We're mad as hell, and not going to take this anymore!

60% of workers plan to say "take this job and shove it" as soon as the economy picks up.

According to a recently released White Paper by the Recognition Council, a recent U.S. Manpower study showed that 60% of workers plan to look for new jobs as soon as the economy picks up.¹

http://www.recognitioncouncil.org/

As Newsweek's Jeffrey Pfeffer points out in a recent article about corporate downsizing, "When the current recession ends, the first thing lots of employees are going to do is look for another job." (Lay Off the Layoffs, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Newsweek, Feb. 5, 2010, downloaded Feb. 17, 2010.)

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-218456702.html

Feeling lucky that you have a job is no longer enough for many employees. Overworked and under-rewarded for a few years now, they're fed up and are looking for more stability, opportunity and appreciation.

As an employer, how do you prevent your best people from packing up as the economy picks up?

Proving to them that they're individually appreciated may be the only way to engage them and keep them from heading for the exits.

1. Forget one-size-fits-all recognition programs.

Not everyone responds the same way to incentives, especially with today's multigenerational workforce that includes Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y (Millennial Generation). More than ever, creating recognition and reward programs that address the diversity of generational needs is essential.

2. To know them is to motivate them.

There's only one way to determine how best to motivate individuals. You have to get to know them. Managers should spend time on a regular basis with each employee to determine what type of recognition would be the most effective.

3. Recognize what everyone brings to the team.

Studies prove employees need to feel valued and know that the work they do on a daily basis matters. In fact, 67% say the most important employer attribute is "recognizes the value I bring to the organization." (Length-of-Service Awards Becoming More Personal, Rebecca Hastings, SPHR, 2009 HR Trendbook, p. 46.) www.recognitioncouncil.org/photos/custom/FuelingRecovery__final_2.pdf

Employees who feel valued are more likely to return the favor by paying attention to the company's bottom line, treating customers better, and supporting the overall work community.

4. Put their best interests before yours.

Let's face it, we prefer to do things that are in our own best interest. The trick for employers is to find ways to connect what employees want with what benefits the company and reward that behaviour in a way that is meaningful to the employee. If it works for them, they'll work harder to help achieve your company's business goals. (Influencing and Reinforcing the Behavior You Want in Employees and Customers, Dittman Incentive Marketing, downloaded Feb. 11, 2010.)http://www.buzzle.com/articles/influencing-and-reinforcing-the-behavior-you-want-in-employees-and-customers.html

5. Explore new technology to motivate today's changing workforce.

Exciting new alternatives for employee engagement are now available in the market. On-Demand solutions that use a "Software as a Service" (SaaS) design, such as Power2Motivate® (P2M®), are reshaping employee recognition and performance programs.

P2M® offers incredible flexibility to tailor programs to the way you want to meet individual needs, unsurpassed reward selection with immediate access to millions of rewards, and a simple pricing model that can save your company up to 20% off your total program cost. >>Find out more about Power2Motivate®.

The recession has been a grueling and challenging time for so many, to say the least. As the economy improves and new opportunities present themselves to workers, employers need to ensure their good employees are engaged and willing to put in the effort to help the business recover. By successfully tapping into the right employee motivators, companies have a real chance of achieving success.

¹  "Pump Up Employee Engagement: Fuel Prosperity with Strategic Recognition".

This white paper was produced by the Recognition Council, a strategic industry group within the Incentive Marketing Association (http://www.incentivemarketing.org). More information about the Recognition Council is available at http://www.recognitioncouncil.org/. http://www.recognitioncouncil.org/