The surveys were developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. They were conducted by an independent research firm and include responses from 150 senior executives at the nation’s 1,000 largest companies and 534 full- or part-time workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

Employees and executives were each asked, “How effective or ineffective are businesses today in rewarding their employees for good performance?” Their responses:

“Businesses need to make retention an ongoing priority,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Rewarding employees for their accomplishments enhances productivity, reinforces positive behavior, and builds staff morale and loyalty.”

Domeyer added, “Firms that fail to reward great work risk losing employees to businesses that do invest in recognition programs.”

In addition to monetary rewards, OfficeTeam offers the following easy yet meaningful ways to recognize staff:

• Say thanks. Don’t underestimate the power of saying “thank you,” either in writing or in person.
  
• Celebrate achievements. Honor employees’ accomplishments in front of their peers. Staff events recognizing individuals or groups can enhance morale while highlighting exemplary behavior.
  
• Give the gift of time. Reward staff accomplishments with extra days off or extended lunch breaks. Time away from the office allows staff members to recharge after major projects.
  
• Provide plum assignments. Give strong performers the option of working on desirable projects. Doing so improves their motivation and enthusiasm for their work, and encourages others to excel in their positions.

OfficeTeam has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services.