Recognition: Lack of it makes for Difficult Employees
How do you reward someone who is part of an outstanding team? Especially if they are on a long term project? Why is this even important? I read a great article and it made me think of some quick tips along with what the article said:
1. Have business cards printed for each employee. If possible, let them determine their own title.
2. Place a big bowl of popcorn/candy/cookies/fruit etc. in the break room once a week.
3. Use pictures of employees in newspaper advertising or feature employees in television commercials.
4. Provide a business travel to an important meeting, personal development resources, seminars, industry association meetings for Employee of the Day/Week/Month. Let the all employees vote on who should receive this award.
5. Reserve a parking space for the Employee of the Month with a slot for the employee’s name. Be creative!
6. Cook/BBQ or serve (management staff) an appreciation breakfast or lunch for employees once a month/quarterly/yearly/etc. Hamburgers or Veggie burgers are easy and fun.
7. Give each employee a blank thank-you note to send to someone at work.
Runzheimer studies and research continues to verify that appreciation of employees is critical in today’s environment of Gen Y, Gen X and even Boomers (this is me!) The goal should be to increase loyalty and trust.
Compensation is not the number one reason why people stay motivated. It is acknowledging their hard work.
People need to feel a sense of accomplishment. “Not only is work harder to measure, it is also harder to define success,” says Homa Bahrami, a senior lecturer in Organizational Behavior and Industry Relations at UC Berkleys Haas School of Business. “ The work is intangible or invisible and a lot of work gets done in teams and it’s difficult to pinpoint individual productivity.”
I also think it is critical for employees to let the employer know how they want to be recognition. And here we are back at communication skills!
Do you have some good ideas? Better yet - how do YOU like to be rewarded and recognized. Would love to hear them! Marsha
