5 Ways to Harness the Power of Recognition

HR leaders don’t let good work and extra efforts go unnoticed. But your front-line managers might not recognize the power of recognition.

Employees who feel appreciated by their boss are more engaged than those who don’t feel the love. But only a third of employees received recognition or simple praise for doing good work from their boss in the past week, according to research from Gallup.

And guess what happens when they don’t feel recognized — or simply noticed — for doing their job? They quit. The Gallup researchers found they’re twice as likely to quit in the next year.

Consistency Behind Power of Recognition

While occasional pats on the back and pizza parties help, they aren’t enough to make them feel truly appreciated and engaged. And no matter how good the pizza is, it’s probably not enough to keep them employed.

The key to having a positive impact is consistent, honest appreciation and recognition. It’s critical for any manager to schedule time and resources to dish out praise and reward.

Share these five tips with your front-line leaders to help them recognize employees so they stay engaged in the workplace in the coming year:

1. Plan Your Intentions

Don’t leave appreciation and recognition to chance. Plan your intentions.

“Thinking through probable scenarios and formulating your response ahead of time helps turn intention into reality,” says Michael Hyatt, a leadership and management expert.

For instance, say or write, “If Sue finishes the paperwork today, I will stop by her desk and thank her in person – and maybe even suggest she head home early!”

2. Highlight Specifics

Any praise is helpful. But precise praise is the most effective.

When you’re specific about what employees brought to the table, you show that you pay attention and their efforts matter.

Refer to an exact action, behavior or idea and how it positively affected colleagues, a project, the company, etc. Try to cite the exact time and place it happened. Then focus heavily on the positive impact it will continue to have on the external factors.

3. Share the Success

Most leaders experience lots of wins – deals made, deadlines met, projects completed, employees happy, etc.

While it’s important to be aware of what went well — and how you can replicate it going forward — it’s more important to shine the spotlight on others who had some impact.

When you experience success, look for ways to acknowledge the contributions of your employees and colleagues. Tell them how you feel about their contributions – “I was proud when you hit your numbers” – and how it affected the success – “It helped our whole team surpass the goal, which was the major reason our division stands out.”

4. Listen

Employees who feel their boss treats them with respect are 63% more satisfied with their jobs than those who don’t feel a significant level of respect.

Respect is more often gained through listening than talking. Employees are happiest when they feel free to contribute new ideas and take initiative.

Present problems and challenges to employees more often, then sit back and listen to their ideas. Ask a few questions if necessary to generate solutions. Recognize contributions. Reward initiative.

Equally important, make sure employees understand when you can’t use their ideas. You might be able to encourage them to push good ideas forward on other projects or problems.

5. Be Positive

Research shows that a leader’s optimism and positive attitude rub off. Employees with positive bosses are more engaged, enjoy work, and consider their contributions significant.

You don’t have to look on the sunny side of everything. But avoid being negative. Address problems with solutions, rather than dwell on them. Encourage employees to bring at least three possible solutions with their concerns.

It’s still OK to call out failures. But from there, you’ll want to help employees identify the lessons from failures that can be carried into the next project.

You’ve seen what recognition can do when it’s done right. The challenge is making it consistent across teams and sustainable over time. If recognition is going to stick, it has to show up in how managers lead every day, not just in programs or campaigns.

Unlock the secrets to a thriving workplace: Watch our on-demand webinar, Building a Culture of Recognition – and discover proven strategies to skyrocket employee engagement, reinforce positive behaviors, and drive retention. Register now – it’s free and available anytime!