What is Employee Recognition, And Does It Matter?
The concept of motivating your workforce isn’t exactly new but the metaphor of using “the carrot and the stick” is incredibly outdated now. Employee recognition simply means, acknowledging the efforts of an individual or a team for hitting targets or doing a job well. It doesn’t have to be a costly outlay either; although monetary incentives are positive and hold some merit, they are by no means required.
How Employee It Impacts You
If one of your goals for 2019 is to reduce staff turnover or to increase productivity then employee recognition is an effective and positive solution. There is a stereotypical perception that praising an individual employee will discourage team spirit and reduce overall motivation. However, in most cases, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Far from reducing motivation, recognising staff and celebrating achievements can reinforce respect between co-workers and lead to greater employee satisfaction levels, in fact it’s been shown that it actually increases motivation and aspirational drive! It creates mutual feelings of appreciation which is an organic way to improve interactions between management and employees.
The secondary benefit (as if having a happy and motivated staff wasn’t enough!) is that employees with a greater happiness level are more likely to demonstrate loyalty to your company. If personal growth is accommodated and celebrated, they are far less likely to look elsewhere for satisfying opportunities!
It sounds simple and it really is!
How To Start Using Employee Recognition
So, now you’re aware of a few of the benefits that employee recognition can bring to your staff and business let’s outline a few ways you can start using it:
1 – Be Specific.
Even though “Great work this week” is always nice to hear, it could be seen as a nicety like saying “have a nice weekend” rather than as acknowledging the hard work that has been put in. Instead, call them into your office or take them aside and personally thank them. Saying something along the lines of “Jessica, I really appreciated you completing the quarterly report ahead of schedule, they were clear and accurate. Thank you” carries far more meaning and sincerity, as you’ve taken the time to recognise what they have achieved and personally thanked them for a job well done.
2 – Employee of the Month.
Sometimes the oldies are still goodies. Having an employee of the month award or an employee celebration award is a great way to boost morale. You could choose the employee based on the targets or goals they’ve achieved that month or the level of improvement they’ve made. Alternatively, you could have the team vote or nominate a person they feel has surpassed expectations.
3 – Bonus and Incentives
If everyone has pulled together and had a fantastic week you may not want to single out an individual. You can just as easily thank a specific team or your entire staff for their contributions and success. In addition to personal ‘thank you’s’ buying some doughnuts for a team or springing for an employee buffet lunch on Friday afternoon is a great perk which will lift everyone’s mood and display your recognition for their achievements.
Why Should You Implement It?
Overall, employee recognition benefits the person praised and motivates other employees to achieve. It will also reflect your management skills and your company in a positive and affirmational light. The benefits drawn from this can mean an increase in employee satisfaction and greater staff retention. It could even lead to greater interest from people seeking work. After all, everyone wants an employer who demonstrates respect for employees and recognition of achievements.
Give it a try and then thank us later.
Have a great week!
The Fresh Perspective Team x