From a young age, humans are programmed to crave recognition. Children want recognition from their parents, teachers, and even other siblings. Even when we are in school, we receive gold stars or smiley faces when we achieve something big or small. This makes us feel like we belong, and we feel like we are an important part of something. As we grow, this need for recognition does not change.
According to a recent study that was done by a Great Place To Work Certified, more than anything else that drives employees at work is their desire to be recognized. Do you recognize your employees? What are the changes that could be implemented in your organization in order to make employees feel more appreciated?
What is a Culture of Recognition?
In order to be an ineffective leader, employee recognition is imperative. Employee recognition involves the different ways that an organization recognizes and appreciates the achievements of its employees, their good behavior, their milestones, and their moral strength when it comes to organizational ethics. When a culture of recognition is implemented in the workplace, employees feel more work satisfaction, and they are even more willing to go above and beyond for their employers.
Apart from that, employees are happy at work. Now, more than ever, there is a huge competition when it comes to employees. More and more individuals want to have a fulfilling career. If employees feel that their leadership does not recognize them, they will not perform at their top level, or they will look elsewhere.
What Are The Perks of Employee Recognition for You?
When leadership recognizes the importance of recognition, there are huge benefits for the workplace. First of all, you retain your talented workers. Those individuals who are most skilled realize that they are an integral part of the organization. They want to feel like the diligence and skill that they put into their job are appreciated and not taken for granted. When an organization has a culture of employee recognition, it encourages employees to perform at their high level. Affirmation and appreciation are extremely motivating when encouraging employees to work their best.
How to Encourage a Culture of Recognition
In order to encourage a culture of recognition, your business does well to regularly honor employees for the achievements that they excel at. Employee service awards are a way that employees can be recognized for certain achievements at the organizational level. You are able to give out employee service rewards to your employees in the form of trophies, gifts, or even vacation stays. Savvy company leaders hold periodic company meals or gatherings in which employee service awards are given out.
In this way, employees get recognition for the diligent work that they have put into the company, and their peers are able to recognize them as well. This has a twofold advantage. First of all, the employee is able to be recognized in front of their peers, and other employees will feel impelled to want to perform better.
Create a Culture of Recognition
In order to create a culture of recognition, implement one or more of the following suggestions.
#1 Be specific about the achievement that an employee has achieved.
#2 Recognize your employees’ contributions in a timely manner.
#3 Find different and unique ways of recognizing hard-working employees.
#4 Connect your employees to the bigger picture of the organization.
#5 Ask your employees what type of recognition is significant to them.
The Work Environment is Your Responsibility
As a leader, it’s, of course, your responsibility to encourage a culture of recognition. Innovation and imagination are born from recognition. When the work environment has a culture of recognition, employees feel that promotions are fair and earned, they feel like their ideas are appreciated and listened to, and they are more likely to go above and beyond the demands of their job. Employee satisfaction is highly linked to recognition, and when individuals are satisfied at their job, they feel no need to leave.
Employees who feel like they go unrecognized do not appreciate their workplace, they feel unrecognized, and they are more likely to move on to other employment. The best way that you can keep your employees is by appreciating them and showing them that they’re valuable to your organization.