Employee recognition is an important – and necessary - attribute of today’s workplace. Savvy executives know how employee appreciation can differentiate an organization from its competitors and have a profound effect on loyalty, performance and profitability.  But, the U.S. workforce is currently experiencing a generation shift where traditional recognition and reward programs, such as Years of Service awards are not intriguing enough to retain and motivate top talent.  

According to 2010 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the average tenure among Baby Boomers at the same employer was 10 years or three times greater than the Millennials generation (ages 25 to 34) who’s retention was three years on average. If this trend continues, most members of Gen-Y (also referred to as Millennials) will never see a 10 year work anniversary and therefore are unlikely to be motivated to put in the discretionary work to attain that goal, greatly reducing the effectiveness of a Years of Service program.

The interchange between retiring Baby Boomers and Gen Y’ers in the workplace has created a ripple in organizational dynamics. Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds and each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons. Understanding what makes the members of different generations tick is instrumental in developing the most appropriate and effective motivational practices.

Innovative employers have revamped their ‘one-size-fits-all’ award programs and have converted to developing flexible and personalized recognition and reward programs, and in the process set clear and attainable goals for employees.

“A key to success is to invest in the design of a program, by defining the program goals, gathering input from employees as to what motivates them, and involving them in the process.  Every individual is unique and so is every company – with fact-based and collaborative program design, the effectiveness and outcomes of a program are greatly improved,” comments Heidi Hastings-Brien, Senior Director of Marketing at Sodexo Motivation Solutions.   The most effective recognition and reward strategies are those that are developed collaboratively with the individuals involved, given support and assistance throughout the design process, and understood as important and achievable.

Sodexo Motivation Solutions offers organizations a range of Incentives and Recognition solutions that help clients to design their motivation strategy, develop tailored management tools and manage their programs. The programs are specifically designed to reinforce organizational goals and develop an engrained culture of “daily” through increased engagement, performance, retention and loyalty.  Programs include: Spot or Daily Recognition programs, Above and Beyond, Employee of the Month/Quarter/Year, Years of Service Programs, Safety Incentive Programs, Performance Programs, Sales Incentive Programs, Channel Incentive Programs, Customer Service and Loyalty Programs. Learn More>