It’s easy to become accustomed to the same old ways of recognizing employees. But if you want to motivate your team, you need to be creative. By experimenting with different types of recognition and trying new ways to recognize employees, you’ll find that it becomes easier than ever before. Here are four inspiring employee recognition examples of how organizations are motivating their employees:
Recognize employees in new ways
It’s not just enough to recognize your employees. You have to do it in a way that makes them feel special and appreciated. One way to do this is by implementing a company-wide recognition program where employees can earn points for each act of recognition they give out. When an employee reaches a certain number of points, he or she can cash them in for something nice like a gift card or PTO.
You should also consider giving out awards at annual parties such as “Employee of the Year,” “Most Improved Employee,” or even “Most Likely To Be Remembered After Your Departure.” These awards don’t have to be monetary—many companies prefer to give out more personal awards like plaques or trophies with engraved names. Rewarding employees for things like attendance, punctuality, and performance reviews may seem small but they’re important because they show that you care about what goes on behind closed doors.
Use a recognition platform
You can use a recognition platform to recognize employee contributions. A recognition platform is an online tool that allows your company to recognize the achievements and goals of your employees. It can be used for things like quarterly goals, performance reviews, or even special projects that were completed by an employee. Recognition platforms are becoming more popular as companies seek new ways to incentivize employees and build a culture of appreciation in their workplace.
Leverage managers’ and peers’ perspectives
Managers and peers are more likely to notice good work than you since they’re in closer contact with employees daily. They may also know more about what motivates different types of employees, as well as how best to encourage high performance.
Finally, managers and peers can help you understand what your employees value. This is important because it will help you choose rewards that will make a difference in your employees’ lives—and not just any difference, but one that matters the most.
Consider what your people love
To get the most out of your recognition program, make sure you’re giving people what they want. One size doesn’t fit all—and when it comes to employee engagement and recognition, this is especially true. Employees are motivated by different things and have different needs and preferences based on their personalities and job roles. That’s why it’s important to tailor your recognition programs so they’re meaningful to each employee.
Make sure your awards are timely and specific, and not just generic. For example, if an employee’s performance has improved over time or she has met a particular goal within her department or division, consider giving her an award at the end of each quarter or year instead of waiting until her annual review—the longer you wait between achievement milestones, the less impactful an award will be on employees’ motivation levels because it will lose its novelty factor over time.
Consider where exactly you want employees’ attention focused by tying rewards back into company values. This way when someone receives praise from their manager for something like completing all projects ahead of schedule or helping another team member succeed during launch week then they’ll feel even more connected with what matters most—their work output.
Conclusion
These four examples will inspire you to think about how you can recognize your employees in new ways. You don’t need a lot of money to be able to do this, but it does take some creativity and effort on your part. The best way to show someone that they’re doing an awesome job is by showing them that you care and appreciate what they do.
