While many business leaders and HR managers focus on trying to give employees the best salary possible or top perks such as bonuses, company cars, and the like, it is important to realize that recognition should be a crucial part of any HR strategy too.
Workers of all ages want to feel their efforts and results are acknowledged and appreciated in the workplace. To increase employee engagement then, it is vital that you continually look for ways to recognize your team. Read on for some key benefits to be enjoyed from focusing on this tactic, plus some tips for doing so effectively.
Reasons to Concentrate on Recognition
There are multiple benefits to be had from regularly recognizing the efforts and results of your employees. For starters, workers always tend to feel a lot more valued when their managers notice their hard work, and they will usually find their jobs and the workplace more enjoyable as a result.
Because staff members are happier when they feel appreciated, they are much more likely to stay in their jobs and not keep looking for another role elsewhere. This is a great outcome for employers. When your turnover rates drop, you not only keep all that valuable business knowledge in house, instead of seeing it walking out the door, but you also save time and money on recruitment and training.
Having happier workers also leads to a more positive company culture. When you improve the culture, all employees, not just the ones who have been specifically recognized, will tend to be more motivated, innovative, productive, and engaged. By appreciating your team, everyone in the workplace will feel that they are part of an organization that really cares about its employees and that’s worth being loyal to.
From here, you will find additional benefits arise. For example, employees will usually speak about their company very favorably to others, which not only means better branding all round, but which will help you attract top talent when you’re hiring. Firms that recognize their team members tend to get a positive reputation as being a great place to work, and therefore are at the head of the list when the best candidates for roles decide which jobs to take.
Improved morale within your business from regularly recognizing your staff members will also create a stronger, more cohesive team. Furthermore, you’ll have fewer disagreements that need sorting out in the workplace. Higher levels of customer service usually arise from happier, more engaged employees too. A group of workers who are positive and pleased to be in their jobs will be more likely to go out of their way to help customers and to be pleasant with everyone they deal with during the day.
Top Tips for Handling Recognition Effectively
When it comes to recognizing your valued staff members, you’ll find there are many different ways you can go about the process. This usually comes down to the preferred methods of the various leaders and managers within the company (each may like to do things a bit differently); as well as the budget you have available to spend and how often you want to praise and reward people.
If your budget is tight, keep in mind that one of the best ways to acknowledge the efforts and results of employees is to actually just thank them. By using sincere, direct, authentic, specific, and timely words of gratitude, you can make people feel special in just a couple of sentences. You can thank your workers in-person (this can be one-on-one or in front of a group); write a letter, note, card, or email; call or Skype them; or mention their name in a company-wide newsletter or public social-media post.
Another good way to acknowledge staff members is to create company awards. You might choose to set up an “Employee of the Month” program, whereby you recognize a worker every few weeks; or you might choose to have award plaques, certificates, trophies, and other types of awards designed and handed out in recognition ceremonies you hold as and when you feel the need. It can be fun to throw celebratory parties every so often, too, where you can treat people to food and drinks and recognize top workers. Similarly, taking employees out for meals to acknowledge their achievements can also work well.
Some other options you can consider to recognize employees who have gone above and beyond include: giving them additional work responsibilities or the promotions they have been hoping to receive; giving them time off or a cash bonus; or rewarding them with things like gift cards, tickets to movies or events, hampers, chocolates, and bottles of wine, or a better parking space, more flexible working hours, or other office perk.