When Do Managers Stop Being Employees?

I design a lot of employee reward and recognition programs.  And if there is one truth that always surfaces during the analysis of the company’s past programs is that “managers” are not eligible for awards.  Oh, they are included from an administrative point of view but not in the “reward” process.

Typically the manager has the responsibility for “nominating” someone for an award, or reviewing the nominations from the “rank and file” or manages the budgets for the program in their department.  They also may play the role of “police” – checking to see why other employees are NOT using the program to recognize targeted behaviors, and in some cases, chastising others for using it too much.

But managers are typically excluded from earning awards.

Ecosystems – Honey Bees

Think about the world’s ecosystem.  Every creature, large and small has a role to play in keeping us alive.  (Don’t take my word for it.  There are many who worry that honey bees are dying out and the ramifications of that are big.)

Business Ecosystem – Everyone Is Important

Your company is an ecosystem.  All the players in a well-run organization have a role and purpose that supports the survival of the company - from the worker bees to the queen.  Keeping all those people working and engaged is critical.  Surveys and research have made it clear – rewards, recognition, progress, etc – are strong ways to drive engagement and performance.  So why are managers excluded from the reward and recognition equation?  Why isn’t the CEO eligible for a “peer-to-peer” recommendation?  For that matter, why can’t the temp in Accounts Payable send a recognition award to the CFO saying something about the way she helped streamline a process or procedure?

There is no reason.  

Except Hubris

Managers believe they are above the need for recognition.  Unfortunately, they are wrong.  Managers, CEOs, VPs (yes even the bastard VP of Sales who only looks at the spreadsheets – not the “intangibles”) needs recognition.  And the fact that they aren’t included in the program is probably one of the main reasons your reward and recognition programs don’t get the traction and the results you want.

How can the rank and file sign up for, and participate in, a program their managers don’t have first-hand knowledge of the effects it can have on performance?  Managers and Executives are the neediest in terms of recognition.  They, by virtue of position, culture, closed mahogany office doors or separate floors – are insulated from recognition.  They rarely if ever get it.  

And if they don’t get it – you’re surely not going to.  Their lack of inclusion seeps down the halls, the escalators and elevator shafts into the way the “employees” feel about the program.  Their experience with recognition drives the company's “culture of recognition” - or the lack of it.

Don’t tell me their paychecks serve that purpose – we all know we work for things that money can’t buy – like making a difference in the success of the company or the success of an individual.

Managers and Executives Are Part of the Recognition Ecosystem

Please – make it a point to include ALL employees in your company's reward and recognition program.  Include those that drive company cars and have the opportunity to do their business in a private loo.  They put their pants/skirts on just like everyone else – they just have free mouthwash on the sink counter top.  But they still need to be rewarded and recognized.

Comments

[working girl]

I assume they would only be recognized for doing a good job - an improvement over getting the free mouthwash no matter what.

[Derek Irvine, Globoforce]

Paul, this is another point of recognition I'm passionate about (not surprising, I'm sure). Getting promoted up the chain doesn't change the fundamental need to know that what I'm doing is important, necessary and noticed.

I like how Frank Roche put it: “I don’t remember what age I was when I noticed that people no longer told me that I was doing a great job. It’s not like I stopped doing good work — it’s that people think that once you get to a certain age or certain place in life that you don’t need praise anymore. … But what I do realize is that people need praise throughout their careers. Senior managers like to hear that they’re doing well as much as they did when they were junior functionaries. It applies to everyone — the price of praise is free. Tell someone today.”

Quote citation here: http://globoforce.blogspot.com/2009/11/tenet-of-strategic-recognition.html

[Cord Himelstein]

In the struggling economy, employee engagement came to the forefront more than ever, with employers wondering how to motivate staff that had seen colleagues laid off, taken on more work for the same (or less) pay, and often feared for their own jobs. Now that the economy is beginning to recover, companies have an additional concern: how to keep those employees from leaving altogether now that the job market is getting better.

http://www.recognitionheroes.com/featured/rewarding-managers-for-engagement/

[Paul Hebert]

It is an interesting phenomenon - and maybe one of the big reasons execs seem to lose touch with the real world. Without recognition guiding behavior - establishing the guidelines and boundaries (which I believe recognition does) you end up relying on your "impression" of what is getting recognized and that leads to misinterpretation and unintended consequences.

Maybe the Board of Directors at organizations need some fundamental recognition training?

[Paul Hebert]

Thanks for stopping by Cord. I agree with your statement but that isn't what the link you provided refers to... Was there another reason for your comment?