Not every employee is going to want the same thing, but more often than not, a person is a person. They will respond similarly to certain types of feedback and rewards. Above all, most employees just want to be recognized. 17% of employees say they have never been recognized at their jobs, and 52% say they aren’t satisfied with how much recognition they receive. In contrast, some 77% of dissatisfied employees said that they would stick around at their current jobs if they were recognized for their hard work more often. So how do you make an employee feel good about themselves?
Don’t Just Do Yearly Recognition
A yearly ceremony to bring recognition to hard workers is always appreciated, but quickly forgotten. Although it is good to have a yearly award ceremony that includes dinner and some kind words, small monthly parties are also just as effective. Praise good work whenever you see it in the workplace, even if it’s just a moment or two of admiration of an employee’s hard work. There’s no reason to wait until a quarterly or yearly review.
Don’t Play Favorites
Playing favorites can make any employee that isn’t the favorite feel like their work simply isn’t good enough. This can lead to frustrating and often upsetting situations. Instead, favor everyone. Keep a list of “usual suspects” that always receive praise from you. Take a moment to find good things to say about other employees too. Try to admire something about any given employee at least once or twice a month.
Employees = People
Rewarding goal achievers, such as someone who made the most sales in a week, is an easy task. What can be harder, however, is rewarding behaviors that are more subtle but just as impressive. When’s the last time you recognized an employee for being helpful around the office, or just plain optimistic? These employees and actions deserve just as much recognition as those who made a lot of