Employee Recognition

There’s very little that has the positive, far-reaching, culture-building effects of genuine employee recognition. Rough economy? Difficult product launch? It becomes even more essential that you intentionally, consistently acknowledge the accomplishments of your team. Not only will your staff feel appreciated and motivated, it creates a natural platform that showcases the kinds of behaviors and outcomes that create your organizational culture.

Send an Email
Perhaps the simplest way to start is to set a target to send 2-4 emails that thank or acknowledge someone else’s contribute. Be specific – what caught your attention and why do you appreciate it? Doing so builds your relational capital and creates an environment where employees are confident their work is seen and valued.

Create a Recognition Program
Develop a structure and metrics to assess effectiveness. This kind of program is a fantastic culture-building tool as it gives you a platform to define how you measure success. Give particular thought to how you plan to engage your people – whether that’s management down or peer-to-peer. Give special attention to the communication strategy supporting your program. A great program can fail if it’s not effectively communicated and the results celebrated.

Empower Leaders
Anyone that you’ve trusted to lead a team should also be empowered to recognize and reward the employee they manage. Even if you have a company-wide recognition strategy, be sure to communicate to your key leaders that you want it to be a priority for them to engage with their team regularly, acknowledging their efforts and results.

Make Rewarding… Rewarding
Creating a program but cutting all funding from your budget in the area of reward and recognition undermines the value at a foundational level. Even when dollars are tight, it’s important to realize that investing in your people brings about performance, which contributes to the bottom line.