An Employer’s Guide to Employee Recognition

According to a 2021 survey, 57% of employees said that being recognized by their employer would decrease their likelihood of accepting a call from a head-hunter.

While people often celebrate personal achievements at home, in the workplace, achievements haven’t always been traditionally praised or rewarded. Despite some workplaces being new to employee recognition, the holidays are the perfect time for employers to show their appreciation for their employees’ hard work over the last year and for employees to celebrate their accomplishments.

Employee recognition lets you communicate to your employees that the work they’ve done made an impact. Whether it’s the way they talk to repeat customers, how they approach team collaboration, their positive attitude towards team members, or a great idea they had about boosting leads, acknowledging your staff can go a long way.

What is employee recognition?

Employee recognition is appreciating and acknowledging your employees and their contribution to your company’s success.

There are many ways that an employer can implement employee recognition and the benefits are incredibly worthwhile, with a simple acknowledgement providing employees with a sense of belonging, motivation, and accomplishment.

Why is employee recognition important?

When an employee is recognized for their efforts, they are often driven to want to do more of what they’re rewarded for. If they’re aware of the positive impact they’ve created, they’ll do more of it. They’re also less likely to look for positions at other companies.

Not only does employee recognition boosts productivity and lead to higher employee retention, it also builds a strong company culture and morale as a whole. By rewarding positive acts like innovation, kindness, autonomy, and collaboration, employers will encourage more of these habits over time.

What is the best way to recognize employees?

A Toronto report which surveyed over 4,200 employees and 1,600 human resources leaders found that 64% of employees would prefer to receive more meaningful recognition as opposed to more frequent recognition.

Some ways to convey meaningful recognition include acknowledging something specific an employee did, something they valued, or the way they impacted the person giving the recognition.

Acknowledge accomplishments

One of the simplest ways to recognize employees for their hard work is to acknowledge their contributions as soon as they happen. For example, if a team member did an excellent job leading a meeting, you can congratulate them straight afterwards.

Write a note

If an employee has gone above and beyond, it is sometimes necessary to give them more than a verbal acknowledgement. Taking the time to write a personal note to a staff member that illustrates your genuine appreciation for them in writing is a fantastic way to communicate to staff that they’ve made an impact.

Make it public

Sometimes significant accomplishments require more than a note or a pat on the back. In these instances, an acknowledgement in a meeting or in a newsletter can be a great way to express your gratitude for an employee’s recent accomplishments.

Provide an incentive

Another great way to show employees that you care about their hard work is to provide a monetary reward. This can be in the form of gift cards to local stores or even quarterly or annual bonuses, depending on the gravity of the contribution.

Give the gift of time off

While many employees will admit they prefer financial rewards, others could really do with some extra time off, especially if they have been working overtime to achieve their goals. Even allowing employees to take a morning off each month or allowing them a more flexible work schedule can go a long way for someone’s busy schedule.

Do you need help with HR management?

Our qualified experts can help you resolve HR issues, develop company policies, and assist you with any other human resources management and health & safety advice you may need. To learn more about how our services can benefit your business, call us today at  1 (833) 247-3652.