All too often I’ve heard employees complain about what was supposed to be recognition, what was supposed to reward tremendous achievements and what was supposed to increase engagement. The recognition missed the mark, and was sometimes deemed a burden.
Dinner with an executive.
A round of golf with a senior leader.
Team dinner.
Tickets for employees to go to a sporting event together.
Like many things in life, all recognition is not created equal. Not everyone is interested in spending an evening with a business leader or colleagues. Not everyone enjoys playing golf.
Companies spend a small fortune on recognition, and it may not be effective. US organizations alone spend over $100 billion annually on incentive programs. On the bright side, companies with recognition programs that are highly effective at improving employee engagement have 31% lower voluntary turnover. So how can we make recognition more effective? Make it meaningful.
As the lines between “work” and “play” continue to blur, more and more employees are placing increased value on their personal time. Dinners and other “after hours” activities, while well intentioned, are not delivering value when it comes to recognition.
The next time you are looking to recognize someone, think about what that person values most. If you don’t know, ask! I advise managers to ask each employee what recognition looks like for him or her…and take notes. Refer to those notes. Make recognition meaningful.
I personally value time with my family tremendously. One of the most meaningful forms of recognition I ever received cost the company nothing. It was a hand-written note from my manager thanking me for the work I did on a particular project, and offering me additional paid time off to be taken in the next 45 days. That resonated with me immensely. I felt appreciated. I felt valued. I felt engaged. Isn’t that what we are after?
Let’s spend our recognition dollars wisely, and empower managers to recognize their teams in ways that are meaningful at the individual level.
What is meaningful recognition to you and how do you try to make recognition meaningful for others?