Managers can’t be everywhere all the time, so they might miss out on a chance to recognize someone’s great work. Peer-to-peer employee recognition fills in those gaps
The benefits of employee recognition in building a strong culture are undeniable. Managers are the ones who have to carry employee recognition beyond regular reviews. However, managers might not always be around to see everything that happens. Here are some ideas for peer-to-peer employee recognition that encourages teamwork in the workplace and builds a culture of appreciation.
Fellow employees are the ones who see the contributions of their peers firsthand. Usually, employees notice co-workers who stepped in to help them complete a project. They observe someone who takes on extra tasks without complaints.
Even when a manager doesn’t see them, these recognition-worthy moments need to be noticed. Unfortunately, according to Gallup’s analysis, these are often unrecognized.
Only one in three workers in the U.S. agree that they received recognition for good work in the past seven days. Ideas for peer-to-peer employee recognition can fill in the gap, building a culture of appreciation.
Importance of peer recognition programs
One of the most interesting results of Gallup’s multiyear study is that people prefer public recognition over money. Money-based rewards did show up in the top six ways, ranking at number five. But public recognition ranked higher, holding spot number one.
Peer-to-peer employee recognition programs help management recognize individuals even when they cannot be everywhere or see everything. Reward systems using peers build a strong culture of appreciation that happens without manager visibility.
Peer-to-peer recognition in action
A peer-to-peer employee recognition program improves employee relationships and team spirit. Celebrating each other’s good work feeds a positive culture. In fact, a culture of appreciation will engage employees beyond bonuses.
Employees have higher confidence in the work they do. It’s nice to have managers recognize a good job, but peer-to-peer recognition is an extra boost.
Overcoming common challenges
One of the biggest challenges with peer-to-peer employee recognition programs are delays. Often, the employee has to nominate a co-worker to a manager. The manager then has to approve the nomination and administer the reward. Sometimes, the employee does not receive the reward until a quarterly rollup. By then, the recognition has lost its impact.
A simple shout out system is a great idea for peer-to-peer employee recognition that encourages teamwork in the workplace. Employees hand write notes to coworkers, thanking him or her for their help, covering a shift, or assisting in some way. Also, handwritten notes of appreciation mean more than other rewards. This type of simple shout out system needs very little administration, especially if the manager empowers the team to do it often.
Another challenge is expecting employees to support the program by themselves. All employee recognition programs need management support. Peer-to-peer programs are no different. To keep the employees using the program, promote the program.
Keep the program in front of the employees. Publish the program in the newsletter or put it on the bulletin board. Remind employees of the program when someone says a co-worker is doing a good job.
Employees have higher confidence in the work they do. It’s nice to have managers recognize a good job, but peer-to-peer recognition is an extra boost.
One important requirement of any employee recognition program is to set clear goals. Employees should reward their peers based on the outline of the program, and clear goals will set the boundaries.
Likewise, clear goals prevent employees from rewarding their peers simply because they are friends instead of actual accomplishments. A criteria-based reward system with manager oversight helps prevent misuse.
Summary
Peer to peer employee recognition encourages teamwork in the workplace and builds a culture of appreciation. Managers have less burden, and employees feel more appreciated.
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