When it comes to your business, do you really take the time to recognise your employees?
With more and more companies shifting towards remote work, it can be difficult to keep employees engaged.
That’s why recognising your employees, both in public and in private, is so important. From our years of experience in hiring and working with a 100% remote team, here are some things we’ve found to be effective regarding genuine employee recognition.
Give sincere, specific recognition
Employees will feel more comfortable and valued in the workplace when they are recognised for the positive impact they are making on the business.
- Acknowledge the work they’re doing
- Thank them for their efforts
- Make them feel special
- Show them you care
- Show that you are listening and paying attention to what they’re saying and doing
- Show that you think about them, and what’s important to them
Public recognition of your employees
Singing someone’s praises to their face, well, that’s a given.
Shouting about their awesomeness to the world or even just so your team knows this one person has created a little magic for one of your clients is absolutely key.
These are the employees who get things done and do so with a smile on their face. These team members help you out when you need it most, are willing to go above and beyond their role description, and make your life easier by taking on extra work.
Don’t forget to recognise the employees who are working hard but not getting recognition for it. These people might not be doing anything spectacular or noteworthy, but they are doing what they can within their job description and meeting deadlines as best as possible.
Don’t hesitate to acknowledge these employees for their hard work because this will make them smile. It could also encourage them to continue working effectively and with a smile on their face.
Make recognition a regular occurrence
It’s all the small things that add up.
Winning a big contract is fantastic. However, the person who is consistently able to support that person who wins the deals is key to genuinely recognising your employees.
All too often the sales team get all the plaudits. However, a strong administrator can make or break a sales deal!
Recognition is not something you should save for the big achievements or the obvious like the sales team. It can be used to celebrate all sorts of employee milestones.
For example: whenever one of our People Partners here at YPP confirms the perfect match between the hiring manager and candidate, the whole team is involved to celebrate the win. This is great for not just personal recognition but also team-building and staff morale.
If you want recognition to become a regular occurrence, then make sure that it’s built into your company culture. When employees see that management is taking the time out of their busy schedules (and often long work days) to give praise and thanks for even the small achievements, they will be encouraged by this positive reinforcement and feel more motivated at work.
Make it a team effort
- Top-down recognition is obvious… and the happiest companies don’t rely on managers praising their teams alone.
- Your employees have a serious part to play.
- Ensure your employees recognise each other.
- Have your team comment and praise each other’s work.
- Celebrate achievements and recognise good performance, particularly publicly in front of the team or at a team meeting.
- This can be done by presenting an employee (or group of employees) with an award such as an Employee of the Month award or even a gold star sticker on their desk!
- Let everyone know that you are taking time to acknowledge their efforts, which will make them feel valued by you and your company.
- Give feedback to individuals as well as teams on how they can do things better next time around – this should be done regularly so that people don’t get complacent!
- We all like a pat on the back sometimes, but it’s also good practice for us and others around us because we can learn from one another too!
Take time to celebrate the small successes
Don’t wait!
Do not wait for the big wins to celebrate your team and each other’s efforts.
Take time to celebrate small wins as well as big ones.
Small wins help build momentum for the bigger wins, and they also help build confidence in your employees.
Celebrate these achievements publicly and with the person who achieved them so that everyone can see what great work is being done.
Recognition doesn’t have to be a grand gesture
It’s important to remember that even the smallest of actions can make a big difference in your employee’s life. For example, when an employee volunteers for a difficult task or achieves a personal goal, one of the most effective ways to show your appreciation is by telling them how awesome you think they are (something we do on a regular basis).
Sometimes just a simple thank you can go a long way.
Ultimately, by getting to know your employees and what they value, you’ll be able to genuinely recognise them. There are so many benefits to taking some time to show recognition, ranging from creating a positive space for your employee’s mental health to coming together as a supportive team unit.
Wondering how other business owners recognise their employees? Why not start a conversation over on LinkedIn?
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Still need help?
If you would like more advice regarding to the recruitment process, feel free to get in touch with the team at Your People Partners. We love to help!
Last updated: 27th October 22
Applies to: Business Owners and Managers
