Recognition! Celebrate Your Employees
I think we can agree that it feels terrific when someone recognizes us for a job well done, especially when followed by an award or speech from your peer or boss.
If you are a pest control owner, this recognition can go a long way towards employee loyalty and flourishing within the company. It can also make employees go all-in with your company vision and do whatever it takes to ensure that the company succeeds and that excellent customer service remains a top priority.
So how is recognition defined in the workplace? It is the acknowledgment of a company's staff for exemplary performance. Essentially, employee recognition in the workplace aims to reinforce particular behaviors, practices, or activities that result in better performance and positive business growth.
Recognition is a fundamental human need because it makes us feel appreciated. Out of all the things that matter in the workplace, helping employees feel appreciated should be one of your top priorities.
Sadly, not every pest control company sees the value in recognition, and often the only recognition received is related to a promotion within the company. Employees need to be appreciated for their efforts because this lack of recognition may lead some employees to self-doubt and to feel like they don't belong at the company. This feeling may also spread like cancer in the company, starting with one employee and spreading to the next until a group of employees is unsatisfied. This group might then lead to lower customer satisfaction and sales, which might ultimately be the downfall of a pest control company. You, as the owner, may never see it coming until it is too late.
I can speak personally to having self-doubt and feeling like I didn't belong at a company because I worked for a pest control company that never recognized my efforts. I spent three long years working days and nights building a commercial services division at a local pest control company in California with no support or recognition for my efforts. I was promised several things, but I left the company with no notice after three years of empty promises and no recognition. Not only did I leave the company holding the bag on a large commercial route, but also several large accounts that I became great friends with also came right along with me. The company has since changed its name and to my knowledge, has never fully recovered the lost revenue from my departure.
I don't think employee recognition should be done each month on a particular day or time; it should be done frequently. It does not need to be a grand affair each time; it can be a simple acknowledgment of an employee for good customer service with a gift card to their favorite establishment. These little gestures will go a long way in employee loyalty and make them feel happier at work. These little gestures should be followed by employee recognition in your company meetings at least once a month to ensure that your employees stay satisfied and loyal.
There's nothing worse than feeling unappreciated in the workplace. Trust me, I have been there and done that. It makes you feel unwanted and unwilling to stay loyal to your employer. Without knowing it, employees may start to feel worried about being recognized and celebrated for a job well done. This may ultimately lead them to be looking for that next pest control company to join.
Take the time to show your employees that you see and appreciate their efforts. Make them feel good about what they do, and they will bring you their best version to work every day.