By: Helios on December 30th, 2013
The 4 Best Guidelines to Follow for Employee Recognition
Winter is the time for hot cocoa, snow days, and holidays. It is also often the time for performance reviews and budgets. With this in mind, how can you take the opportunity this season to effectively recognize your employees without blowing the bank?
If you follow these recommended guidelines, you will find that recognition does not have to be costly to be effective.
The 4 Best Guidelines to Follow for Employee Recognition
The Sooner the Better
- The sooner you recognize an employee, the stronger the impact.
- When you immediately recognize an employee, the reinforcement of the behavior they exhibited is stronger.
Recognize Often
- High performing employees crave recognition.
- Frequent recognition leads to improved motivation, engagement, and overall productivity.
Be Sincere
- To be sincere, be specific.
- Generalized recognition is not nearly as motivating as specific recognition.
- Provide employees with details around specifically what they did to earn your appreciation and why it is important to the organization. This will also help other employees to understand what behaviors are expected and appreciated in your organization.
Make it Personal
- Don’t underestimate the power of the handwritten note.
- Thoughtful, personalized appreciation makes a bigger impact than a generic gift card.
- Provide your employees with low-cost awards and appreciation that are especially meaningful to them.
When employees feel appreciated, they are more committed and willing to put in the extra effort. Socialcast reported that 69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated. Yet, only 14% of organizations provide managers with the necessary tools for rewards and recognition.