Service Anniversary Controversy

As I expected, I received some emotionally charged responses to yesterday’s comments about the old school thinking around creating loyalty.

I always think it is funny when people look at the world so myopically that they can’t see the forest through the trees.

If you re-read yesterday’s post, it is not that I don’t believe in recognizing and rewarding milestone achievements and tenure, I just know that if that is all you are doing, there is no way that is going to create loyalty.

CSI’s clients who adopt our best practices around employee enablement and engagement do a world class job of recognizing and rewarding both day to day performance as well as career and milestone achievements.

However, the only way those symbolic and recognition items will mean anything to your employees is if they have an authentic and supportive relationship with their direct supervisor. Those awards and milestones will only mean something if they are provided skills that make them more marketable today, and in the future.

Those recognition and symbolic items will only drive loyalty if your employees are getting day to day feedback and ongoing coaching and development.

Those career milestones and anniversaries will only create loyalty if your leaders are removing obstacles that get in the way of your employees creating exceptional experiences.

As I said yesterday, the old contract of loyalty for security is over.

Commemorative awards and career milestones are an important piece of the loyalty puzzle, however only one of many pieces, that creates loyal employees who then can create loyal customers.

Remember, if you are not innovating around career milestones, rewards and recognition, then not only are you NOT getting better, you are perceived as getting worse.

The best companies, the ones who have the most loyal employees, integrate total rewards and recognition day to day, moment to moment, interaction to interaction.

Click here to view the infographic below:

StandStill


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