Even when people succeed, inevitably there will be failures and challenges along the way; depending on the project, there may not even be tangible results to point to. If you focus solely on praising positive outcomes, on recognition , you miss out on lots of opportunities to connect with and support your team members — to appreciate them. Recognition and appreciation. We often use these words interchangeably, and think of them as the same thing.
Recognition is about giving positive feedback based on results or performance. Sometimes this happens in a formal way: an award, a bonus, a promotion, a raise. Sometimes recognition is given more informally: a verbal thank you, a handwritten note.
But there are some limits to recognition. Fourth, it generally has to come from the top. In addition, awards and incentives can keep employees motivated and reinforce organizational expectations and goals during times when merit budgets are small or frozen, promotions are scarce, health care premiums are on the rise and overall job satisfaction is low.
See 7 Affordable Ways to Boost Morale. Employers should provide a clear, written policy and guidelines describing the recognition program and its terms, including:. When defining the decision-making process and the levels of approval required to receive an award, authority and responsibility for program administration should be distributed as widely as possible in the organization. The organization should communicate both the criteria and examples of the types of work behaviors that warrant an award.
This communication will help all employees understand how to judge the desired outcomes. It will also ensure timely recognition, which is necessary for the program to be effective. In many organizations, performance reviews for managers and supervisors include a section on how well they reward and recognize strong performers in their respective departments or divisions.
Knowing that they will be measured on how well they have used the available tools for motivating employee results tends to help reluctant managers focus on using the programs. Some employees may not be as motivated as others by an organization's incentives, so organizations should offer a variety of incentives and recognition opportunities to meet various employee needs.
For example, some workers may be motivated more by time off than by money while other employees may find bonus incentives more attractive. Because job types, job levels, work locations and working environments differ, offering a variety of both cash and noncash incentives is usually most effective in making the program meaningful to all participants. Finally, when designing a recognition program, allow it to be adjusted later as circumstances warrant—new situations may suggest new ways to recognize employees.
For a recognition program to be effective it should meet several criteria. The program should be well-funded, aligned with organizational goals, appropriate for employees' achievements and timely. The methods of presenting awards must be managed well, with managers themselves playing key roles. The process for choosing and recognizing employees should be straightforward, and the program should be reviewed and evaluated regularly.
The key to success for a recognition program is management's commitment of resources. During the budgeting process for the year ahead, the organization should earmark funds for the program and establish methods for distributing the funds to departments, divisions or subsidiaries.
Managers must dedicate the resources—including the time it takes to plan and execute a program—and must enable employees and supervisors to run the program.
Through this process, managers can see that the distribution is fair and equitable and that the money is allocated and immediately available to fund the program once it is announced to employees. Recognition programs are most successful when they are aligned with the organization's mission, vision, values and goals. Employees can tell if there is—or is not—a clear connection between what management says is important and what is actually rewarded at work.
Employees must understand the rationale for a recognition program and should be convinced that the awards are in line with the achievement and the degree of effort they represent. A recognition system will falter if employees feel that their work is trivialized or even insulted by inconsequential incentives or insincere gestures of appreciation. Awards should be consistent with the employee's achievement and meaningful to the person receiving it.
An employee who completes a two-year project should be rewarded in a more substantial manner than an employee who does a quick favor for a manager.
Program participants must believe that the recognition system is just and objective. Thus, all employees who meet the criteria for receiving an award should be included and recognized. And employers must make certain that the awards are in keeping with the organization's culture; what works in one environment may not work in another. One way to ensure that the program is seen as appropriate is to give employees a role in guiding its direction.
Some organizations have employees take part in choosing incentive recipients and in selecting rewards. The reward or recognition should be delivered as close as possible to the time of the desired behavior to strengthen the link between the employee's action and the result to the organization.
When asked what would make their company better, the employees who felt unrecognized responded with phrases that indicated feelings of unfair treatment and a manipulative work environment.
While there is no universal program for every organization, there are five key elements of meaningful employee recognition that all managers can use. Recognition is more meaningful when it is tied to a specific accomplishment or business objective. When recognizing employees, explaining what the recognition is for helps employees relate the recognition to their behavior.
This encourages continued strong performance. The longer it takes for managers to recognize employees, the less likely employees will see the affirmations as authentic. Make employee recognition a priority and have formal recognition systems in place so you can strike while the iron is hot. There is a great deal of research that indicates people are motivated by more than just cold hard cash.
It is also important to note that everyone has their own preference or style when it comes to giving and receiving appreciation. Get a clearer picture of the primary language of appreciation in a work setting of every individual. Then, recognize them accordingly.
Beyond a bonus or a raise, consider customized gifts, taking them out for dinner or other acts that show employees their reward is personalized to them. Writing handwritten notes, or using the intranet to promote the good behaviors of individuals, can help instill a regular culture of employee recognition. Recognition helps employees see that their company values them and their contributions to the success of their team and the company overall.
This is particularly key when organizations grow or change. It helps employees build a sense of security in their value to the company, motivating them to continue great work. Beyond measures of productivity and performance, employers can use recognition as a catalyst for widespread positive organizational change by engaging employees, connecting teams, and fostering a culture of appreciation.
Nearly every company can benefit from implementing or improving its existing recognition practices. Want to learn more about employee appreciation and the value it can bring to your team? Here's the next piece of the puzzle:.
Elle is a professional management consultant and Founder of Better Living with Design. Bonusly is a fun, personal employee recognition and rewards platform that helps people feel engaged and successful at work. Get notified when new Bonusly features are available and learn how to build and support your culture of recognition. We just launched Signals! Never miss an update Get our latest features and best practices in your inbox. Stay Connected Get more tips about making work fun, recognizing employees, and building great company cultures by subscribing to our biweekly newsletter.
What do we mean by employee recognition, and why does it matter? Benefits of recognition Giving effective recognition Best practices for recognition programs While the interest in addressing recognition in the workplace may be recent, psychological research has well-documented evidence of our need to be appreciated, respected, and acknowledged.
Getting started with Bonusly Pro. Run employee incentive programs with Manual Awards. May 21, by Elisse Lockhart. How to get the most out of Bonusly Profile pages.
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