Recognition, meaning and a feeling of belonging are the 3 key pillars of employee motivation in business. A comment, a gesture, an attitude… being recognised at work can be a very little thing… Little everyday things that can make all the difference, boosting fulfilment and performance! In addition to reward and official internal recognition systems, recognition is part of everyday life. What’s the result? Employees who have a good relationship with their line managers and their peers, motivated to achieve their objectives and proud to belong to the company.
How to improve work recognition in 5 tips
Recognition at work: proud, involved employees
Enabling your employee to feel recognised and appreciated for their work produces an almost instant, long-lasting feeling of engagement. This recognition reinforces their pride in belonging to the company and gives them the desire to act in the company’s interest. A winning balance of smile and success. But what do we mean by recognition? Recognition is simply a direct, sincere way of thanking your staff for their commitment.
“Thanks for the time you’ve spent, the quality of the work you’ve done, your good ideas, the skills you give to the company…” Listed like this, showing recognition seems simple and yet, 40% of employees in France do not feel appreciated for their value, while 77% think that their work would mean more to them if they got some recognition from the company. At the same time, over 86% of French companies have introduced an employee recognition system.
“Whatever the source of recognition, it is important as it gives meaning to the effort made at work and reinforces the professional identity.”
Marc Loriol, sociologist and researcher at the CNRS
Did you know?
In France, one manager in two admits that they lack time to show recognition to their employees.
5 tips for creating recognition in the workplace
Do you want to make recognition for your teams a principle guiding the day-to-day at your company? Here are 5 tips:
1. Create a climate of trust with employees
Listening to employee feedback and suggestions and encouraging initiatives means putting trust in your team. To do this, you need time with them: a lunch to take the time to review and say thank you, an individual appraisal following an interesting discussion at the coffee machine, collaborative workshops for shared discussion time and feedback… This might seem time-consuming but it will have a direct impact on each person’s involvement.
2. Value skills
Highlighting the people skills all across the organisation is essential: at briefings and meetings involving the different entities in the company, or through more fun and entertaining formats. Being recognised collectively for one’s skills within an organisation is very gratifying and gives meaning to each individual contribution. Remember also to find the right balance between the recognition given to different people, as a project’s success is often the result of joint efforts and the power of different types of expertise!
3. Recognise effort
Why wait for the results to thank the team for their efforts? Employees put a lot of effort into a project, even if it doesn’t achieve the expected result. In these more difficult moments, it’s even more important to value the effort they’ve made to achieve success. And if the project is successful, don’t just celebrate their success, but congratulate them on their efficiency and skills too.
4. Say thank you
Say thank you in a variety of ways. Language is obviously the first way you can thank someone: saying thank you when checking the progress of a project, or during an individual appraisal. Thanks can also be relevant through more informal, shareable ways, such as a “Thank you board” displayed in the company reception, listing the thanks received from clients. During an end of year event or New Year wishes, a “ film of achievements” will highlight everyone’s accomplishments.
5. Celebrate victories
Say well done! The path of a business is littered with obstacles, difficult moments, but also and above all, victories! It’s important to take time to celebrate them, whether they’re large or small. Each is important and is a way of highlighting the men and women who have made a difference.
At Sagarmatha, we provide you with support as you build the employee recognition schemes that will be used to thank and unite your teams.
We organise internal challenges to highlight the talents of your company, along different topics: innovation, sales performance, operational excellence, team synergy, CSR commitments, etc. We custom-design the communication plans including key moments over several months, to create bonds, demonstrate performance and recognise your talents.
We build memorable events to acknowledge your employees: a ceremony paying tribute to your talents, an incentive trip full of experiences and emotions, a tailor-made seminar for your group to build the collective spirit through customised team-building activities or escape games.
You want to start by saying « thank you » to your employees?
Come tell us about your project!
