1 in 3 Irish Employees Don’t Feel Appreciated
4th March 2016
Over a third of Irish employees (38%) say they don’t feel appreciated in their workplace. That’s just one of the findings of new research conducted by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) for World Employee Appreciation Day, on March 4th.
Of the 219 people who took part in the online survey, 156 are employees, 45 are managers, while 18 described themselves as an employer. 32% admitted they are not offered any training or upskilling opportunities in their workplace, while a quarter (25%) said they do not have the opportunity to give their manager feedback on their job.
The NSAI survey also found that 73% of workplaces do not provide regular team building activities, while almost a quarter (21%) said they feel their organisation is not committed to health and safety in the workplace. Half of all respondents said they do not know what their organisation’s strategy is for the next three years.
Ireland’s only certification scheme for effective human resource development is the NSAI’s Excellence Through People (ETP) scheme. This guide provides organisations with the tools they need to ensure their employees are motivated, developed and working to their full potential. “The focus of Excellence Through People (ETP) is to get organisations to look at their people as a key source of competitive advantage,” said Michelle Browne, Head of Excellence Through People at the NSAI.
“Training new staff is costly, and employers use all manners of techniques to boost worker morale and help retain employees and their valuable expertise. As the Irish economy recovers and more companies set up in Ireland, it is vital organisations invest in their greatest asset, their employees. On World Employee Appreciation Day, we want to let employers and managers know that the NSAI is here to help. Excellence Through People (ETP) provides a business improvement model for organisations to enhance staff performance and realise strategies through the management and development of their people,” she added.
NSAI’s Tips on How to Motivate Your Staff – The Excellence Through People Way!
1. Personally thank employees for doing a good job one-on-one, in writing, or both. Do it timely, often, and sincerely.
2. Be willing to take the time to meet with and listen to employees – as much as they need or want.
3. Provide employees specific and frequent feedback about their performance. Support them in improving performance.
4. Recognise, reward, and promote high performers; deal with low and marginal performers so that they improve.
5. Provide information on how the company makes and loses money, upcoming products, and services and strategies for competing. Explain the employee’s role in the overall plan.
6. Involve employees in decisions, especially as those decisions affect them. Involvement equals commitment.
7. Give employees a chance to grow and learn new skills; encourage them to be their best. Show them how you can help them meet their goals while achieving the organisation’s goals. Create a partnership with each employee.
8. Provide employees with a sense of ownership in their work and their work environment.
9. Strive to create a work environment that is open, trusting, and fun. Encourage new ideas, suggestions, and initiative. Learn from, rather than punish for, mistakes.
10. Celebrate successes of the company, of the department, and of individuals in it. Take time for team- and morale-building meetings and activities. Be creative and fresh.
