Are you struggling to attract or retain your employees? Do your employees say that they are lacking motivation to do their job? Does the culture in your workplace advocate appreciation?
A survey by Gallup found that 65% of employees haven’t received any form of recognition for good work in the last year. Considering that most employees spend more time at work with their colleagues than they do at home with their family, being recognised and feeling appreciated is key to your employee’s satisfaction.
Recognition allows you to actively reinforce the behaviours and activities of employees that make a positive impact in your business. If an employee is going above and beyond in their job, living and breathing your company values and having a positive impact on business results; recognising this can go a long way towards encouraging and embedding these behaviours as the norm in your business.
Recognition can take on a number of forms, not just monetary.
Way to recognise your employees:
- Celebrate employee life events – birthdays, work anniversaries, new additions to the family (children and pets), engagements
- Give a gift card or voucher for a job well done
- Give away company branded merchandise e.g. t-shirts, pens, cups, hats
- Hold a regular morning tea/lunch to celebrate special events and recognise wins
- Do a shout out or employee spotlight on social media, slack channels, or in group chats
- Have a delivery sent to their home e.g. fruit basket, flowers, gift hamper
- Invite employees to work on a special project in a different area of the business
- Offer educational and training opportunities to improve their knowledge or skills e.g. seminars, conferences, certifications
- Ask employees for their input or opinion about a business decision
- Say thank you and congratulations – leave a handwritten note on their desk, send an email or say it in person. A simple thanks goes a long way
Be sure to personalise recognition and be honest and authentic in your approach. Not all employees want to be the centre of attention and others are happy to bask in the limelight. Think about how they will respond to the recognition and if it will encourage them to continue doing the same thing.
Making recognition part of your workplace doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Consider what will work for your business taking into account your budget, number of employees and their wants and needs when it comes to being recognized. Start small and watch the little changes add up to make a big difference with your employees.
Recognition done right looks like this:
- Employees feeling valued and adding value
- Improved employee retention
- Improved productivity
- Happier employees
- Engaged employees
If you want to take recognition to the next level, consider looking at an Employee Reward and Recognition system. Some HR Information systems already have this functionality built-in and can help you to easily embed your recognition practices in your business.
Your employees are the greatest asset in your business and your biggest advocates. Recognise and appreciate their contributions and watch them be empowered to continue making a positive impact in your business.
