mercenaries or Patriots?

I believe there are two types of employees... those who I categorize as "mercenaries" and those who I call "patriots."

Which do you have?

Because the choice is entirely up to you... if you or your senior management think all your employees care about is cold hard cash you most likely will have a lot of mercenaries.

The problem with these folks is they have a bad habit of quitting the company if someone offers them more money.

Perhaps even worse, is when employee mercenaries stay with your company but disengage when they feel you don't pay them enough!

Great companies hire employee patriots who realize that employees want much more than cash. They want the opportunity to do exciting work, to feel part of a team, to develop and advance and to be recognized for who they are and what they do each and every day.

Employee patriots aren't just there for the money and they are truly committed.

What Makes A Recognition Expert?

All too often I have attended industry conferences and seen many so called "recognition and reward experts."

Scratch a bit deeper and the veneer comes off! I don't mean to demean, but there are a lot of people out there who are "reward" experts but they sure aren't "recognition" experts.
Recognition and rewards are very different things.

Rewards are material things. Cold hard cash, merchandise, gift cards are all examples of rewards. They are easily understood because they cost a certain amount and are distributed a certain way. There are a lot of reward experts.

Recognition on the other hand, is a feeling, an emotion. It is not easily quantified... ever try measuring how deeply you love your wife? In many cases it is not easily distributed or given.
So how do you determine whether you are speaking to a recognition or reward expert? It’s relatively simple.

• Ask what trade organizations the person belongs to.
• Are these organizations focused on products or on the art and science of recognition?
• Do they have a professional certification? For instance, have they taken Recognition Professionals International "Certified Recognition Professional" (CRP) course?
• When they speak to you, is it about product and delivery or about emotions?

Remember, just because you give someone a gold watch, doesn't mean you have recognized them!

The Most Powerful Recognition Tool in the World

In World at Work’s Trends in Employee Recognition 2008 survey, it was found that nearly 90% companies in North America have recognition programs. Yet, according to research by Gallup, only 35% of people surveyed said they received recognition for good work in the last year. Why is there such a huge gap?

I believe most companies place far too much emphasis on “rewards” and far too little “real recognition.”

I live in Montreal, a wonderful multi-cultural and multi-lingual city (great food too!). Our local newspaper, The Gazette, is currently running an ad campaign to boost circulation and readership. Their full page ads feature lots of white space and the simple slogan “Words Matter.”

I couldn’t agree more… especially in the recognition business.

Words are the most powerful recognition tool in the world. If spoken from the heart, they can inspire us, lift us up and take us to a higher place.

In my opinion, it's not about “what” you give... it's about “how” you give it! And words play a huge role in the “how”!

Cash is Not King!!!

Today's post is for those managers who think cash is the most powerful motivational tool available.

I do agree that cash compensation is important. It forms the foundation in Maslow's hierarchy of needs pyramid.

However, I think it is significant to note that cash sits at the "base" of the pyramid. It is certainly not king of the pyramid!

Cash alone will never take you to the top of Maslow's pyramid. And that's where you want your employees to be... at the top!

Happy! Satisfied! Engaged! Productive!

So how do you get employees to the top?

I believe managers need to "pull" employees up the pyramid! They need to "lend a hand" and they can do this by practicing "Real Recognition" techniques.

Real Recognition is a concept invented by my friend and colleague Roy Saunderson who is the Founder and President of the Recognition Management Institute. Real Recognition is simple enough, all you have to do is remember to actually practice it. For example, he’s blogged about the steps you should take to recognize employees who work from home. “Even a simple question asked in a P.S. tag line in an email can keep you in touch,” says Roy. This of course does not cost anything, and is a lot more meaningful than a check.

Real recognition, while not the only factor, can help managers pull employees up Maslow's pyramid and take them to a higher place.

The Platinum Rule of Recognition

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the "Golden Rule of Recognition" meaning you treat your employees exactly as you would like them to treat you and your company.

Today, I'd like to talk about the "Platinum Rule of Recognition."

But first, let's examine the relationship between your company, your employees and your brand.

While your company may promise a great brand experience it is actually your employees who deliver it. Employees are your company's "promise keepers."

I'm sure all of us have had our own personal experience with employees who have made a difference... both good and bad! The type of employees who have made us vow "never again" and those who have made us come back to purchase time and time again.

More and more research shows there is a clear link between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. (If you want to read some great articles on this and other relevant topics go to the Forum for People Performance Measurement and Management's website at www.PerformanceForum.org.)

It is no coincidence that some of the most profitable companies in America are also the best companies to work for.

And this is where the Platinum Rule of Recognition comes into play... make sure you treat your employees just like you want them to treat your company's customers!

The Golden Rule of Recognition

"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms, greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind."
- Gordon Gekko from the movie Wall Street

Who can forget Michael Douglas’ lines from Oliver Stone’s classic movie Wall Street?

Although the characters were fictional, the times they portrayed were real. Consolidation and mergers were the rage. Those were the days of “right-sizing,” “down-sizing” all code words for “you’re losing your job!”

Isn’t it ironic that today’s managers bemoan the lack of loyalty from their workers? Is it any wonder? We have taught employee’s not to expect any loyalty from the corporation. So why should they be loyal to the corporation.

It is called the ethic of reciprocity. Don’t expect loyalty if you don’t give loyalty. Likewise, don’t expect commitment if you don’t give commitment.

At Rideau, we call this the “Golden Rule of Recognition”… treat employees like you would like them to treat the company. You’ll be amazed how far a little loyalty goes in improving your retention rates.

Practice the “Golden Rule of Recognition” because loyalty is a two way street!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name!

Who can name where today’s topic came from?

Here are a few hints...

- It was a famous tune
- It came from a hit TV show
- Norm, Carla, Diane and Sam
- It described a place
- A bar to be specific

Of course it came from the long running TV show "Cheers."

Company managers should catch up on Cheers reruns because the show’s basic premise provides a simple but powerful lesson in employer engagement.

In my last post I stated my belief that “employer” engagement is the prerequisite for “employee” engagement. In other words, don’t expect employees to be engaged if your managers aren’t engaging them.

This seems pretty basic, but as common courtesy goes, this is the first step to actually feeling like a valued part of anything.

For example, when you enter a restaurant and the maître d’ greets you with a, “Heeey Norm!” You feel like you’re a part of something: you feel respected and appreciated.

However, what if the maître d’ can’t remember your name? Even though you eat lunch there five times a week and have put the owner’s four children through college. What if all you get is an awkward look? But you know he remembers you, he knows who you are. You realize he may be just having an off day, maybe his hamster fell off the wheel temporarily. Nevertheless, you can’t help think he just couldn’t be bothered to retain your name.

It’s a situation neither of you want to be in and nobody feels good about.

So what can “Cheers” reruns teach us? That it’s important to have a company culture “Where everyone knows your name!”

Knowing and using someone’s first name is an important step to “real recognition.”

Recognition starts with a name!