Employee recognition is an underrated, yet effective way of getting more out of your team. When you make recognition a priority, you’ll see direct benefits of increased engagement and a workforce that feels appreciated. However, the indirect results of employee recognition are regularly overlooked. In this article, you’ll learn about additional value shared with your employees when you make a commitment to recognizing them.
If you want your team to bring value to customers, you must bring value to your team. Here are some ways employee recognition will bring value to your team.
Recognition encourages teamwork
Recognizing individuals who do great work makes them enjoy success. It also inspires them to keep up the good work. A study conducted by Li, Zheng, Harris, Liu, and Kirkman confirmed the positive impact of individual recognition on teams. The researchers found that when a team member received “employee of the month”, other members within that team demonstrated increased job performance.
“If you want your team to bring value to customers, you must bring value to your team.”
– Clayton Kaufman
Recognition helps lower stress
Employee recognition also helps your team manage stress. Stress is not overtly bad, because it is often a reaction to challenging goals and objectives. The way stress is handled is what usually leads to problems in the workplace. Persistently recognize your employees when they overcome obstacles. Morale will skyrocket.
In an article about stress in the workplace, Kristin Ryba noted “recognizing your employees” as one of the main strategies to lower workplace stress. Ryba says, “However you choose to recognize, your employees will appreciate that you are aware of their success and want to share it with others.”
Recognizing employees’ hard work will give them confidence to approach challenges with an opportunity-based mindset. Instead of focusing on stress caused by day-to-day responsibilities, employees will realize your appreciation for their job well-done.
Recognition encourages feedback
Feedback gained as a result of employee recognition also provides additional value. The way you operate your recognition program creates a feedback loop between yourself and your team. The criteria you decide on to determine employee of the month winners will make it clear what is necessary to receive the highest amount of recognition.
Seize the opportunity each time you award a monthly winner by publicly and distinctly outlining what they did to earn the recognition. As a result, you will educate the rest of the workforce about how to reach the top on a monthly basis.
In an article about how to drive sustainable engagement, Achievers says, “real-time recognition and feedback is a must because workers want to know their work is valued and that they are making a positive impact on the company.”
Recognition promotes company values
Employee recognition is rarely brought up in the same conversation as company values, yet you can take it as an opportunity to mold employees into values champions. Not only will this benefit the individual in developing their professional skill set, it will pay off for you and your company to have a valued and productive human resource.
Regardless of your end-goal, you need a workplace environment where your team is working together, not against each other; a team that deals with stress proactively and faces challenges with an opportunity-based mindset. In any great team, feedback is a huge factor. Teams that accomplish great work share values that motivate them individually and unite them as a group.
At MyEmployees, we continue to hear from clients about improved teamwork & feedback, lower stress, and exemplary company values. Our customer stories are real-world proof that our employee of the month program and engagement coaching are the real deal. Check out this story about how appreciation led to a more engaged and active team.
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