Ensuring Employee Recognition in Your Company

Creating a Culture of Employee Recognition

Employee recognition is an important part of any successful organization. Showing your employees that you appreciate them can boost morale, motivate them, and improve overall performance. 

In today’s job market, where capable employees are difficult to find, a little appreciation can really go a long way. Telling your employees that you recognize their efforts can make them feel valued and appreciated, making them have a better state of well-being.

To further drive that point, MIT Sloan Management Review conducted a study that concluded that failure to recognize employee performance can trigger employee resignation up to 2.9 times more. MIT’s research shows how critical it is to show your employees that you appreciate their work.

There are different ways to create a culture of recognition. Some companies have formal recognition ceremonies, while others rely on more informal gestures of appreciation. However, what’s always important is how you conduct these gestures of appreciation.

In this article, we tell you all about the best practices you should have to make your employee recognition process effective. 

The Importance of Employee Recognition

No business can thrive without its employees. 

The people behind your company shape the culture and services that you provide; and with how hard it is to find great team members, you must put in the work to retain talent by making them feel appreciated.

In a research conducted by Great Place to Work, they’ve shown that recognition is one of the top motivators for employees to perform at work. The act of recognizing your employees is an essential part of your company’s process. It’s what can make employees feel more welcome in your business and make them feel that they have a purpose. 

Another reason to do this is because employee appreciation can boost morale and foster a positive work environment for everyone. When employees feel good about their work and their contributions, they’re more likely to be happy.

Best Practices for Implementing Employee Recognition

Now that you know how important employee recognition is, we’ve listed our best practices on how to give your employees those extra words of encouragement.

Be Sincere

Being genuine is the most important part of employee recognition.

Giving off compliments can be great, but when it comes to work, you want to give your employees your full attention and make them understand why you appreciate what they’ve done. Be specific when you’re recognizing their efforts and don’t be afraid to let them know exactly why you appreciate them. 

Be Considerate

Each employee is different. Some employees thrive on public displays of approval, while others find that private appreciation is much better because they don’t want the attention. Taking notes and knowing how your employees want to be appreciated is a critical part of this process. 

For example, some employees may like an organic post on social media about their achievements, while others may be more private about what they’ve accomplished. Failing to know when to do what can lead to an employee feeling awkward about this genuine appreciation.

Take some time to pull your team aside and ask them about their preferences. This shows them that you genuinely care about them and their boundaries.

Be Timely

We all know how hard it is to get into the flow of work. This is why you should be mindful of the time when you give your praises. Make sure that your employee isn’t too deep into their work when you recognize their efforts. Otherwise, you may just end up disturbing them from their work.

Ideally, you may want to give it at the start of the day or after lunch so that they can have a better headspace to navigate workplace stress.

Be Specific

Recognition without specificity can make a positive statement fall flat. You can avoid this by telling your employees the importance of their contribution to the business and showing them how their work affects the bigger picture. This can help solidify their feeling of belongingness to the organization because they see that their work helps the team progress.

It’s also good practice to recognize your team’s good work in day-to-day operations and to celebrate milestones. 

Be a Leader

As a leader, you know that you’ve got to walk the talk. If you want to have a good culture in your company, then you must set an example.

Recognizing your team’s efforts and showing them how important it is for you to speak out your appreciation can set the tone for everyone on your team as well. 

Peer-to-peer recognition can be just as important as supervisor recognition. This is because your subordinates work closely with each other, so the recognition from their teammates can make them feel better about their environment and work.

Be Generous

Finally, don’t just tell your team that you appreciate them once and never do it again.

Be generous with your gratitude and create a positive environment that’s full of appreciation and collaboration. 

Maximizing Employee Recognition With Digital Tools

Creating a culture of employee recognition takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the long run. By recognizing your employees’ work, you can create a more motivated and engaged workforce, boost morale, and improve performance.

But, if you manage a large team, you may have a harder time recognizing everyone. This is why you should utilize digital tools to help you, like Tap My Back. With Tap My Back you can align, recognize, and engage with all of your employees with just a push of a button.

Written by Jerry Little

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