How does that make you feel? Great, right?
For HR leaders who want their teams to flourish and organisations that want to create cultures of engagement, loyalty, and performance, it’s important to make sure that your employees are recognised.
Learn more about how employee recognition can create happier teams, increase employee engagement and encourage business success with Stribe’s free shout-out and recognition guide.
Simply put, employee recognition is the expressed appreciation for your employees’ contributions within your organisation.
To feel appreciated is one of the most important human needs. It’s within us all, and it shows that our work is valued. With positive-reinforcement we are motivated to keep receiving the feedback we need and desire.
We’ve all had moments in our past, maybe at school, at university, or at work, where you were publicly praised for your contributions. Not only does this make you feel great, but it also makes those around you want to receive that feedback themselves.
Because each employee is unique, the way you recognise them in the workplace needs to be strategic and tailored to individual preferences. Some may prefer receiving praise in public, while others will find a private expression more personal and meaningful.
It’s important to get to know your employees better so you can tailor your recognition appropriately. Why not have a conversation about their preferences, or ask the question in a pulse survey to your team?
The way you express recognition can have a big impact on how the receiving employee or employees feel. Making every exchange heartfelt, personalised and specific really drives home how you feel and appreciate them.
Before taking action, take the time out to consider how you want to recognise someone.
Employee recognition has the power to impact an organisation in a number of ways. In this section we’ll be exploring these factors and their relationship to recognition in the workplace.
In a study by Workhuman, 84% of HR leaders say an employee recognition program has created an increase in employee engagement.
It’s plain to see that recognition is a key part of good employee engagement practice. Employees who feel recognised are more engaged, active and purpose driven in their jobs.
In a competitive worldwide market, companies are racing to gain any competitive advantage they can. So, naturally, you would think that because employee recognition is low effort, high reward, everyone would be incorporating this into their strategy. Yet, in a US survey 34% of employees report that they are unhappy with how frequently they’re recognised at work.
Now is the time for organisations to make use of this largely untapped area, in the right way.
Productive employees are a valuable asset. They increase the potential for profitability and make the most of whatever resources they have.
Organisations where recognition occurs have 14% higher productivity level than those without, a considerable impact to keep in mind.
Studies also show that productivity is tied to an organisation’s profitability, driving success and giving them a competitive advantage.
According to Bain & Company, the best companies are “40% more productive than the rest, and have operating margins 30%-50% higher than their industry peers.
Employee advocacy is the practice of reaching out to your audience through your employees.
Studies show that recognised and engaged employees have increased company loyalty, feel more optimistic about their companies future and develop into brand advocates.
If your employees love working at your company, talk about it to their friends and family, and promote it on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, this will do wonders for your brand by giving it social proof.
People usually build stronger and more natural connections with other people than they do with brands. It’s also way more common for people to align their spending habits according to word-of-mouth recommendations rather than direct advertising (we’ve all heard the phrase “people buy from people”).
Social Media Today reported that “Content shared by employees receives almost 8x more engagement than content shared by brand channels.”
Don’t forget how strong employee advocacy can be.
There’s a popular saying that goes something like “People don’t quit a job, they quit a boss” …which to be fair is supported by many studies, citing poor management as the main reason an individual leaves a company. However, this blinkered focus on relationships with management can lead organisations to forget other factors.
A Randstad study shows that 27% of employees leave their jobs because of lack of recognition.
On the other side of the coin, a different study has found that employees who feel appreciated at work are far less likely to be searching for new employment. This is backed up by the rate of voluntary turnover in recognition-rich cultures being 31% lower, a huge result.
Use recognition programs to give employees a reason to stay connected and enjoying the work they do.
Studies show that de-motivated employees average 2.17 sick days per month, while engaged employees only take 1.25 sick days per month.
If employees that feel valued take less time off due to stress, poor mental health and wellbeing, it’s important to make this a key company focus, benefitting both the employee and an organisation’s output.
Research by Psychology Today shows that key areas of the brain are affected by “appreciation and gratefulness”. The hypothalamus, which controls functions such as eating and sleeping, and the release of dopamine – the “reward neurotransmitter” are heavily affected from receiving praise.
Recognising and appreciating others can improve their wellbeing, create better sleep habits, increase their metabolism and decrease their stress. This has a resultant positive effect on individual efficiency and productivity in the workplace and their ability to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
So far, we’ve mainly discussed recognition coming from the top down, but it’s also important to encourage your employees to recognise their peers, and for a number of reasons.
Boosts team morale
When colleagues know that their work is being recognised and appreciated, morale increases. Encouraging your team to do this on a frequent basis ensures that your team’s happiness and synergy remains consistent, developing higher levels of productivity and job satisfaction.
Develops trust within teams
When individuals feel they’re being recognised for their work, they become less ‘us vs them’ with any feelings of competitiveness amongst their colleagues, and replace this with an increase in collaboration.
Supercharges motivation
Studies show an increase in collaboration and total team contribution in workplaces that implement a peer-to-peer recognition program (either standalone or as part of a larger recognition strategy). This is key for organisations to make sure they’re keeping ahead of their competitors.
Stribe shout-outs are here to help you and your colleagues celebrate every tiny victory. Because everyone should be recognised for their day-to-day work.
Shout-outs give everyone the ability to send easy and effective recognition. Accessible on mobile and desktop, they’re as simple as selecting who you want to recognise, telling them why, and clicking send! Making it easy for you and your colleagues to give those little messages of recognition that mean so much.
As with all parts of Stribe, privacy is always in the hands of the employee. If a colleague wishes, they can change their sent and received shout-outs to private at any time.
About the author
Lucy Harvey, COO at Stribe, has 11+ years’ experience in purpose-driven leadership roles across health, wellbeing, internal communications, employee engagement, and marketing. She is passionate about creating workplaces where people are happy, fulfilled, and feel comfortable and safe to talk.
