According to the recent SHRM/Globoforce Employee Recognition Survey*, companies with employee recognition programs experienced a 22 percent lower turnover rate versus organizations without a recognition program. The survey results were announced today by Globoforce^® (www.globoforce.com), the world’s leading provider of social recognition solutions, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. To download the latest semi-annual report from Globoforce, click here.

In the August 2012 iteration of the SHRM/Globoforce semi-annual survey, responses from 815 HR professionals surveyed show a positive impact of recognition on employee retention, engagement, performance, and satisfaction. Key insights from the survey include:

Succession planning tops list of HR challenges

More than two-fifths (41 percent) of those surveyed cited Succession Planning as one of the top HR challenges, followed by Employee Engagement (40 percent) and Culture Management (30 percent). This finding underscores the need for companies to identify high potential, high performing individuals as part of their talent strategy.

Recognition programs positively impact performance management

The latest SHRM/Globoforce survey indicates the influence of a recognition program on performance appraisals and evaluations. Among companies that have a recognition program in place:

• 58 percent said performance reviews are an accurate appraisal for employees’ work (versus 44 percent of companies without a recognition program)
• 66 percent said employees are rewarded according to job performance (versus 39 percent without a recognition program)
• Nearly double the percentage of said employees are satisfied with the level of recognition they receive (compared to companies without a recognition program)

Higher spend per employee lead to stronger results

According to the survey, companies that allocate one percent or more of payroll to recognition observe higher levels of employee engagement and retention and stronger financial results.

Among companies that spend one percent or more in payroll on employee recognition programs:

• 85 percent have seen a positive impact on employee engagement
• 61 percent have seen an improvement in employee retention rates
• 59 percent have seen stronger financial results

“By simply having a recognition program, companies experience higher retention rates and a better view into employee performance. It can shake the tree of a company’s talent and uncover hidden leaders,” said Eric Mosley, CEO of Globoforce. “But once it’s really amplified – properly funded across the entire organization – a social recognition program can truly energize a company and its culture like no other HR program.”

“The latest SHRM/Globoforce survey shows HR leaders are thinking about how to instill stronger employee performance,” said Mark Schmit, SHRM’s vice president of research. “Employee recognition, as observed by those surveyed, provides quantifiable business results. It’s these types of findings that cement recognition as a critical program for any HR leader.”

To download the Fall 2012 Globoforce Employee Recognition Report, visit:
http://go.globoforce.com/rs/globoforce/images/SHRMFALL2012Survey_web.pdf

To download the full results of the survey, visit:
http://www.shrm.org/Research/SurveyFindings/Articles/Pages/SHRMGloboforceSurvey-Employee-Recognition-Programs-Fall2012.aspx

Survey Methodology

* The SHRM/Globoforce Employee Recognition Survey is an employee recognition survey that examines employee engagement, performance management, as well as other key metrics associated with employee recognition. The survey is commissioned by Globoforce and conducted in collaboration with SHRM. There were 815 responses from organizations with 500+ employees, resulting in a margin of error of +/- 3 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. The online survey was conducted by SHRM from August 31, 2012 – September 21, 2012.

About Globoforce

Globoforce is the world’s leading provider of social recognition solutions, redefining how companies understand, manage, and motivate their employees. Innovative companies around the world use Globoforce’s cloud-based social recognition software to reveal the true performance and influence of every employee and strengthen company culture. With Globoforce, HR and business leaders can take a strategic approach to recognition programs that result in measurable benefits to the bottom line driven by increases in employee engagement, retention, and productivity. Globoforce is co-headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland.

To learn more:

• Visit: http://www.globoforce.com
• Read: http://globoforce.com/globoblog
• Follow:
  • Twitter @Globoforce
  • LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/globoforce
  • Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/globoforce

About the Society for Human Resource Management

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 260,000 members in more than 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. Visit SHRM Online at www.shrm.org and follow us on Twitter @SHRMPress.