The Importance of Rewarding Employees

When David Novak, the longtime CEO of Yum Brands (think Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell) was a college student, he made ends meet serving tables at a Holiday Inn, where Engelbert Humperdinck once stiffed him on a tip.

Novak credits this experience with helping form who he is as a leader today. He wrote in his biography, “I’ll remember until the day I die how bad that made me feel.”

The lesson? Treat your employees well, and always reward them for their work. This lines up with the fact that a lot of employees tend to leave their jobs because they don’t feel appreciated.

Lately, we’ve all heard so much about the #GreatResignation, and in my own line of work as an executive recruiter, it’s obvious that making employees feel appreciated is more important than ever.