JULY 2022HR TECH OUTLOOK9contributions to social, environmental and governance causes. Employees feel more energized in the workplace, are eager to arrive at work and put in their best efforts when pride exists. The report says, "When people feel pride in their workplace, morale is high, and people feel positive about being part of the larger team, doing something that makes a difference in both their own lives, as well as for the greater good."In fact, Couric's book is full of examples of pride in her work, yet she was met with opposition when she pushed for new ideas for CBS. When she told the executive producer of 60 Minutes that she felt she had done some of her best work for the program, he responded, "I know you feel that way." That lack of support can be defeating, no matter how much one has achieved. Our industry has its own hurdles and challenges during the "Great Resignation." A few years ago we created Gables Ovations, a digital social recognition program. It allows our associates to earn points for going out of their way for a renter, helping a colleague or even achieving a health goal, such as walking a high number of steps. We convert these points into dollars that can be redeemed from a rewards catalog. Sometimes there's an option to donate these funds to nonprofits, which research shows creates happiness with the idea that giving it forward is beneficial. This program allows us to stand out from our peers; we agree with researchers that say when the quality of employee recognition is consistently high, it's associated with strong work pride 82 percent of the time and with strong company pride 75 percent of the time. Whether the opportunity for recognition drives pride or if employees with strong pride tend to receive greater amounts of recognition, it's clear there's a hand-in-glove relationship between the two.The data show that receiving any type of recognition (e.g., public, private, written, digital) has a positive relationship with pride. When none of these types of recognition are received, only 26 percent indicated strong personal pride in their work, and 17 percent had strong personal pride in their companies.The reality is the Great Resignation is happening. But how we as HR and business leaders react is in our hands. The best advice is for companies to check what they're currently encouraging in their culture and confirm that it aligns with creating positive workplace pride in their employees. Employees feel more energized in the workplace, are eager to arrive at work and put in their best efforts when pride exists
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