If your company doesn’t yet have a program in place for employee recognition, it might be time to consider how instituting some kind of program can help you create a positive, affirming, and productive company atmosphere. Whether you give out crystal plaques or a best boss award, here are a few thoughts on how to plan out ways to encourage your staff in a way that makes your organization more successful:
It Really Works
Of companies that try instituting employee recognition programs, 86% see a real increase in happiness. Whether that recognition is weekly or monthly, in the form of crystal plaques or bonuses, recognizing the hard work and efforts of the your employees is a great way to create a community culture that fosters excellence. And not only does this increase satisfaction and incentivize productivity, it also allows you to stay in keep in closer touch with what’s happening among staff. A 2015 Psychometrics study found that 58% of those responding said leaders could improve their engagement with employees by giving them recognition for their work and services.
Lack of Recognition is a Key Reason Why Employees Leave or Burn Out
Nothing hurts like pouring all your life into a project, taking home work every night, and going above and beyond only to be met by silence. No thank you. No follow up. This is emotionally devastating and every time it happens, your employees feel disconnected and unappreciated. Unappreciated people go looking for validation elsewhere; or they simply stop caring.
Don?t Limit Yourself
You can definitely give awards for specific milestones within the company, like a retirement award, but think outside the box, as well. A plaque of appreciation for particularly outstanding service can be a good idea, but even marking a milestone for an employee outside of work, like with graduation plaques, can go a long way towards creating a positive culture.
Fix Goals and Work Towards Them
A lot of employee recognition is haphazard. Either every little thing gets recognized till nothing seems special, or recognition is so infrequent that it ceases to be any kind of meaningful motivation. Identify what actions and behaviors you want to foster, and then meaningfully reward them. This can be a monetary reward, letters of recognition, or something like engraved crystal plaques; but whatever it is, it should be tied to specific things. Just remember that the program will only work to motivate if you are fair, clear, and consistent.
Your employees are a huge part of a successful business, so keeping the good ones and attracting new talent–and then keeping everyone both satisfied and motivated–should be top on your list of priorities.
