Now more than ever, employer recognition programs can offer a much-needed morale boost for companies that listen to their employees, a longtime business columnist for The Dallas Morning News says.
Show your frontline employees you care
“You need to tap into the true feelings of your workplace families, especially the ones that have been dispersed in ways none of us could have imagined just two months ago,” Cheryl Hall wrote for the newspaper in April, as safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic continued.
“Your people are fearful of sickness, the welfare of their families, losing their jobs, recession, and that the ‘new normal’ really will become the norm. Anxiety and remoteness abound. They’re worried about you and your company, too. You need to show people on the front lines that you care.”
Employee connection is key, especially in times of change
Participating in an employer recognition program such as Top Workplaces is one way to do that. The program starts with capturing feedback from those who know your organization best: your employees. The 24-item employee engagement survey gives your people the opportunity to voice what matters most about your culture. It also provides leaders with valuable insights into what’s really happening on the frontlines.
“In times of great change, it is more important than ever to maintain a connection among employees,” said Energage CEO Eric Rubino. “When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges. Top Workplaces can be that positive outcome your company can rally around in the coming months to celebrate leadership and the importance of maintaining an employee-focused culture, even during challenging times.”
Employer recognition program participation continues to be strong
The Dallas News organization has run the Top 100 employer recognition program in partnership with Energage for more than a decade. Energage partners with more than 50 media outlets nationwide on workplace recognition, including the Top Workplaces program. In 2019 alone, they surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 7,000 companies across the United States.
Most years, the Dallas/Fort Worth program draws more than 300 companies in participation. Midway through the recruiting period for the Top 100 program in 2020, about 200 companies had already signed up, so “it’s not that we’re begging for participation,” Hall said.
‘We’re in this together’ isn’t a trite slogan
“I refuse to believe that North Texans are down for the count,” she wrote. “I’ve been amazed by the selflessness and communal spirit of our business community. We’re all in this together isn’t a trite slogan. It is a deeply pervasive feeling that we all need to share the load to lighten the burden of others.”
You can read the full column here.
