Although you will not find many employees who leave a long-term job because there was no celebration for their extended service, such recognition can be both meaningful and motivational. In addition, the lack of this recognition can inadvertently send a rather disheartening memo to the newer employees.
Rather than ignoring the fact that various employees are passing key milestones in their careers with the company, many of today's best companies are always on the lookout for reasons to thank and recognize their employees. One of the best opportunities to do so is to link recognition with years of service.
This does not mean that the company needs to spend huge sums of money on some fancy dinner, since the most important ingredient is psychological rather than gastronomical. In fact, when people are asked to remember their most satisfying experiences on the job, many recall the recognition they received.
When companies ignore this measurable sign of employee loyalty, dedication, and commitment, they are actually telling the employees that these qualities are not particularly important. This can cause even the most loyal employees to think the company is not particularly important either.
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