Many, perhaps most, employees are willing to work just a little bit harder to help a business overcome a problem or meet a tough deadline. If these efforts are rewarded by promotions and/or increases in compensation, most employees will feel their extra work has been worth it. But if the extra effort goes unnoticed, eventually employees will wonder why they should bother.
What can you do if your business structure and/or finances don't lend themselves to appropriate increases in compensation or to promotions? A moment of your time spent thanking an employee and recognizing how that employee's efforts have helped cost nothing and go a long way toward increasing the employee’s self-esteem and motivation.
What rewards can you give? Awards need not have great monetary value, although employees certainly don't mind an occasional cash bonus. Cash bonuses, vacations, and numerous types of entertainment are common ways to recognize employees’ achievements. Other typical rewards given in conjunction with employee recognition include certificates, plaques, trophies, or ribbons; and jewelry (pins, pendants), pens or desk accessories, watches, and clocks.
Even if your business can't be overly generous due to budget constraints, recognition is one case where the thought does count. If you can't afford something expensive, consider a nice card and a gift certificate to a restaurant. Or consider taking the employee to lunch or just having an informal "thank you" party for the employee or group of employees you want to reward. A small cash award, accompanied by a simple certificate, can mean a lot.
Don't give awards out every day or they will lose their meaning. Be especially careful not to give them to everyone, but only to those people whose work really stands out. Use them sparingly and when deserved.
If you have any kind of employee publication, you can use it to recognize employee achievement. You can also express your thanks for a job well done in private, if you feel that’s appropriate. A simple thank you note, or an afternoon or day off can demonstrate to employees that the work they're doing is appreciated. Taking employees on a junket to a sporting event or some other cultural activity can do a lot to boost morale and build team spirit.
How to reward and recognize. How you present your reward and recognition is almost as important as what you recognize and, arguably, more important than what you give as a reward. If in giving the best reward you can afford for a special occasion you simply drop the award off on the employee’s desk while mumbling a "thank you" on the way out the door, you've wasted your money and may even have done more harm than good.
Recognition that means anything is given with sincerity and thoughtfulness. It must be treated as special, because that’s what it is. It should not be treated as some necessary evil. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Recognizing an employee isn't an end in and of itself. It’s a means to an end: making the employee feel valued and reinforcing desirable behavior.
How to give recognition. Generally if something is worth recognizing, it is worth publicizing. Unless you have an employee who is extremely shy and introverted, a little celebration is a good way to bestow recognition, whether it takes the form of a plaque, a bonus, a certificate, or just some words of praise and a "thank you."
Some suggested ways to recognize employees include:
Copyright 2006, CCH INCORPORATED. All Rights Reserved.