Employee Recognition – Top Tips

Employee recognition is the process of acknowledging employee performance. By doing so, particular behaviours, practices or activities that result in better performance and successful business results are reinforced, and a standard is set.

With today’s work environment being competitive, top talent attraction is key to the recruitment process. Companies that are performing at a more successful rate often have the best trained and multi-skilled employees. Sometimes, even the best employees can under-perform, though, whether it’s due to a lack of motivation or personal issues. Especially during the challenges that COVID-19 has brought for workers across the country, employee recognition in the workplace should be a focal point of all company culture.

Why is employee recognition important?

Employee recognition is a tool employers can use as a way to motivate their workforce, as many employees like to be held in high esteem by their peers and those in roles above them.   For some employees, a monetary bonus or all-expenses-paid awards night comes to mind when thinking of an appreciation programme; however, employee recognition doesn’t have to be glamorous or expensive. Employee recognition can be as simple as an acknowledgement of hard work from a line manager or other senior member of staff, a shout out in a companywide email or a simple ‘thank you.’   There are many benefits to implementing an employee recognition programme in your workplace:

• Improves employee retention.
• Boosted employee wellbeing.
• Workplace culture is heightened.
• Self-improvement culture is created.

What methods should I use?

There are several methods a company can adopt into an employee recognition programme, and it is all about finding what works best for your employees. Below are some of Hive360’s favourite appreciation and recognition methods:

Reward Lunches

Before COVID-19, an excellent idea would be to gather employees together for lunch to celebrate the monthly achievements of different members of staff. Recognised employees are rewarded with a gift such as flowers, a bottle of alcohol or high-street gift cards. This may be harder post-COVID, but employers could still hold virtual lunch celebrations to ensure employee recognition is still being maintained.

Employee of the Month

Ask employees and management to nominate and vote for an employee of the month. By including the whole team in the process, the overall feeling of recognition is much greater. When an employee is rewarded, management should deliver the award, specifying exactly why the chosen employee deserved it. Again, post-COVID, this could be a bit more challenging, but announcing an employee of the month over a company zoom meeting or email is just as effective. This is also a great way to encourage self-improvement culture mentioned above, as employees will learn why the chosen worker has won the award and can strive to deliver the same success.

Reward Teams & Departments

As well as awarding an employee of the month, it is also beneficial to recognise whole-team efforts across the business too. Not only does this help to boost morale, but it also encourages effective teamwork across the company.

Recognise Employees’ Personal Accomplishments

Acknowledging personal accomplishments at work is just, if as if not more important than recognising work efforts. To an employee, it shows that the company and management has an invested interest in their overall success both in and outside of work. This helps to increase job satisfaction and loyalty. Accomplishments can range from donating blood, purchasing a first home or new house, or completing educational certificates or a driving licence.

Keep a Celebration Calendar

Employers should make an effort to celebrate employees’ birthdays and work anniversaries. Again, this shows an employee that management are invested in them and not just their work output. Celebrating these doesn’t need to be glamorous or extravagant, it can be something as simple as a card signed by the whole team, a post to the company’s social media accounts or a small gift such as flowers, a bottle of alcohol or a high-street voucher.

Hive360 and Employee Recognition

New to our state-of-the-art employee benefits app, we have introduced Kudos. Kudos is a space for your employees to digitally recognise other workers for their hard work, or just to say thank you for being helpful. The chosen employee will receive an alert that a colleague has recognised them. With the current conditions of COVID-19, a digitalised yet simple way of showing your employees appreciation for their help and hard work has never been more important!