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Moving on is simply part of advancing in a career. But when your top talent makes a beeline for the exit without announcing plans to step into a dream job elsewhere, it can leave you wondering what the heck went wrong.

Take the resignation as a sign your company needs to do a little housekeeping. But first, learn as much as you can about why the star employee is leaving.

Schedule An Exit Interview

On the employee’s last day of work, set aside time to chat. Explain to them the benefits they brought to the company and find out where the company failed to meet their needs or expectations. An exit interview can truly be a gold mine of insight that a supervisor simply can’t see on a daily basis. Don’t be surprised to find out about employee turmoil or feelings of being unappreciated.

Here are a few questions to kick start the interview:

• Do you feel like you had opportunities to advance within the company?
• Do you feel like your talents and contributions to the company were recognized and appreciated?
• Do you feel you were fairly compensated for the work that you did?
• Do you feel you had coworkers and supervisors you could collaborate with when needed?
• How can we make the work environment more positive for the staff moving forward?

Evaluate Your Employee Recognition

Once you’ve learned the key reasons the employee is saying adiós, you can target the weak spots in the company. One area that generally falls short is recognizing the staff for their hard work and especially when they go above and beyond without prompting.

It might time to consider naming an employee of the month and employee of the year to keep the staff motivated. Quarterly company picnics that recognize jobs well done on current projects boost team morale. And making an effort to put the spotlight on an employee who goes above and beyond on their own accord is a must-do.

Make the celebrations public and long-lasting. Give employees a shout out on the company social media feeds, host celebration lunches, present them small trophies or award certificates and make announcements at the office. Above all: Let your employees know how much they are valued by the company on a regular basis.

Re-Organize Internal Structure and Priorities

You may have learned some tough-to-swallow information during the employee’s exit interview. Take the insight and turn it into constructive criticism that can be applied to making the workplace even stronger and more inviting for the remaining staff.

Maybe it’s time to re-organize management and delegate tasks differently. Perhaps new departments need to be implemented to lighten some work loads. Or, it’s time to hire a consultant to help with the restructuring. After all, you don’t want any more exit interviews showing up on your calendar.

You don’t have any time to lose. Why not start shopping for employee recognition certificates and trophies right now? Browse Paper Direct’s online store today!

Citing their current poll findings a 2022 article, Zippia reporter Abby McCain shared, the following:

• Strong employee recognition programs reduce turnover rates by 31%
• Employees who are recognized are almost six times more likely to stay at their jobs than those who aren’t
• 37% of employees report that the best way to improve their engagement is for superiors to give recognition
• 92% of employees are likely to repeat a specific action if given recognition for it

One way to recognize your employees is by showcasing their best efforts in the office. Depending on the number of employees and workplace culture, there are several different methods to showcase employees and all of their hard work.

Employee of the Month Plaque

Work with your human resources department to develop an employee of the month program. Hang a plaque in the office that honors those employees who are awarded this recognition to share the accomplishment with the rest of the staff.

Recognition Board

Also called a “brag board,” boast about employees’ accomplishments both in and out of the workplace. Maybe Gary from the administration department ran a marathon recently. Post a picture of him crossing the finishing line. When Sue from sales lands that whale of an account, print up and post a certificate to laud her for her work.

Team Meetings

Spend an hour every other week or once a month to get your team together for updates and announcements. These meetings are an excellent time to showcase employees and their noteworthy efforts. Bring up staff members and give them a round of applause. They’ve earned it!

Post-It Notes

A quick message to congratulate, thank or cheer on an employee is a small effort that makes a big impact. Get some clever Post-It Notes to leave your messages on for staff members. They’ll be happily surprised to find a sticky note on their desk with an uplifting message of encouragement and praise.

Congratulatory Email

The marketing team recently executed a very successful campaign that generated numerous leads. Write a congratulatory email that you send to the entire office. Share a few details about it and call out individuals for their work.

Social Media Mentions

From your company’s Facebook page to its blog, use your social platform to showcase employees. Simple videos and quick pictures are great content that not only performs well on social channels but also serves to show off all the exciting efforts of your employees. Soon enough, your staff will start sharing these posts to their own networks, further showcasing employees.

Studies show that recognition goes a long way to motivate your business’s employees and keep them engaged. No matter how you showcase employee recognition, it also reflects well on your business, since it reduces turnover and boost morale.