Remember the last time someone told you what a great job you were doing? You felt all warm and fuzzy inside like you could conquer the world. (No, really think about it, and savor that moment of triumph.)
That’s why it’s so important to recognize employees’ efforts and to appreciate them for a job well done (or in corporate terms, praise for adding value to a team). So without further adieu, let’s dig in to some employee recognition ideas that will rock the socks off your staff and team.
Tools for Employee Recognition Ideas
Automation tools are important for many industries, including human resources. This is especially true for brands that want to practice agile methods in all parts of their business.
There are more opportunities for peer-to-peer recognition ideas than ever before. Reward systems can be automated. Incentives can be scheduled. But how should the tools be used?
First, develop questions with the objective of employee recognition ideas in mind.
Forms of Recognition & Reasons to Celebrate
When it comes to employee praise, the first point of celebration is often work-related and at a small scale. Peers can offer each other kudos for a task well done, or managers can shout out their employees during a team meeting. However, there are a number of large events that deserve recognition at work as well.
- Birthdays. Many employees choose to take this day of their lives off. But some spend it where they like to be best: in the office. Honor this choice with a signed birthday card from peers, or a surprise birthday cake in the break room.
- Work Anniversaries. Professionals spend a long time at work. In fact, many American workers spend more time in the office with coworkers than they do at home with family. Find a way to celebrate their commitment and passion for the brand.
- Personal Anniversaries. Whether an employee is celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary or planning their soon-to-be honeymoon, recognize these major milestones in employee lives. Instead of kudos, offer extra time off or cover dinner during their vacation time.
- Employee Appreciation Days. Need we say more? Make them feel special with personal thank you cards and handwritten notes to show you’re grateful for all of their contributions to the company.
- Project Completion. This isn’t necessarily an event that might trigger a kudos. But, if an employee has finished a massive project or closed a behemoth deal, consider offering up a gift card to their favorite lunch spot. They’ll be hungry for bigger projects with the right recognition.
- Employee Reviews. These can be incredibly stressful for an employee. Congratulate their patience and growth with a thoughtful letter. Or take them out for a cocktail!
What are Some Employee Recognition Ideas?
There’s something deeply fundamental about the way human beings thrive on recognition – especially when it’s given by peers. This applies very much to the work environment, where employees are motivated by project appreciation.
According to Deloitte, organizations with advanced employee rewards and recognition programs are 12x more likely to have strong business outcomes. This speaks volumes about the potential of employee appreciation to tangibly improve employee engagement and boost business performance.
Knowing that employee recognition ideas are worth striving toward and implementing, we’re left with another dilemma. How do we practice employee appreciation in ways that are not only impactful, but will truly benefit employees?
1) Cheers from Peers (Peer Recognition Programs)
Shoutouts, kudos, a “well done” after a long day at work — you said it!
One of the biggest myths of employee recognition is that it should come from a top-down approach; ie. from top management to team members. Well, who’s to say that it can’t come from fellow colleagues. In fact, a peer employee recognition program is one of the most effective peer to peer recognition programs.
Colleagues are often more aware of positive acts done by their peers than we think, despite complaints of busy schedules and other distractions at the office. In fact, 90% of workers feel that a values-based, peer-to-peer recognition system increases their work satisfaction. Instead of manager-only recognition, try peer-to-peer appreciation systems to effectively engage your employees!
Begin by creating a chance for your staff to show kudos to one another in day-to-day activities. This can be shout-outs in weekly meetings, tagging them on social media, or a nomination for Employee of the Month. There is no limit to the way you can encourage employee recognition and reward.
Some examples of recognition types to try are:
- Bonusly. It offers a point system tool that integrates with Slack. The tool allows you to recognize and reward your co-workers easily.
- Capterra. Want to find the employee recognition software of your choice? Try Capterra, a free and interactive platform that allows you to compare across the various software options you have!
At Remesh, we have our own active #kudos slack channel to recognize co-workers for stellar work. We also love the HeyTaco! tool we’ve implemented not long ago. We just can’t stop adding taco emojis to our messages to show praise for peers! Check it out!
The rest of this article can be found on Ramesh blog