Employee Recognition 101

I can’t tell you the number of times people have told me that they don’t feel appreciated at work. They say they feel tired, run down, and as if the work they do is going unnoticed or doesn’t make sense. Many times people may just need some time away from the office to recharge. Other times, the problem more than likely is because there is a lack of employee recognition where they work. Employee recognition is the acknowledgement of the contributions made by an employee to a project or to general achievement of the goals of the workplace. Take a minute to think. Have you acknowledged the efforts made by your team or colleagues? Do you want to recognize the work done by your team but don’t know where to start? Keep reading for some ideas on giving employees credit for a job well done.

1. Commend employees during team meetings. At the team meeting is an opportune time to recognize employees. It is good to put their work on display because it makes them feel good, and it also motivates other colleagues on the team to work hard because they see that the work is acknowledged. Next time you have a group meeting, make sure to not only talk about what can be done better, but where everyone excelled.

2. Employee appreciation day! Employee appreciation day is celebrated on the first Friday in March every year. You can use that opportunity to show appreciation to all employees. If that date isn’t feasible for your company for whatever reason, set aside your own day to acknowledge your staff. You can do team builder activities or have a staff luncheon on that day. Do whatever makes sense for your organization and team.

3. Get creative. Once you have support from the top, why not offer employees a free day off, a gift certificate to a place of their choice, or a dinner for two? These are just some options that you can give to staff in recognition of their good work. A friend of mine told me that where they worked allowed employees who were being recognized for their contributions to spin a wheel to get a prize. I’m sure that those ideas would get staff talking, and get them more motivated and engaged.

4. Just say thank you. You would be surprised how a simple thank you can go a long way. You don’t want employees to feel as if they are robots who are just there to get a paycheck. You want the team to feel valued and that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. By showing gratitude, you show the employees that you appreciate their loyalty to the team and to the organization. In the long run, employees will feel a sense of pride in what they do and will give of their best.

Employee recognition can take many forms, but ultimately the end goal is to ensure that staff feel appreciated and motivated. Hoping you were inspired to implement some employee recognition initiatives where you work.

#PeritusSundays #Perituscanhelp #employeerecognition #employeeengagement #appreciation #teambuilding