Five Tips for Effective Employee Recognition

Discussing employee motivation last week with a group of managers in a client company, the group pinpointed employee recognition as a significant factor in employee motivation. The managers were responding to an assignment I had given them to interview each of their reporting staff members. They were to determine what each person found to be most motivating. Some of the responses were expected by the managers such as money. They were surprised, however, about the number of employees who craved things like public recognition for their contributions.

Employee recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces the important outcomes people create for your business. When you recognize people effectively, you reinforce, with your chosen means of recognition, the actions and behaviors you most want to see people repeat. An employee recognition system is powerfully reinforcing.