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The Power of Recognition: A Conversation with Doug Brown on Employee Engagement and Retention
As the host of the “Leadership Powered by Common Sense” podcast, I recently had the pleasure of hosting Doug Brown, an expert in employee engagement and retention. Our conversation revolved around the importance of recognition and appreciation in the workplace, and how it directly impacts employee engagement and retention.
The Journey of Doug Brown
Doug Brown’s journey is an inspiring one. Starting in the food industry, he transitioned into sales before launching his own part-time business, Recognition Rewards. This venture sold products designed to help businesses recognize and appreciate their employees, providing Doug with valuable insights into the inner workings of businesses and the crucial role of recognition in employee engagement and retention.
His entrepreneurial journey didn’t stop there. He later founded Engage to Perform, a company focusing on employee engagement surveys. Recognizing the increasing turnover rates and the phenomenon of the great resignation, Doug started Manage to Retain, a company offering solutions for employee retention.
The Power of Recognition
During our conversation, Doug shared a compelling story about a young engineer at IBM who felt overlooked on project assignments. His need for recognition was simple: he wanted to be part of a meaningful project. After expressing his frustration to a senior leader, he was given a position on a significant initiative, which allowed him to showcase his skills and abilities. This story underscores the power of recognition in the workplace and its potential to motivate and engage employees.
We also discussed the opposite scenario, where high-performing employees are taken for granted by their managers. These employees may feel undervalued and may eventually leave the company if they become disillusioned. It’s crucial for managers to recognize and appreciate the contributions of their top performers to retain them.
Emotions and Decision-Making
Our conversation also touched on the role of emotions in decision-making. Positive emotions can help retain high-performing employees. Managers need to create a positive work environment and provide recognition and support to keep talented individuals engaged and satisfied.
The Future of Remote Work
As we look towards the future, the potential for remote work presents challenges for companies like Zoom. Employees may have concerns about returning to the office, such as safety in downtown areas. We shifted our conversation to employee retention strategies, highlighting the importance of both financial and non-financial aspects. Financial considerations include competitive salaries and benefits, while non-financial factors encompass company culture, relationships with managers, and opportunities for growth and development.
The Importance of Open Communication
Managers play a crucial role in cultivating engagement, understanding employee needs, and supporting career development. Open and honest discussions between employers and employees are essential to align expectations and obligations. Face-to-face conversations are invaluable in building strong relationships and understanding.
Wrapping Up
I want to extend my gratitude to Doug Brown for joining the show and sharing his insights on employee retention. We emphasized the significance of having a strong infrastructure, framework, and process in place to retain employees. Doug mentioned a company he worked with that has an impressive average tenure of seven years, attributing their success to exceptional communication with their employees.
We also discussed the high turnover rate in many organizations, with 25 to 30% of employees not making it past the 18-month mark. For those interested in learning more about the services offered by Manage to Retain, Doug Brown provided his contact information.
As we concluded the episode, I encouraged listeners to check out the video version of the podcast on YouTube and invited potential guests to reach out. Remember, recognition and appreciation are key to fostering employee engagement and retention. Have a great day, everyone!
Guest Bio:
Doug Brown is President of Manage2Retain, an Employee Retention Solution Provider
Doug is passionate about employee retention and believes strongly that employees who enjoy their careers and find fulfilment in their work are more likely to be loyal employees, who remain with their organizations for extended tenures, and strong brand ambassadors for their company. He feels mid level managers are the crucial link between the employee and the organization as they influence many of the key drivers that lead to retention. Doug has served in roles from Supervisor to President, operating Engaged2Perform (employee engagement surveys) to better understand employee needs.
Links:
web site www.manage2retain.com
Linked In Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-brown-b3740825a/
Twitter Handle @retentiongoals
