If you have ever felt that your work wasn’t being fully appreciated, then you understand how crucial recognition is to employees.

According to research from Gallup, just one in three employees had received recognition on a weekly basis. This is troubling given that research has also shown those who don’t feel recognized at work are twice as likely to say they plan on quitting within a year.

Some companies might feel like they can’t afford a proper worker recognition program, but given the costs associated with high turnover, most companies can’t afford not to make employees feel appreciated. Employee recognition initiatives don’t have to be about spending money. Given regularly, small gestures of appreciation can even have more of an impact than a big cash bonus.

Below are a handful of small approaches to recognize the contributions of staff members, but regardless of the strategy you use, it is important to ensure recognition comes from the heart. Don’t just hand out bonuses and gift cards for the sake of it.

4 Ways to Recognize Great Employees

1. Let Em Know!

Feeling like you did good work is one thing but hearing someone else say it is even better. Private or public acknowledgment is a good way to inspire and motivate people and reward staff members for their hard work. If you’re looking to acknowledge publicly, email blasts, announcements at meetings and posting to bulletin boards are all good approaches, and they’re all completely free!

2. Offer (Desirable) Opportunities

Due to fun aspects or high visibility, there are usually some tasks and projects that everybody wants to do, but only a select few are needed to take them on. If you’re having a tough time determining who should get these responsibilities, try using them as ways to recognize good work.

Furthermore, if a diligent worker wants to expand their skill set or explore an interest like web design, consider sending them to an educational class or a conference on the subject they’d like to pursue.

3. Loosen Things Up

If your entire team has been doing a good job, loosening things up is a good way to acknowledge a group effort. Letting staff members work outside, offering some schedule flexibility or letting them go home a few hours early on a Friday are all great gestures, especially during the summer.

4. Have a Co-Worker Recognition Program

Recognition is fantastic coming from a supervisor or executive, but it’s also good coming from colleagues. Give your team a recognition system that allows them the opportunity to recognize each other. This might be something like letting them nominate good performers for Employee of the Month perks.

Better, yet, let your employees determine what the rewards should be. When employees are involved, they get even more invested in the program.

Let Us Support the Success of Your Team

At Cornerstone, we support the success of our clients by connecting them with talent acquisition solutions and services. Please contact us today to find out how we can support your success and the success of your team.