“While you might think employees only want monetary rewards or promotions to celebrate success, workers also appreciate public recognition for their wins. A simple “great job!” or “thanks for the hard work!” can be enough to encourage employees and make them feel appreciated,” according to an expert panel of the Forbes Agency Council.
Employee recognition can be challenging without a budget, so how can managers reward employees for driving motivation? According to O.C. Tanner, these are the best ways thriving companies reward employees:
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Make recognition an experience
Employee recognition should be more than a transaction; it should be an experience. New York-Presbyterian built a fun, exciting employee recognition program that creates recognition moments which reflect their culture of respect. You can read more about this program here.
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Base your recognition program around your company values
Employee recognition should be given when employees demonstrate what’s important to the company. Acknowledging employees daily and using public recognition help employees feel appreciated and reinforce their company values. A good idea would be to share stories of how employees live those values. See for example, Mondelēz’s strategy to motivate employees.
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Build a connection with recognition
Since the pandemic, employees feel more disconnected than ever from their organizations and each other. Whether it’s thanking someone for displaying a positive attitude in hard times, recognizing an employee for helping a customer or colleague, or celebrating a work milestone, be sure to create a sense of community for employees and keep them connected, no matter where they are working from.
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Make every recognition reward personal
Great examples of employee recognition awards that are personal include customized awards, awards with personal messages from peers and leaders, and symbolic awards that reflect the company’s culture and history. Find some creative examples here.
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Celebrate every work anniversary
Work anniversaries are a great way to ensure everyone feels seen and appreciated. So acknowledging this within the company and making a simple gift to the employee can make them feel valued.
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Offer timely, immediate recognition
Research shows there is a 71% decrease in feelings of appreciation when recognition is not given after employees make an extra effort —which means recognition’s impact diminishes the longer you wait to give it.
What strategies does your company use to recognize their employees? Share some new ideas in the comments below.
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2 Comments
I think some times people forget how important Recognition is. Feeling appreciated and valued goes a long way.
2 years agoRecognition can be as simple as letting someone know you’ve noticed their hard work/efforts/input. Yes, grander recognition can be great too, but it’s also nice to know you’ve been seen.
1 year ago