Introduction to Employee Recognition
Receiving accolades from your employer for your work is the basic description of “employee recognition.” Organizations that acknowledge, appreciate, and praise their juniors are recognizing their performance in one way or the other. A simple gesture in the form of a “thank you” mail or a spontaneous pat on the back is a proven metric to boost employee motivation levels.
The Importance of Recognition in Organizational Culture
Surveys all over the globe have revealed that recognition-rich culture benefits the entire organization. While “employee recognition” is self-explanatory, it is easily forgotten in no time. The top brass are constantly challenged in the smooth running of their empire and hence leave no stone unturned to keep their employees happy. Thus dawned the employee recognition program, especially to uplift employee motivation. Highlighting achievements through formal rewards programs, with the CEO’s coming forward to do the honors, appeals to the employees in general.
Do Recognition Programs Actually Work?
What comes to mind is: do these recognition programs actually work? Needless to say, these programs are cost-friendly—i.e., even a small percentage of increment goes a long way in inducing employee motivation. There is a thin line of difference between recognition and appreciation. Valuing your employees’ views and contributions is appreciation. On the other hand, recognition is an act of showing appreciation. Keeping in mind the well-being of their workforce, employers in general are of the opinion that recognition is, in fact, an investment rather than a cost.
The Power of Recognition and Appreciation
Recognition is all about the effort and contribution put by the juniors which are noticed and well appreciated. At any given point, most of the employees are happy with small gestures like a simple ‘thank you.’ However, recognition and generous appreciation coming from the employer act as a great booster. Besides paying people fairly for the work they do, employers must not miss the opportunity to highlight when employees achieve various milestones in their tenure or for their outstanding behavior, applauding the valuable contributions of their workers who are instrumental in scripting the success of the organization.
Retention and Engagement Through Recognition
Having the best talented staff on board is in itself an achievement for any employer. But to retain them for the long term is equally essential. Recognition and engagement go hand in hand.
Building Personal Connections for Effective Recognition
Knowing your employees on a one-to-one basis, like personal interaction, helps in effective recognition and engagement and correlates strongly with higher retention. In the present competitive work scenario, research has revealed that workplaces where employees are not given recognition feel demotivated and thereby leave the organization with a high attrition rate.
The Impact of Recognition on Employee Loyalty
Employees, when appreciated and valued, tend to be committed, which in turn enhances loyalty and focus on their work. As a result, the chances of the employees leaving to find work elsewhere diminish.
Monetary vs. Non-Monetary Recognition
From an employee’s point of view, the top three forms of recognition desired by them are monetary-based. Although money plays a vital role, one must not forget that the new generation places equal emphasis on other forms of appreciation, such as a pat on the back, expressing gratitude for the extra effort, or a personalized but simple “Thank You” message from the higher-ups, all of which act as great motivation boosters. A survey released by LinkedIn earlier this year reveals that 70% of workers would readily work harder if they are recognized for their effort. Being held in high esteem by their peers is one of the biggest motivators.
The Role of HR Managers in Employee Engagement
Engagement and recognition are intertwined and cannot be separated. HR Managers of larger organizations should constantly interact with their workers, thereby bringing them closer and understanding their needs, which is an essential ingredient for a successful and smooth-running company.
Creating a Sense of Belonging Through Recognition
A sense of belonging and security is felt by workers when they are included in all the important discussions, decision-making meetings, etc., and finally publicly recognized for the hard work they put in. Recognition has a direct correlation with one’s sense of belonging, whereas work engagement is the degree to which people enjoy the work they do, are committed to the task, and thereby reinforce work engagement.
Traditional and Modern Forms of Recognition
The tried-and-true rewards for the deserving employees depend upon:
- Length of the tenure
- Outstanding achievement during their work period
- Adding quality to work or cracking a deal with a new client.
A decade ago, the only tangible awards one knew were on-the-spot bonuses in the form of cash or gift vouchers, thank-you notes, or at the most, paid travel vouchers.
Shifting Trends in Employee Recognition
A new wave has emerged wherein millennials, besides expecting a substantial salary, want real-time feedback. Recognition need not be a public announcement or financial rewards. Emphasis has now shifted from retrospective performance to honest feedback recognition tactics.
Innovative Recognition Strategies
New, bright, and innovative ideas have worked wonders when acknowledging workers, and these are all value-based recognition programs. In a 2017 Globoforce study, a whopping 93% of workers said their hard work holds meaning when such initiatives are taken by the employers. One cannot fathom the feeling when you are showered with praises for your successful work. These super strategies not only bring a grin to the employees’ faces but also strengthen the ties between the employer and his workers.
Empowering Employees in Decision-Making
A new approach where employees, although less experienced, are invited to attend high-level and important decision-making meetings, giving them the initiative to put their views across, thereby bolstering their sense of well-being and raising their self-confidence a notch up too, is being applied by managers these days. Such tactics are proven to be sure-shot workforce productivity boosters as they burgeon employee motivation levels, leading to 100% employee engagement and focus.
References:
- “How recognition and engagement work in tandem” by Valerie Bolden-Barrett, Nov 26,2018.
- “Why your business needs employee recognition programs?” by Human Resources at Paychex Dec 6 2019.
- “Building employee engagement through recognition” by Tandem HR March 1, 2018.
