Zig Ziglar said it best: “You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”
This week, we will be holding our end of season Team appreciation event and awards banquet. It is THE event to close out the year where the best of the best are recognized based off of their performance for the year as well as how our values were honored. We also include giveaways and of course, some fun! As I was brainstorming on a topic to share this week, gratitude always is at the forefront of my mind. But with gratitude, comes recognition. And also appreciation for those that we are called to lead.
Now that we are on the topic, let’s discuss recognition. There is such a thing as over-showing recognition. We have become a culture in which people expect to be rewarded for drawing breath and taking up space, which makes the job of a leader tasked with employee retention a difficult one indeed. If many of our employees expect routine and social praise and “badges”, how can you recognize the extraordinary achievement? Like pulling 50-60 hour work weeks in sometimes horrible conditions to see that our clients needs are being met and exceeded.
Typically, recognition and financial reward are joined at the hip. An employee does something above and beyond and receives a gift card or a small bonus; a team achieves a goal and is rewarded with a party. These rewards however, can backfire. They tell the employee that he or she is worth in dollars to the organization for some level of effort. In my opinion this approach can miss the point of recognition and appreciation. I can tell you first hand after many years of leading that people are motivated by more than money. People crave positive feedback, recognition that they put in extra effort, acknowledgement by their leaders and peers, the glow that comes with knowing an achievement has been seen, appreciated and celebrated. If you constantly just give a “prize”, without giving feedback on performance, it can be counter-cultural. And actually hurt your organization!
Financial reward is a great thing, don’t get me wrong one bit, but it’s not the same equivalent of recognition. It’s a short term solution. Neither is constant praise for performing average work as I’ve seen first hand with Team members that are no longer working at AO. Recognition is a key tool in employee retention programs for a reason: people need more than constructive feedback and positive affirmation. They need recognition of their extra effort. They need to “feel” it. This will never go away as a basic human need!
Here are a few recommendations for showing appreciation
1) In the moment – as much as possible, be timely. Catch people doing great work and acknowledge their efforts. Showing up for work on time does not count! Even though nowadays it probably should. Be specific, descriptive and measured.
2) In context – recognition is most effective when it’s given in the context of a larger goal or business-results-focused activity. Random affirmations are much less meaningful than those tied to a business goal. An employee who is hitting their targets needs to know they are doing such. Proper metrics are a must to let your Team know how they are doing.
3) Authentic, not automatic – you have to mean it when you give employees recognition.
4) Tied to the employee’s perception of value – people know when they’re valued, and they should have a good idea of their value to the organization. Monetary rewards can skew this notion of value, linking it to cash when it should be linked to appreciation of extra effort and smarts. Money is not the only thing – or even the most effective – motivator. Treat employees as the valued team members they are, not as a number!
As leaders, we lead the revolution. It’s on us to be sure we are showing our appreciation to those that service our mission, and also to recognize greatness where it is due! When your team notices you’re recognizing their performance, they will want to keep repeating that behavior. Whether it’s celebrating a milestone or giving a simple thank you note, every recognition has the power to impact Team member engagement and morale. It’s never been more important for us as leaders to practice recognition every day. And I can tell you, I’ve witnessed firsthand how much it can positively impact company culture!
You all Rock. Be blessed my amigos!