It’s important for small business to take the time to turn around and pat themselves on the back, because without a bit of recognition, it’s hard to muster more inspiration in yourself and your staff.
The red carpet photos are endless and the stars are all over the news: it must be awards season. Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, AACTAs, Grammys, Director’s Guild, SAG etc awards are all being presented left right and centre and Hollywood and the music industry’s elite are congratulating themselves and each other over and over again. Whether or not this industry deserves so much recognition is an issue for another post. What we’d like to address is, how come small business doesn’t clap themselves silly just as much, and is it important that you do?
Why you should be rewarded for your efforts
It might seem obvious to some, but your staff are your most important assets, and as a result they need to be recognised for their hard work. Have you thought about what you can offer them?
According to a recent Gallup poll, it’s not the perks that are the main contributor to employee wellbeing. It’s whether or not the employee feels engaged in their job. The study used a sample of 4,894 US Gallup Panel members to reveal that flex time or holidays don’t necessarily improve an employee’s feeling of wellbeing, rather their sense of passion and engagement with their tasks was the main route to wellbeing. The key to an engaged worker is an engaged employer. Crediting your staff for their hard work can only offer rewards.
You also need to reward yourself. Arndria Seymour, director of AMICII consulting, says that it’s very important to take the time to recognise your acheivements. “Celebrating success for the achievement of minor and major milestones has become a little bit of a lost art in business. We finish tasks and major projects and automatically get ready run to the next one. It is just like running on the treadmill. The problem for many business owners is people run out of stream, burn out and become disengaged, disenchanted and will eventually vote with their feet and leave your organisation.
“Taking time out to celebrate success is critical for business owners and their team members, as it reinforces Esprit de Corps, builds trust and greater team engagement. If your team members respect the work they do, who they work with and the brand of their company, then the impossible becomes possible so people will work cohesively to find better ways to achieve more.”
Keep your eyes on the prize.
While there may not be as many awards available for small business owners as there are for Hollywood starlets, there are some industry awards out there which you should keep an eye on. An award will not only boost your marketing potential, it will also offer a boost to your own sense of worth by being judged by your peers. The Telstra Small Business Awards are open for nominations right now, but there are plenty of other awards on offer depending on your industry. Take the time to do a quick search and fill out the application- the rewards are worth it.
