Take a second to think back to the last time you put your heart and soul into a project or presentation for work… you put in some extra hours of work to make sure everything was perfect, and then you absolutely nail the execution! It’s one of the most rewarding feelings ever.
Now imagine if some of your coworkers or leadership team noticed your hard work and took a second to acknowledge your achievement… that feeling of accomplishment is automatically uplifted and you get a major boost in morale, confidence, and you’re even more motivated for the next assignment.
Effective employee recognition is more than just a box to check off on your list of to-dos, it is one of the key components of effective management. Especially in today’s competitive talent market, the ways in which an organization shows that they value their employees has become more important now than ever before.
Let’s start off by explaining what employee recognition even is.
What is Employee Recognition?
Recognition and appreciation are fundamental human needs. Starting at a very early age, humans have a strong desire for positive affirmations from their parents, teachers, and friends, and that does not change in the professional workplace as adults.
In the workplace, employee recognition is the open acknowledgment and praise of employee behaviors and accomplishments. If you have ever felt underappreciated at work (too many people have), then you know how important effective recognition is in the workplace.
Employee recognition ultimately serves three purposes:
Showcases Win’s
Nobody ever wants to feel like their hard work has gone unnoticed. A simple “thank you” or shoutout can go a long way to making someone feel acknowledged and appreciated.
Motivates Effort
If you consistently celebrate strong efforts, your employees will continue to go above and beyond. Effective recognition helps employees develop more emotional connections to the workplace and fuels their future efforts.
Reinforces Behaviors
When you recognize an employee for a particular behavior or accomplishment, you are showing them what you really value. In turn, they are then more likely to continue that behavior and set an example for others.
What are the benefits of Employee Recognition?
The benefits of employee recognition cannot be overstated. Aspects such as employee performance, their goals and development, and even your effectiveness as a manager are ultimately linked to employee engagement, and employee recognition is one of the top drivers of that engagement. One survey found that 87% of company recognition programs emphasize tenure, and according to SHRM, over 91% of HR professionals believe that recognition and rewards make employees more likely to stay.
Here are a few more numbers that may or may not surprise you:
- A recent survey found employee recognition was most important to 37% of employees.
- Businesses scoring in the top 20% of engagement experience 59% less turnover.
- Only 34% of workers in the US feel engaged.
- 53% of workers are actively not engaged.
- A survey found that 65% of employees have received no form of recognition in the last year.
With effective employee recognition you will notice:
- Increased productivity and engagement
- Decreased employee turnover
- Greater employee satisfaction and enjoyment of work
- Improved team culture
- Higher loyalty and satisfaction scores from customers
- Increased retention of quality employees
- Decreased stress and absenteeism
But the question still remains…
What Kind of Recognition do Employees Really Want?
Unfortunately, there is no one right answer, but we do know that employees who receive recognition are 63% more likely to stay at their current job within the next three to six months, so now is the time to re-evaluate your rewards and recognition efforts.
Here are a few ways to make your employee recognition more effective and impactful:
Peer to Peer Recognition
Employees spend a significant amount of time with their team. It is only natural for them to want to be acknowledged and appreciated well by the people in their everyday work surroundings. Employees tend to share stronger bonds with their peers than their managers, so it is imperative to make a push for peer-to-peer recognition to be frequent and positive.
Show it Off on Social Media
Who isn’t on social media nowadays? Today’s new generation of employees practically live on social media, so an “employee of the month” or any other kind of post of acknowledgment in the monthly newsletter or anywhere online allows employees to feel like they are truly in the spotlight. It also gives them something to share or show off proudly to their friend and family. The memorable recognition of milestones such as an employee’s 5-years, 10-years, and 20-years anniversary of work is always a fun thing to highlight.
Instant Gratification
Recognizing achievements in real-time or trying to schedule them as close to the event as possible reinforces the behaviors you’re rewarding. When employees know that their efforts will not go unnoticed, they are more likely to take up an extra task and challenge themselves to continue to grow.
Give the Gift of Time Off
In today’s fast-paced work environment, work schedules are getting busier, and personal time seems to be getting shorter. Giving the gift of some time off breaks off from tradition, and goes a long way to boosting morale and minimizing the chance of burn-outs. Once an employee reaches the burnout stage, you’ll start to see absenteeism, low productivity, and higher company health costs, all of which you would want to avoid.
Creating a Culture of Recognition
Learn more about how Manage 4 Performance™ can help create the culture of recognition you’re looking for by connecting with one of our team members today!
