Nearly 3 in 4 Canadian senior managers in the administrative and customer support fields are concerned about valued team members leaving for new opportunities. Celebrating employees’ contributions is one way leaders can help improve retention.
Hybrid teams of in-office and remote employees are now the norm in many companies, and leaders must find creative ways to thank them for their dedication and flexibility — and boost camaraderie — in an evolving workplace.
Top Hiring and Retention Concerns
85% of senior managers said it is challenging to find skilled administrative professionals, with the most challenging areas being:
- Administrative and executive assistant
- Project management and coordination
- Facilities and office management
58% of senior managers said their administrative employees are working remotely all or part of the time.
31% of senior managers said their greatest management challenge is keeping employees motivated and engaged.
Source: Robert Half survey of more than 140 senior managers who work in the administrative and customer support fields in Canada.
10 employee rewards and recognition ideas
Not sure how to best show your staff members that you value them? Here are 10 time-tested employee rewards and recognition ideas.
- Celebrate important milestones. Hold a virtual celebration to recognize achievements. Arrange for festive treats to be delivered.
- Put it in writing. Acknowledge employees’ great work in an email or certificate. Copy key executives for more exposure.
- Host regular check-in meetings. Schedule videoconferences or in-person meetings to encourage face-to-face communication and foster connections.
- Highlight successes formally. Cite specific accomplishments during performance reviews, including reinforcing the type of work you want to see.
- Support professional development. Offer tuition assistance for professional courses or certifications. Provide reimbursement for industry association memberships, conferences and publications.
- Give them a call. Reach out to employees regularly to ask how they are doing and to acknowledge their contributions.
- Reward them. Recommend individuals for external and internal accolades and encourage peer nominations. Feature top performers in the company newsletter.
- Give the gift of time. Consult with your HR and legal departments for this one, but given the okay, encourage team members to log off early on Friday and offer additional time off or extra vacation days for jobs well done.
- Develop new leaders. Ask employees to mentor others. Promote from within when possible, and make sure team members know about career growth opportunities in the company.
- Introduce them to management. Invite company executives to join a team meeting or conference call. Arrange for team members to present project results.
What Canadian companies are doing to help retain employees:
44% - Increasing compensation (i.e., higher salaries or bonuses)
54% - Allowing employees to work remotely
39% - Expanding/enhancing professional development
44% - Increasing recognition efforts
27% - Accelerating promotions or job title changes
37% - Letting employees choose their work hours/schedule
19% - Alleviating workloads (e.g., by hiring contract professionals during busy project seasons or on a project basis)
Source: Robert Half survey of more than 140 senior managers who work in the administrative and customer support fields in Canada.
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