Tips on Giving Formal Recognition to Your Employees

It is normal for people to long for public recognition especially when they deserve it. Of course, as a manager, you don't want to throw a party every time one of your employees straightens up his desk or even does a good job. But your company, your department, your teams, and your individual employees all achieve milestones worthy of formal recognition. Examples are meeting profit goals, promotions, winning a national award, new product or service launches or retirements.

Take advantage of these milestones to create formal recognition ceremonies. These ceremonies can recognize individuals, teams, or entire departments. They can be lavish, whole-company affairs or small staff meeting presentations. The important thing is to make the recognition sincere, appropriate, and public.

Make the Reward Reflect the Winner

Recognize personal milestones with trophies, plaques, or merchandise. Cash is usually a poor choice because it is quickly spent or banked and therefore has a short afterlife. Trophies, on the other hand, are kept, and remind employees of their accomplishments. It's OK to reward individuals during other events, such as staff meetings. When recognizing teams or groups of employees, create events that allow the team to celebrate together.

Tell Employees How to Win

Although informal recognition is actually enhanced if it's a surprise, formal recognition is another matter. If something in your company is important enough to merit formal recognition, employees need to know ahead of time what that thing is and what they have to do to earn it.

Remember Presentation Counts

Employees should feel that the recognition is something special, not an afterthought. Do what you can to make the occasion memorable. Even cheap trimmings can turn a presentation at a staff meeting into a ceremony. If you can afford more, do it. As you plan, keep your efforts in scale. Don't make an event to honor a single employee splashier than the ceremony recognizing the company-wide milestone.

Reflect Your Culture

Events work best when they mirror the prevailing culture. If you're in a freewheeling start-up company, a black tie dinner may not be what gets employees most excited. On the other hand, swing night at the roller rink might not be the best choice for commercial bankers. Events should feel like a natural but special extension of the workplace. If you're unsure what would most appeal to employees, ask.

Don't Attach Strings

Recognition is not a gift; it's something that's been earned. Recognition is about them, not you as a manager.

Make It Personal

Occasionally, employees may win an award or otherwise be recognized outside the company. That kind of recognition is priceless, but employees want to know that it mattered to you, too. Send them flowers or a gift certificate to express your congratulations.