Plug Into the Power of Recognition
August 30, 2024Comments
In its rawest, most original form, “recognition” means to acknowledge the existence or validity of someone or something. Recognition signifies importance. Babies recognize their mothers by two months, usually as the significant persons who fulfill their needs.
It’s no secret that in today’s search for a hard-working, skilled workforce, manufacturing leaders seek successful strategies to attract and retain top performers, from offering new perks and better wages to flexible schedules.
“But in their search for new ideas and approaches, organizations could be overlooking one of the most easily executed strategies: employee recognition,” offers Gallup, which it calls “low cost; high impact.”
Workplace recognition provides a sense of accomplishment. It assures employees that their work and efforts matter. The acknowledgment makes them feel valued and supported—then motivated to continue their efforts and remain engaged.
Missed Opportunity
According to Gallup’s analysis, only one in three U.S. workers say that they have received recognition or praise for doing good work in the past week. Many employees believe that their best efforts are routinely ignored. According to the analyst company, those personnel are twice as likely to say that they’ll quit in the next year. Conversely, employees who feel that their efforts have been recognized are more loyal to the company, leading to higher retention.
The benefits to employers are numerous. According to Awardco, employee recognition leads to 81% lower absenteeism, lower turnover, a significant increase in productivity and decrease in defects—and a 23% increase in profitability. The attention to good work reinforces a manufacturing company’s goals by showing other employees what it values and rewards.
Public Recognition is No. 1
When asked what types of recognition were the most memorable, respondents emphasized that what they value most is public recognition, Gallup reports.
The Precision Metalforming Association and Women in Manufacturing Association offer a means for metal formers and fabricators to publicly recognize and honor exemplary female manufacturing personnel with the 2024 Women of Excellence in Metal Forming and Fabricating awards program.
The awards honor female achievers from the shop floor to the top floor, from manufacturers, suppliers to the industry and educational institutions. The honorees are revealed and highlighted in a special section of the December issue of MetalForming magazine.