By Colton Eva
When employees feel valued, they’re more likely to perform better and stay with the company longer. And that’s good for everyone. So, don’t let another great employee go because they don’t feel appreciated. Make sure you’re following these four employee recognition examples to show your employees how much they matter.
Publicly thank employees for a job well done
When you publicly thank an employee for a job well done, you’re telling them and the rest of your team that their efforts are appreciated. It’s a great way to show employees that they have what it takes and can be relied upon when needed.
Giving an employee public recognition also opens the door for other employees to do the same thing with each other, which can help build camaraderie in your office. You never know who’s going to be inspired by seeing someone else get recognized—that person might just come up with an idea or suggestion that benefits everyone at work.
Be specific about what you liked
You can ensure that the praise you give your employees is sincere by being very specific about what you liked. Make sure it’s something they can do well, and then allow them to choose their reward. For example, if an employee takes initiative in making a difficult decision, let them know that you appreciate that they made such a tough call quickly and effectively. Then make sure they get rewarded for it.
If you’re having trouble coming up with ways to praise your workers in person or over email, there are plenty of resources out there that will inspire you. The key is knowing how each employee thrives—and then finding out exactly what rewards will excite them most.
Allow the employee to choose their reward
One of the best ways to show your appreciation for an employee is to let them choose their reward. After all, everyone has different interests and hobbies, so you can’t possibly know what would be meaningful for them.
This also avoids the issue of employees feeling like they’re being forced into something that doesn’t interest them. No one wants to be given a gift card to Starbucks when they were hoping for some new golf clubs or something else entirely. Plus, it’s better if you can find out exactly what they want before rewarding them with it. That way there’s no risk of having someone get upset because they received something they don’t want or already had lying around at home (and it won’t hurt your wallet either).
Additionally, this allows you as a manager or employer more freedom when choosing rewards. Rather than having limited options based on whatever company policy dictates, now there are infinite possibilities available because you’ve allowed each employee free reign over their own choice of appreciation reward.
Celebrate milestones as a team
To kick off the team recognition program, consider hosting a party or celebration to honor your employees. If you have an office building, you can do this right there. Otherwise, if you have a location where all of your employees work together under one roof, then gather everyone together for this event. You can get creative and make it special with decorations and music or whatever else suits your company’s personality. This is also a great opportunity to give out awards that celebrate milestones reached by individual employees as well as the entire team—whether it be for hours worked in a particular month or years on the job.
Conclusion
We hope that these four employee recognition examples have given you some fresh ideas to consider at your company. Not all of them will be right for your company or culture, but it’s worth considering each of them and seeing what might work well. Remember that the most important thing is to show your team members how much they mean to you and why they are appreciated.
Infographic created by UST, Extensive HR Resources for Nonprofits
