For those, who have worked in a corporate setting, must be familiar with the appreciation gift. But is it truly what you deserve? Because most of the time, the recognition gifts are presented with little thought behind them which does more to hurt.
Your employees deserve more than just a ‘Thank you'. Moreover, in today’s workplace employee recognition is a firm need and no longer a nice-to-have gesture. As per the latest survey, 40% of the employees feel that the recognition they receive at their workplace is a mere empty gesture.
If you haven’t put much thought behind this, here are the reasons why you should.
5 Key reasons for appreciating are:
i) Engagement
Be it a small or a big corporate set-up, employees are the backbone. But most of the time due to less or no recognition, a corporate setup sees a decrease in its reputation. One way to curb this is by engaging with the employees.
Doubling recognition in an institution leads to a steady increase in employee engagement. The impact gets even better if you choose to frequently recognize them. It boosts them morally. When you connect with your employees, it creates a satisfying workplace culture and boosts them to work even harder!
ii) Increase in Productivity
This is obvious, isn’t it? When employees know and feel that they’re appreciated, it reflects in their work. As per a survey, 90% of the employees say that frequent recognition motivates them to put in more effort. This way you can see a steady improvement in their performance and productivity.
If you haven’t done this already, try and implement some specific recognition actions to contribute to the organization’s success.
iii) Employee Retention
Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to stick with an organization for a longer period. When you have a strong culture of appreciation and recognition at your workplace, you can see a higher employee retention rate.
iv) Satisfaction
A happy workplace results in a steady growth of the organization. When your employees are satisfied and happy with their job and work culture, it directly affects their quality of work. Appreciated employees put in their best to drive results.
v) Happy Customers
One could write a thousand ways to make the customers happy. But when an appreciated employee gets to work, they put their entire focus on the company’s customers. If you frequently recognize your employees, you can quickly spot an increase in the customer satisfaction level.
Remember happy employee = happy client!
But sadly, almost half of the employees in today’s date aren’t satisfied with their level of appreciation and recognition. Recognition is about the sincerity behind your actions.
The amount of time, dedication, and sincerity the employees invest in a company is worth recognition. Show your employees that you value them with a pinch of creativity. After all, a little push can indeed go a long way!
Each company works in its unique way. And, what works for you might not work for the rest. Generally speaking, you can hold recognition programs. But before that, learn the Employee Recognition types which serve the various purposes.
Types of Employee Recognition:
1. Micro recognition
This is a day-to-day recognition that is more frequent. You could appreciate your employees by sending them short notes or greeting cards, or anything small thing that could make them feel recognized.
2. Informal Recognition
This is given to the employees for making progress towards a specific milestone. For instance, achieving goals or completing projects, etc. You can celebrate such events in the form of a pizza party or planning a trip to the club!
3. Formal Recognition
Now, this is a bit structured and usually involves a nomination and selection process. You have to organize a special event or ceremony for this. This happens less frequently and requires a larger budget.
No matter what way you choose to go, make sure that your intention is genuine and honest. Don’t hold off on appreciating your employee until their annual performance. It doesn’t work!
Instead, follow the best practices to show your support towards them today!
Here are the 10 best ways to make your employees feel worthy:
1. Reach out on the Social Media
Take it to your company’s Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn profile and recognize your employees there! Social recognition is a great way to share how proud you are of your employees. Moreover, this also puts your work culture and values on display.
Highlight their job role, their performance, and how they have impacted the organization.
2. Celebrate Birthdays with a Bang!
One way which is perhaps not official yet is by giving your employees the day off on their birthdays. But never mind, you can still celebrate their birthdays by decorating the employee’s desk or grabbing their favorite dessert!
Don’t forget to get a card! You can add a personal touch by including personal messages from the team members.
3. Off-Site party
Sometimes all your employees need is a change in scenery. Plan an off-site day at a safe location that meets their needs. The motive is to make your employees feel that they are appreciated and valued.
When your team is in the middle of a difficult project, hosting an off-site party to celebrate their halfway success will surely boost their productivity.
4. Sticky Notes!
Nothing better than a handwritten note! Simply leave a handwritten sticky note saying a thank you and post it! You can stick it on their desk and watch the employee smile ear-to-ear the next day.
5. A Rotating Trophy
Buy a trophy or a fun stuffed animal and pass it around the office. Give it to an employee for their exemplary performance. Allow them to keep it on their desk for a week!
You can also add a note with the trophy explaining what it stands for. And, make sure that others know that they have received it.
6. Surprise Treat
Who doesn’t love surprises? And sometimes food is the best way to go!
Before an employee arrives, place chocolates, candy bars, or their favorite snacks on their desk or drawer. They’ll be super excited to start their day with that small token of love. After all, it’s a tasty surprise!
7. Celebrate the first Friday of March
Wondering what it is? It is employee appreciation day. This is the perfect day to organize a formal employee appreciation day at your workplace. Recognize your employees for their years of service or accomplishments across various categories.
You can also extend the celebration by planning a team lunch or dinner. Your team will love it!
8. Grin for the Daily Wins
Address each meeting with the team wins. If an employee has pushed a new project, encourage them to speak up at the beginning of a meeting. You can also post the daily wins on a board, internal channel or intranet.
9. Wall of Fame
Sometimes visuals paint a better picture than words. Plus, they look great!
Put your creativity into use and snap pictures of your employee’s accomplishments and put them on display. You can add in what they have done for the organization and include a little bio to make it fun.
10. Give & Receive Props
If you want to show appreciation on a weekly basis, you can use props to recognize their work. On every Friday, plan for a team meeting and any employee can give props to anyone else in the team to appreciate their work.
This way you can build a great team and also recognize your co-workers.
