We hear all the time, “talent is important,” “our people are important,” or “our greatest assets are our people.” We know that talent is the center of organizations. Without talented people, an organization will not be successful, can’t grow, won’t have great ideas, and will not be able to execute its strategy. Are we really appreciating and caring for the talent that makes things happen in organizations?
In a recent newsletter from the National Association of Women Business Owners, I read a report of a poll they’d done asking respondents what kind of praise was offered at their workplaces. Here are the results [newsletter is not available online—CM]:
28% said verbal.
2% said monetary.
3% said tangible rewards or incentives.
43% said a combination.
24% said praise isn’t often awarded.
Though the sample was not statistically determined, this is a telling result. If we want higher levels of engagement from our talent, then 24% is an unacceptable number of workplaces where no recognition of good performance is customarily made. How hard can it be to acknowledge talent for work that is excellent? Could it be that in 24% of organizations polled, there is no excellent performance to be recognized? I wonder. What are your thoughts? Is excellent work recognized or rewarded in your organization?