When employees feel they are valued in their workplace, they work better and stay longer. There’s no two ways about it. This is why recognition programs are so critical for performance and productivity. It has a proven positive impact on retention, and that’s just another reason why organizations need to cultivate a culture of recognizing and rewarding employees.
Recognition comes in many shapes and forms and is demonstrated in tangible and intangible ways. But many companies get it wrong and then wonder why it isn’t delivering the expected impact. Here are just some things organizations shouldn’t do when designing a recognition program that leads to meaningful
appraisals.
#1 Leaving Equity Out of the Equation
A recognition program isn’t mutually exclusive with your company’s diversity, equity, and inclusivity initiatives. It can either feel equitable and improve employee experience or highlight the bias within the organization. A Gallup and Workhuman survey revealed that only 25% of employees think that recognition is equitably given in their organizations. It is also found that recognition is highly impactful for black and Hispanic staff members.
One way that companies can avoid neglecting the DEI factor in recognition is with the help of public recognition. It allows employees to feel seen and cement their place within the company. It also fosters the employees’ sense of belonging and helps build
employee happiness through mutual recognition.
#2 Separating Recognition from the Company Culture
Many organizations treat reward and recognition programs as ‘nice to have.’ Without creating an environment of free-flowing appreciation, gratitude and praise, organizations will find it difficult to encourage and nurture employee morale.
One way to embed recognition into the
company culture is by aligning the principles and values of the company with the recognition program. This creates a meaningful understanding of the values and consistency in how employees identify with the company and its mission.
#3 Making Recognition Impersonal and Generic
Recognition cannot be one size fits all and many organizations neglect this simple fact. As individuals, your employees will have different ideas and opinions on what builds up the right amount of recognition and how, when and where they’d like to receive it.
The best way to ensure you’re on the same page as your employees when it comes to recognition is to ask them. It will provide you with a starting point to design a flexible recognition program. A significant number of employees prefer both formal and informal recognition, which includes peer-to-peer praise and verbal appreciation from their managers and leaders. Incorporating a way to award badges and give shout-outs into the communication channels of the company is the simplest way to achieve this.
Final Thoughts
Organizations that put the time and care to understand their recognition initiatives are better able to maintain their competitive edge. This anti-checklist gives a glimpse of the many pitfalls that organizations fall into when designing recognition programs. Using it will equip your team to provide a
better employee experience and increase the engagement that recognition programs generate.