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Every worker, regardless of where they are on the corporate ladder, wants to know that they’re doing a good job. They want their work to be recognized, and want to be appreciated for their contributions. Unfortunately, many employees work in environments where recognition and praise are hard to come by, or worse yet, simply nonexistent. It can be immensely taxing to labor in an environment where efforts are never acknowledged.  As a result, employees lose motivation, loyalty, and overall morale (and productivity) suffers.  If you’re an employer who wants your employees to stick around—and thrive—then it’s worth trying these five ways to create a corporate culture of recognition.

Don’t Miss Your Chance

Nobody likes the feeling of slipping through the cracks. Employees want to know that their employers are paying attention, and that the management is aware of employee effort. If your employee closes a big sale on the first of the month, don’t wait until the end of the month to recognize her. If you do, she’ll spend the whole month thinking that you weren’t paying attention, and might start to question whether her hard work was worth it. Don’t miss the chance to recognize an employee’s success right away. The longer you wait to reinforce extra effort, the less likely it will be that an employee will replicate that effort.

Be Specific

Generic compliments aren’t worth much. If you want to recognize employees in the most helpful way possible, get specific. Let them know that you know the details of what they did, and that they (and their efforts) are more than just a generic number on a page. Furthermore, getting specific with your recognition allows you to reinforce particular behaviors.  For example: “Mary, I really appreciated that you got our technical team involved in the Acme project when you did.  You asked really smart questions and really understood what the customer was trying to accomplish.  We closed this deal because of your extra effort.”

Utilize Both Private and Public Recognition

There are two ways to recognize employees: public and private.  Each has distinct benefits, so it’s worth utilizing both. Public recognition can create healthy competition, and also creates role models for other employees. What’s more, public recognition allows other employees to contribute to the encouragement and affirmation of the individual being recognized. There is a particular satisfaction that can come from knowing that your coworkers, as well as your employer, value your efforts.

At the same time, private recognition has its own benefits. For some people, public recognition might make them feel embarrassed or sheepish, as they are uncomfortable getting that kind of attention. Some people don’t like being put in the spotlight, and would therefore find private recognition more satisfying. Others, however, would benefit from private recognition because public affirmation only makes them obnoxiously arrogant. If an employee has a big ego problem, recognizing them publicly might boost their already inflated ego and cause frustration to other employees.

Crack Down on Gossip and Negativity

A culture of recognition cannot coexist with a culture of gossip and negativity. If you want to create a workplace where people feel affirmed and encouraged, you’ll need to crack down on behaviors that undermine your efforts. If the person you’re trying to recognize is gossiped about, mocked, or slandered by the coworkers, your recognition will only count for so much. A culture of recognition can only flourish in a context where every member of the community contributes to an overall sense of positivity, camaraderie, and encouragement.

Conclusion

Recognizing your employees’ strengths, successes, and unique contributions will help produce a more loyal and motivated workforce. Intentional affirmation will encourage the kind of behavior you want to see in your employees, and it will greatly improve their morale. The best incentive programs find even greater success when they are implemented in a preexisting culture of recognition.

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Jeff Richards
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