It’s
always good to refresh yourself on some of the fine points that could give your
employee recognition program a spark.
Most of you have seen these tips before, but as with anything worth
doing, it’s nice to think about what is currently working and what you can do
to make it better.
Actually at times, it could be more effective to just forget
about the formal program and just follow these tips. When you do it's easy to give the recognition
your employees deserve:
See every employee as an individual
Every employee responds differently to recognition. Many
appreciate public praise. Others shrink from the limelight. Don't pass out
praise on your terms; recognize each employee in the way that produces the
greatest impact for that person.
Assume too soon is never soon enough
There's an inverse relationship between recognition and
performance: The longer you wait, the lower the impact. Praise employees
immediately. Don't wait for "the right time," because the only right
time is right now.
Provide details that show you know
Generic praise is nice, but specific praise is wonderful.
Don't just tell employees they did a good job. Tell them how they did a good
job. Not only will they appreciate the recognition, they'll also know you pay
attention to what they do.
Be genuine
We've all received recognition that felt forced, like the
boss who walks around once a month and says, "Thanks for your
efforts." Only recognize hard work and achievement when you mean it.
Skip constructive criticism, at least for now
Say, "You did a great job, but next time..." and
all the employee remembers is what they did wrong or could have done better.
Follow up at another time with constructive feedback. Let the warm glow of
praise be the feeling the employee carries with them.
Actively find employees to praise
We're all trained to spot issues, hunt down problems, and
eliminate errors. We're usually not trained to find people doing things well.
Spend part of every day looking for positives. (You might be surprised by how
skilled your employees really are.)
Leverage the surprise factor
Unexpected recognition is incredibly powerful. Winning the
employee of the month award is great, but being recognized in the middle of a
meeting for outstanding achievement can feel even better.
Spot opportunities to share the "praise wealth"
It's easy to recognize your great employees. They're great
because they perform well. Look for ways to praise less stellar performers when
they deserve the recognition. Sometimes all an average performer needs is a
little attention and encouragement.
And keep in mind providing praise will get easier over time,
because when you do a better job of recognizing employees they naturally
perform better - and that gives you even more achievements to recognize.
