To build a positive organizational culture and motivate employees, recognition is essential.
Think about the last time you finished a project or presentation and thought, “Wow, I did that!”. It probably felt pretty great, right?
That feeling is amplified when others take notice and appreciate your hard work.
A little recognition goes a long way in boosting morale and productivity. It makes you want to work just as hard on the next project and crush everything you do, every time! That feeling is why employee recognition is so important.
What is Employee Recognition?
Employee recognition is the practice of acknowledging and appreciating the contributions of employees within an organization. It can take many forms, such as:
- Public praise: Recognizing employees in team meetings, company-wide emails, or public announcements.
- Private praise: Giving individual feedback or expressing appreciation in one-on-one conversations.
- Awards and incentives: Offering tangible rewards like bonuses, gift cards, or promotions.
- Non-monetary rewards: Providing perks like extra time off, flexible work arrangements, or opportunities for professional development.
Different employees care about different things. Remember to ask your team members what they would prefer! At the end of the day, the goal of all employee recognition is to boost morale, increase job satisfaction, and foster a positive work environment.
Why is Recognition So Important?
Organizations that place a high priority on employee appreciation foster a culture where people feel appreciated, inspired, and more dedicated to their jobs. This is crucial in a world where the talent market is getting more and more competitive!
Beyond expressions of gratitude, recognition is a strategic tool that can boost output, increase employee engagement and lower turnover. In fact, one study found that turnover was reduced by 31% at companies with a strong culture of employee appreciation compared to businesses with weaker recognition programs.
It’s very much a low-cost, high-impact situation.
Let’s take a closer look at how recognition and psychology are closely related!
The Science Behind the Power of Recognition
Fun fact: there is a strong psychological foundation to the human need for approval, recognition, and appreciation.
Employees who feel appreciated and accomplished are more likely to feel like they belong, which boosts their motivation, contentment, and willingness to stay at your company (seen in the study linked above!).
An employee’s dedication to their task is fuelled by this positive emotional boost. Studies have indicated that when workers feel appreciated, they become more involved in their work and are more willing to put in extra effort. In fact, organizations that prioritize employee recognition are 12x more likely to have strong business outcomes!
Drive Business Growth with these Employee Recognition Tips
Appreciation needs to be a continuous process included in the everyday operations… rather than being restricted to formal occasions or yearly performance evaluations.
While it’s easy to get bogged down by the day-to-day in the workplace, it’s so important to make the time to recognize your team. At Envol, we dedicate time to celebrating our team’s work and achievements weekly during our team connects. We also use a special Slack channel (called #celebrate, for obvious reasons) to shout out our team throughout the week!
Here are some tips to keep in mind when driving employee recognition in your workplace:
- Managers are essential in acknowledging accomplishments of all sizes because they give prompt, targeted feedback. (Yes, even the small wins are important!)
- Peer recognition is just as important as manager recognition to creating a supportive and cooperative atmosphere.
- Recognize employee wins in real-time! This keeps it authentic and meaningful, ensuring your team members know their hard work is acknowledged.
- Recognize employee behaviours that you want to encourage amongst your team! (Pro tip: Align your recognition efforts with your organization’s core values to reinforce these positive behaviours and your company culture.)
- Establish formal recognition programs, where employees can get public recognition for their accomplishments or contributions to the success of the team.
- These programs could be shoutouts during meetings, employee of the month awards, or even company-wide recognition platforms that showcase individual or group achievements!
Promoting mutual recognition among staff members helps foster a culture of solidarity and support, strengthening the sense of teamwork.
Final Thoughts
The value of employee acknowledgment is priceless. It creates a foundation of trust, respect, and drive, and has the power to boost engagement, enhance output, and cultivate loyalty!
Companies that make recognition investments secure their long-term success by fostering a vibrant, driven workforce in addition to empowering their people.
Looking to implement innovative employee recognition programs in your business? We can help!
Connect with our team of HR specialists to chat about the right solutions and programs for your unique workplace.