Feel like what you do at work goes unrecognised? You’re not alone
By Nina Hendy
Sharni Wearne has no intentions of leaving her job. She was just handed a promotion, and her job means the world to her.
Her manager leaves her to balance her week as she sees fit, never questioning her decisions. “As a working parent, that flexibility and trust that I get is worth everything to me,” she says.
Sharni Wearne, a diversity and inclusion manager at Medibank, says she regularly gets recognition for what she does at work. But not everyone is so lucky.
Her hard work is recognised in regular meetings with her manager, and she also enjoys the fact that she’s always included her in decisions that impact her role so that changes aren’t just thrust upon her at the last minute.
“For me, recognition is about having the autonomy and trust from my manager to handle my week how I see fit to get the work done,” the diversity and inclusion manager at Medibank says.
Wearne, who lives in regional Victoria, is not alone. The importance of recognition is critical in the workplace, but most of us aren’t getting our fair share of it.
In fact, 61 per cent of us don’t feel like we are being recognised for the work we do, according to the Workplace Engagement Index by employee engagement platform Reward Gateway. More than a third (34 per cent) of us believe their relationship with their manager is merely transactional.
It’s not doing us any good, either. Most of us (83 per cent) admit we feel more motivated and productive at work when we have a manager who actually cares about us.
The research also found that 79 per cent of HR managers wrongly believe that employees are regularly praised for the work they do, highlighting the disconnect.
Reward Gateway managing director Kylie Green says the findings make it clear that recognition and rewards play a pivotal role in driving productivity, engagement and retention.
Green says employees can take the power back by raising the lack of recognition with HR leaders and managers. Let them know that they expect more recognition for what they do so that organisations can create an environment where they can thrive, she says.
Disenfranchised employees admit that without recognition they are more likely to quit
“When employees aren’t being appreciated, there’s an opportunity to speak up and talk about their expectations, and their relationship with managers,” she says.
Some employees also expect their bosses to do more to offset inflationary pressures and the rising cost of living. “One size fits all approaches to managing people just don’t work any more. Considering how your boss can help you alleviate financial pressures has never been more important for many,” she says.
Disenfranchised employees admit that without recognition for a job well done, they are more likely to quit. Thirty-five per cent admit they’re, in fact, already looking for another job due to a lack of recognition. More than half (56 per cent) admit they have considered leaving their job in the last six months.
According to Indeed, some signs that you’re not being recognised at work include needing more words of gratitude, a need for career advancement and a feeling that you’re managing too many tasks.
The jobs site says we can seek greater recognition at work by writing down the specific moments when we feel a lack of recognition and reflecting back to gain an objective viewpoint. Perhaps others are too busy to give you the recognition you seek?
But there are steps you can take to be recognised. Indeed recommends taking steps to increase your visibility in the workplace, such as offering your input during meetings, applying for company or industry awards and volunteering for additional responsibilities.
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