Take a second to think back to the last time you put your heart and soul into a project or presentation for work… you put in some extra hours of work to make sure everything was perfect, and then you absolutely nail the execution! It’s one of the most rewarding feelings ever.
Now imagine if some of your coworkers or leadership team noticed your hard work and took a second to acknowledge your achievement… that feeling of accomplishment is automatically uplifted and you get a major boost in morale, confidence, and you’re even more motivated for the next assignment.
Effective employee recognition is more than just a box to check off on your list of to-dos, it is one of the key components of effective management. Especially in today’s competitive talent market, the ways in which an organization shows that they value their employees has become more important now than ever before.
Let’s start off by explaining what employee recognition even is.
What is Employee Recognition?
Recognition and appreciation are fundamental human needs. Starting at a very early age, humans have a strong desire for positive affirmations from their parents, teachers, and friends, and that does not change in the professional workplace as adults.
In the workplace, employee recognition is the open acknowledgment and praise of employee behaviors and accomplishments. If you have ever felt underappreciated at work (too many people have), then you know how important effective recognition is in the workplace.
Employee recognition ultimately serves three purposes:
Showcases Win’s
Nobody ever wants to feel like their hard work has gone unnoticed. A simple “thank you” or shoutout can go a long way to making someone feel acknowledged and appreciated.
Motivates Effort
If you consistently celebrate strong efforts, your employees will continue to go above and beyond. Effective recognition helps employees develop more emotional connections to the workplace and fuels their future efforts.
Reinforces Behaviors
When you recognize an employee for a particular behavior or accomplishment, you are showing them what you really value. In turn, they are then more likely to continue that behavior and set an example for others.
What are the benefits of Employee Recognition?
The benefits of employee recognition cannot be overstated. Aspects such as employee performance, their goals and development, and even your effectiveness as a manager are ultimately linked to employee engagement, and employee recognition is one of the top drivers of that engagement. One survey found that 87% of company recognition programs emphasize tenure, and according to SHRM, over 91% of HR professionals believe that recognition and rewards make employees more likely to stay.
Here are a few more numbers that may or may not surprise you:
- A recent survey found employee recognition was most important to 37% of employees.
- Businesses scoring in the top 20% of engagement experience 59% less turnover.
- Only 34% of workers in the US feel engaged.
- 53% of workers are actively not engaged.
- A survey found that 65% of employees have received no form of recognition in the last year.
With effective employee recognition you will notice:
- Increased productivity and engagement
- Decreased employee turnover
- Greater employee satisfaction and enjoyment of work
- Improved team culture
- Higher loyalty and satisfaction scores from customers
- Increased retention of quality employees
- Decreased stress and absenteeism
But the question still remains…
What Kind of Recognition do Employees Really Want?
Unfortunately, there is no one right answer, but we do know that employees who receive recognition are 63% more likely to stay at their current job within the next three to six months, so now is the time to re-evaluate your rewards and recognition efforts.
Here are a few ways to make your employee recognition more effective and impactful:
Peer to Peer Recognition
Employees spend a significant amount of time with their team. It is only natural for them to want to be acknowledged and appreciated well by the people in their everyday work surroundings. Employees tend to share stronger bonds with their peers than their managers, so it is imperative to make a push for peer-to-peer recognition to be frequent and positive.
Show it Off on Social Media
Who isn’t on social media nowadays? Today’s new generation of employees practically live on social media, so an “employee of the month” or any other kind of post of acknowledgment in the monthly newsletter or anywhere online allows employees to feel like they are truly in the spotlight. It also gives them something to share or show off proudly to their friend and family. The memorable recognition of milestones such as an employee’s 5-years, 10-years, and 20-years anniversary of work is always a fun thing to highlight.
Instant Gratification
Recognizing achievements in real-time or trying to schedule them as close to the event as possible reinforces the behaviors you’re rewarding. When employees know that their efforts will not go unnoticed, they are more likely to take up an extra task and challenge themselves to continue to grow.
Give the Gift of Time Off
In today’s fast-paced work environment, work schedules are getting busier, and personal time seems to be getting shorter. Giving the gift of some time off breaks off from tradition, and goes a long way to boosting morale and minimizing the chance of burn-outs. Once an employee reaches the burnout stage, you’ll start to see absenteeism, low productivity, and higher company health costs, all of which you would want to avoid.
Creating a Culture of Recognition
Learn more about how Manage 4 Performance™ can help create the culture of recognition you’re looking for by connecting with one of our team members today!