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Employee recognition is vital to ensure a solid working community. It doesn’t matter if you have a small staff or hundreds of people: recognizing the sacrifices that employees make on a daily basis will go a long way towards employee satisfaction. As a general rule of thumb, the more satisfied the employee, the more productive he will be. The more productive employees are, the better the company will perform as a whole.

Recognition and Productivity

Studies have shown that employees who feel recognized and rewarded are more productive than those who aren’t. The 2008 Towers Watson’s Global Workforce Study showed that organizations that employ consistent recognition and engagement with the workers experienced returns almost 10% higher than those that didn’t. When you look at these numbers you’ll see that keeping a happy workforce means a more profitable workforce.

From the employee’s standpoint that simple recognition can change the job from just something that has to be done to something they enjoy doing. If an employee feels motivated beyond a paycheck  they are much more likely to perform at their absolute best.

Recognition and Engagement

Recognition doesn’t need to come in the form of extra pay. In fact, an employee making good money is still more likely to leave that job for another if there is no engagement factor. The paychecks are expected, and believe it or not, aren’t much of an incentive for most employees. The truth is, that paycheck can be found next door at your competitors just as easily as it is with you.

The single most important factor in employee recognition programs is to keep your employees engaged. This creates enthusiasm. Employee incentives that are designed to promote the positives in each employee, such as management training programs for those who shine, are simple to implement and will give employees far more satisfaction than the occasional pat on the back.

Even programs that are designed to take average performers and increase their performance are appreciated. The key to this is to frame it in a way that it doesn’t come across as punishment. If an employee isn’t performing up to par, they already know it. When a worker fears they aren’t meeting expectations they start dreading work. If you can turn this around you can create a star performer and keep satisfaction high.

Successful organizations also listen to their employees. If your workers feel like they have a voice and aren’t just another cog in the machine they are much more likely to stick around and feel a sense of pride in their jobs.
Successful Recognition Programs

There are several simple ways your company can recognize employees in a unique fashion that will create a sense of community and loyalty.

1. Flex time is an easy to implement program that shows employees that their time is valuable.  A simple flex plan could allow for an employee to show up an hour late or leave an hour early and make up that time during their normal workday. This way they don’t have to struggle making it to doctors’ appointments or get the kids to school.

2. Creating a fun environment is also key to keeping satisfaction high. Small things like themed days or workday picnics can increase social activity and keep employees happy.

3. Make a point to recognize birthdays and anniversaries. Cakes are cheap and handwritten notes from the ‘big boss’ are completely free.

4. Special parking spots for the top performers, small prizes for the best daily performers, and public recognition of individual success will also go a long way to creating a work environment that is both productive and fun.

Want more information about creating workplace recognition programs? Contact Davis Staffing today for support and happier employees!