What is Employee Recognition?
Employee recognition is the acknowledgment of positive workplace behaviors, work efforts, and achievements of an employee or team. Recognition in the workplace can be offered either publicly or privately to individual employees or teams, and it can include anything from monetary rewards to social media kudos. The method of recognition varies by organization, so employees may be acknowledged by their immediate supervisors, peers, senior leaders, or a mix of these sources.
Why is Employee Recognition Important?
According to Gallup, well-recognized employees are 45% less likely to have turned over two years later. Additionally, Nectar states that 77.9% of employees would be more productive if they were recognized more frequently. It is no surprise that recognizing positive employee work efforts is a strong motivator that leads to higher engagement and increased productivity. The following list highlights why employee recognition is not only beneficial but is in fact critical to creating high-performing teams.
- Boosts morale– The average work week guarantees that employees often spend more dedicated hours at their job than with their family and friends. Therefore, it is crucial that employees feel acknowledged by their teams and excited to be a part of their organization.
- Improves retention– Achievers tells us 88% of employees say that recognition increases their likelihood to stay with the company as well as refer others. An environment that publicly acknowledges hard work and achievements fosters an atmosphere that retains top talent.
- Bolsters workplace relationships– Giving recognition often feels even better than receiving it, but both sides experience a closer connection to their team. Knowing that teammates, managers, and executives know you and the efforts you make for the organization cultivates a deeper appreciation for one another. Offering honest and well-thought-out praise to a colleague stirs up appreciation in a different but equally impactful way.
- Drives a culture of values– When employee recognition is offered on the basis of displaying positive workplace behaviors, those organizational values become embedded into the everyday culture and language of the company. This approach turns static sentiments into operationalized core values.
What Makes Employee Recognition Impactful?
Impactful, culture-driving recognition should be strategic. Because it relies on observation and experience, parameters should be put in place to ensure that praise and recognition achieve their intended purpose without being excessive or insufficient. The following bullet points detail the components of effective recognition practices.
- In the moment– When a positive behavior is observed or a work feat is accomplished, it is important to acknowledge it then or shortly after. Kudos are most meaningful when they occur in the moment so the employee or employees know their efforts were seen and appreciated right then and there.
- Regular– Historically, recognition feedback was given exclusively during the annual performance review. This simply does not suffice. When employee recognition is scant, motivation decreases and morale takes a hit. On the other hand, if recognition is given too freely for every minor task, it loses its value, producing the opposite of the intended effect.
- Individualized– A blanket attaboy or attagirl can be nice, but specific, detailed recognition holds far more weight. Showing the individual exactly what was observed solidifies the significance of the accomplishment and encourages more positive behaviors.
- Values-based– Core values-based recognition provides an organizational standard of behaviors and creates a shared workplace language. Though employee recognition should not be solely restricted to a set of values, they should drive the bulk of praise given. This method offers employees tangible examples of what the value of Grit, Adaptability, or Collaboration looks like in an everyday work scenario, fortifying the culture the organization is trying to create.
- Tied to performance– When employees are evaluated based on both their performance efforts and their workplace behaviors, they are given a more holistic assessment of their contributions. Holding employees accountable for how they do or do not live out the values of the organization ensures they are held to a higher standard, encouraging them to take ownership of how they interact with clients and teammates.
20 Impactful Employee Recognition Ideas
1. Recognition Platform
The best and most efficient way to create meaningful recognition experiences is to utilize a user-friendly digital recognition tool. Ideally, employees should be able to easily recognize their colleagues with a few clicks in the tool and/or through an integrated communication platform, like Microsoft Teams or Slack.
2. Meeting Kudos
A simple but effective way to doll out praise is to give shoutouts to employees during team meetings in front of their peers. It is important to note that there are people who do not enjoy public recognition. In this case, it is best to offer kudos in a one-on-one meeting scenario.
3. Favorite lunch or dessert
There is nothing like your favorite local lunch or sweet treat spot to showing up at work because of a job well done. Sharing your preferred cuisine with coworkers creates a bonding experience- and it tastes great, too!
