Recognition is important in all professions. Every employee wants to feel as if they are valuable to the company and have contributed something significant. Recognition positively reinforces professional behaviors among employees. Recognition is vital to developing happy employees while also motivating productivity and company morale. There are many ways managers can give recognition and this article will highlight some of the most effective ways to do that.

Make It Personal

Look to make the recognition personal with the employee. People respond differently to different methods of recognition. Before you let the entire company know of an employee’s hard work, bring it up to them personally to learn how they respond. One way you can create personal recognition is by writing it down on a note and delivering it. Going even further with the note, you can make a copy for Human Resources and add it to their file for later reviews.

Long Term

Consistent recognition is important for employees to receive. The recognition should always be documented and stored for later evaluation. Conduct quarterly reviews with employees to give an overall summary of their progress and success over a period of time. Give constructive feedback and identify places that the employee can work on to get ahead in the company. Many people who want to grow within a company need avenues in which they can do that. Setting your employees up for success will help them feel appreciated.

Complexity

Almost everyone enjoys receiving a monetary bonus for hard work and success. Stay away from the idea that for every success that an employee or team has is matched only with a financial perk. People are motivated by more than just money. Employees want to feel like they have helped the company reach its goals through the work that they do. Consider pairing success with monetary perks and recognition. Evaluate how the employee’s success plays into the overall picture of the company goals. Make sure you are authentic and genuine with your recognition.

A simple “Thank You” can go a long way. Encourage peers to give each other recognition and feedback whenever possible. This will make the recognition feel more organic and helpful hearing it from their peers. Provide your employees with avenues where they can give peer recognition and you while begin to see the benefits swiftly.