When is the last time you were recognized by your employer for doing a job well-done?  Hopefully, you don’t have to think back too far to remember the last time your supervisor gave the recognition you deserved.  However, if you are like many employees, you may not be able to remember a recent recognition moment.  In fact, according to a recent survey, only one in three workers in the US strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good work.  This leaves a lot of room for improvement.  If you are one of the individuals that is able to recall a recent recognition moment, think about how it made you feel and what it did for your morale and motivation.  On the flip side, think about how you feel when you don’t feel like your contributions at work are recognized or appreciated.  More than likely, the employees that you supervise and/or your coworkers feel the same way.
 
What is recognition?
Employee recognition can be defined as a deliberate effort to praise the use of specific skills, actions, or behaviors.  It can also further be defined as acknowledgment of an individual’s or a team’s behavior, effort and accomplishments that support the organization’s goals and values.  Giving recognition is a way to reinforce good behavior and it can be a powerful motivator. 
 
Every day, millions of people throw their hearts into their work.  They want to succeed and they want their efforts to be appreciated and recognized.  Taking care of this need for recognition and appreciation helps create an energized workplace.  Unfortunately, organizations tend to only give recognition to the top 20% of their workforce.  Another recent study found that employees who do not feel adequately recognized for their work are twice as likely to leave their current employment within the next year, which can be very costly to an organization.  Recognizing employees doesn’t have to take long or be of monetary value, but the return on investment can be huge. 

Benefits of recognition
Recognition of employees’ efforts and contributions to the organization can result in higher productivity and motivation in the workplace.  Money may be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of ways to motivate employees, but studies show that money is usually a short-term motivator.  Rather, employees want to feel appreciated and know their work matters. 
 
In addition, recognition builds confidence, establishes trust, inspires extra effort, encourages positive behaviors, focuses efforts, reduces turnover, and builds stronger relationships.  Employees also feel a sense of ownership and belonging in their place of work when recognized for their contributions.

Giving recognition
Recognition doesn’t need to be a complicated process.  Here are three basic steps to use as a guideline:

1. Describe the behavior specifically
   
   • Cite specific actions or skills used to encourage the employee to continue with the desired skill or behavior without being seen as asking for more.
2. Describe the impact
   
   • Focus on specific actions and state how much efforts are appreciated.
3. Thank the employee
   
   • Close the conversation with a simple “Thanks!”  Since it’s the last thing s/he hears, it serves a dual purpose; it boosts self-esteem and provides a comfortable, natural closing.

In addition to using the three steps above, some employers also use formal recognition programs, such as employee of the month, productivity contests (e.g., employee who serves the most customers), days without accidents award, peer-to-peer recognition programs, etc.  More informal recognition programs could include non-cash awards such as certificates, memos to file, logo items, gift certificates, awards for suggestions (i.e., great ideas), and time-off awards.  Other ideas for recognition could include: 

• Put up a bulletin board in your department and post letters of thanks from customers (internal and external)
• Give the employee their favorite candy with a note thanking them
• Cook breakfast for your employees to say thanks
• Pass around an office trophy to the employee of the week
• Give the employee the choice of the next project/assignment to work on
• Create a banner strung across the work area to publicize a contribution or accomplishment (can be for an individual or a group)
• Send a letter of praise to his/her family
• Post a large calendar with Post-Its and written notes of recognition tacked onto specific dates to honor contributions made by employees
• Remember their special days, such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
• Give the employee a handwritten note with specific praise

The form of the recognition is not as important as the act itself.  It’s important to provide recognition as close to the time the behavior occurred to reinforce it.  Similar to a thank you card, if it is given weeks or months later, it loses its effect.  The recognition should be authentic and all employees should be eligible to receive it when warranted.  It is also important to decide if the recognition should be given publicly or in private, which will depend on the preference of the person receiving it.  Some people do not mind being the center of attention.  On the other hand, some people may be severely embarrassed by a public display.  If you are unsure what the individual’s preference is, be sure to ask them so you can provide recognition that will be meaningful to them.  Examples of public and private recognition include: 

• Public
  
  • Announce in a meeting
  • Post in the employer’s newsletter or intranet
  • Send out a department- or organization-wide email
  • Hold a lunch in his/her honor
• Private
  
  • Write a thank you note and leave it on his/her desk
  • Send a message via email, text, or voicemail
  • Tell him/her privately in your office

No matter how you decide to recognize employees, remember to do so as soon as possible and in the context of the behavior you would like to reinforce.  Be sure all employees have the opportunity for recognition, whether formal, informal, public, or private.  Remember how you felt when your efforts were recognized at some time during your career and imagine how much recognition could do for your employees and your organization.