4. Bespoke Awards
Valtech Software awards a plush elephant, dubbed the Order of the Elephant, which is passed from coworker to coworker on a weekly circulation with the purpose of highlighting someone who has done a good deed observed by a fellow teammate. Company-specific awards, especially the fun and silly ones, go a long way to create long-lasting culture and make employees feel extra appreciated.
5. Recognizing Milestones
A verbal acknowledgment or a physical reward for work anniversaries and other milestones goes a long way to show employees that their tenure and dedication do not go unnoticed.
6. Monetary Rewards
A classic employee recognition offering comes in the form of cash, gift cards, or other forms of monetary gain. Though it may not have the lasting impact that other rewards do, it is a good option to offer every now and then.
7. Day Off
Nothing says “well done” like an impromptu day or half day off of work. Whether given to individuals or to all staff, leaders can show their appreciation for their teams’ hard work by offering a short break from the grind to rest and relax.
8. Volunteer Day
Giving employees a chance to give back to their communities during work hours by volunteering at their favorite nonprofit shows the organization cares for the passions of its employees and for the surrounding community in which they live and work.
9. The Gift of an Experience
A spa day, golf outing, or zip-lining outing awards employees by gifting them with an experience that perhaps they would not have purchased on their own. Tailoring the experiential gift goes the extra mile to show employees that they are seen and known by their team.
10. Handwritten Note
An old-school but thoughtful gesture is recognizing employees with a personal handwritten note. The former CEO of Campbell Soup, Doug Conant, quotes, “Believe it or not, I have sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes to employees over the last decade. On the face of it, writing handwritten notes may seem like a waste of time. But in my experience, they build goodwill and lead to higher productivity.”
11. Social Media Shout Out
Not only is giving employee recognition on the company’s social media outlets a rewarding experience for the individual, but it’s also great marketing for clients and future hires.
12. Team Outing
Recognizing groups of employees who have met or exceeded goals is a great way to honor their efforts while also encouraging team development. Building strong workplace relationships is a sign of increased employee engagement, so bringing high achievers together achieves both goals simultaneously.
13. Professional Development
Professional development is the gift that keeps on giving. Recognizing employees by offering a way to develop their skill sets, such as a paid-for webinar or ticket to an industry conference, shows employees that you notice their work and value them enough to help them grow professionally and personally.
14. SWAG
It may be “stuff we all get”, but company swag just makes people happy. A cool new mug, a branded trucker hat, or a fancy water bottle are practical, everyday items that will get used and will be walking advertisements for your organization.
15. Recognition Wall
For in-office folks, a physical wall dedicated to employee recognition is both a visual and a tangible way to boost morale, as well as motivate healthy competition for other colleagues who strive to get featured on the wall.
16. Office Party
Celebrating wins through a literal celebration is always a fun way to create a joyful, relaxed experience for coworkers. Some of the best workplace memories are made at office parties!
17. Invite a Friend to Work
An out-of-the-box idea to consider is to honor employee achievements by allowing them to bring their friend or family member to the office for lunch or to actually work together for a day. Showing your spouse or grandmother where you work and introducing them to your team fuels deeper personal connections and shows employees you care for their life outside of work.
18. Work Remotely
For in-office workers, allowing for a remote workday offers a nice break from their typical surroundings.
19. Subscription of Choice
Somewhere between a monetary reward and an experiential reward is the offer to pay for a time-bound subscription to the employee’s favorite skincare product, meat vendor, or the like. A curated box of the individual’s favorite health foods delivered to their door once a month for three months, as an example, truly personalizes employee recognition.
20. Team Vacation
Though large group travel is not a possibility for every organization, it is a fantastic way to show employee appreciation through a paid-for trip honoring their contributions. The ultimate team bonding experience, company vacations make for core memories and awesome group photos!
How WorkDove Drives Culture Through Recognition
Celebrating wins and sharing appreciation builds a healthy culture that fuels employee engagement. WorkDove offers you an employee recognition tool that integrates into your company workflows to celebrate performance and value alignment. With our recognition tool, you can keep in-office and remote teams more connected with a tool that streamlines positive feedback and recognition. With its integration capabilities, you can recognize value-centered performance via MS Teams, Slack, or the WorkDove app. For a tool that drives culture forward while harnessing the power of the core values that summarize the unique essence of your organization, try WorkDove today!
