Thank you and feedback: How to keep younger employees motivated and engaged

Resilience
Written By Laura Linham

Britain’s youngest workers (aged 16-24) don’t feel trusted or heard, and 78% of them are job hunting, according to a new study - so what can you do to keep them engaged and motivated in the workplace?

The study, carried out by Achievers and Censuswide will cause concern for British companies that have invested heavily in and wish to retain graduates, apprentices, and other young ‘rising stars.’, with industries which typically employ a high percentage of younger workers, from hospitality to tech particularly vulnerable, as the industries are threatened by staff and skills shortages.

Here’s what the survey found:

  • One third of workers surveyed aged 16-24 feel undervalued

  • 32% say that their feedback is not listened to nor acted upon

  • 78% in this age group are applying, or intending to apply for new jobs

  • Employees in this group said the top ways to make them feel more valued were customer recognition (21%), senior leader recognition (19%); recognition in front of the company and financial reward were tied at 15%.

  • Nearly half (49%) of respondents had been prompted for feedback by employers on how to improve the overall work experience.

  • However, 20% of respondents overall stated that their employers were not good at acting on feedback.

Jon Maddison, EMEA Managing Director, Achievers points out: “Although the results of our survey may seem alarming, there’s still time for most companies to communicate with their people, then take steps to boost engagement and prevent churn.

“The sooner companies act to instil beneficial practices like listening, recognition, and reward into their cultures, the more likely they are to turn this situation around.”

So what should you be doing to make sure younger members of the team feel valued in the workplace?

Focus on feedback:

Make surveys quick and easy for employees to complete using pulse surveys and online listening tools. This was shown to be especially critical during a rapidly changing situation like the Covid crisis, where employee attitudes shifted considerably in response to new developments and public policy decisions.

Say ‘thank you’ often:

The goal should be to create a culture of recognition that is pervasive at every level and even extends outward to customers. Technology can help to democratise a recognition culture and ensure that it persists as we move to hybrid setups.

Value everyone’s views:

The report data highlighted generational divides in employee sentiment. Young employees felt the most unsettled and unheard. Workplaces must find ways to ensure every employee feels welcomed, included, supported and connected, using technology to build employee-first cultures.

Deliver on diversity:

More than a third of respondents (35%) do not feel a strong sense of belonging at work, which can cause innovation and growth to suffer. This insight should instigate a review of how employees are engaged, recognised, and made to feel connected to the company.

Pacify your presentees:

Presenteeism is a clear problem among a sizeable proportion of employees. This indicates a trust issue that companies need to address in order for workers to achieve work/life balance. This involves listening to employees’ concerns through pulse surveys and one-to-one meetings.



Laura Linham