We are in the business of recognition.  We especially love Meaningful Recognition.  We don’t especially love recognition just for the sake of recognition.  But we do know it exists.

In a 2008 study published by Randstad, employees were asked to identify the employer attributes they value most. The number one attribute was recognition of what the employee brings to the organization.  However most also said their employer did not do this. Employees want to be valued, but they are not ‘feeling it’.

After working in the recognition industry for 5 years, I have a few thoughts. Here are 5 tips for the Great Recognition, from me.

What’s important to your employees?  Make sure you are recognizing with something of value for that person.  Recognition that is motivating for me may mean nothing to you. Giving tickets to a sporting event to someone who doesn’t like sports won’t feel like recognition.  In fact, it could do more harm than good.  What is says to that employee is “You don’t know me very well and aren’t interested in taking the time to find out what is important to me.” All recognition, formal and informal, needs to be sincere and specific.  No token, meaningless, one-size-fits-all recognition please. If you need help discovering what’s important to each employee, check out this book The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, by Gary Chapman and Paul White.

Be consistent.  If you have a service awards program, where you recognize employees for their length of service with your company, don’t miss an anniversary.  This implies indifference.  That you really don’t care how long the employee has been loyal to your company.

Don’t phone it in.  A large part of the importance of receiving recognition is that it is done in front of peers.  Make sure the recognition you give isn’t incognito.  Don’t do it over the phone and don’t have it delivered.  Make it in person and in front of peers.  Do it at a recognition event if possible. And make sure they have something to put on their desk or wall so others can see it regularly.

Recognize with something that is meaningful

Go the extra mile. When recognizing someone, highlight their accomplishments.  Why are they getting recognized?  What have they done? Shout it to everyone, “Sharon has done an amazing job getting the project done on time and within budget. She’s a great leader and an asset to this company.”

Tie it to what’s important to your company.  Showing how an employee’s great works ties back to the company’s vision, mission and goals is motivating to that employee, and to others. They want to contribute to the company’s vision also.

I’d love to hear from you.  Share your best tip for great recognition in the workplace here.

Blessings, Anne