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Employees who are recognized for doing a good job and making positive contributions are happier and more productive. Employers may forget at times that their workers’ happiness means a great deal in terms of their productivity and job satisfaction. Recognition programs can go a long way toward making employees fulfilled in their jobs.
Recognizing employees can be as simple as having a glass award engraved. Fortunately, there are many quality companies like EDCO that can help your organization fulfill your recognition needs.
This article will explain the top seven reasons why it is a good idea to implement an employee recognition program in your workplace, offering tips on how to make these initiatives work.
1. Less Turnover
When employees are properly recognized for their work, they are less likely to search for other jobs. A feeling of underappreciation is one of the main reasons why employees look for other work. Turnover is expensive, in some cases costing as much as $4,000 per employee and 42 days of lost time.
2. Employee Satisfaction
Employees who receive the recognition that they deserve are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. Every employee has their own talents and skills, and when their department heads are familiar with their special qualities and willing to recognize their work, they are much more likely to feel fulfilled in their work.
3. Employee Morale
Employees in workplaces with robust recognition programs have higher morale. They feel that hard work and a high amount of effort are rewarded. This means that they will be less likely to become jaded and feel dissatisfied with the company. When teamwork is emphasized, employees can feed off one another’s positive thoughts and feelings and create a culture of excellence.
4. Productivity
Employees who know they could be publicly recognized for their work are more productive. They put more time and care into their work and into nurturing customer relations. They work harder, and they are more likely to put extra time into their projects rather than clocking out at the earliest possible hour each day.
5. Loyalty
Employees in workplaces where they have a chance of being recognized for their efforts are far more loyal to their companies. They internalize the company’s values, believing that their personal efforts have a significant meaning to the workplace as a whole. They are more likely to stay in their jobs for a number of years, further reducing turnover.
They also mentor younger employees and ensure that their less experienced colleagues stay with the company as well. The benefits of loyalty cannot easily be measured, but they are hugely important.
6. Higher Performance
In addition to productivity gains in general, employees who are regularly recognized for doing well in their jobs shoot for higher performance targets. This is especially true of sales and other client-focused professions. Customer service is another area where satisfied employees work harder to make clients happy. Happy clients are directly related to workplace success.
7. Better Teamwork
Especially in offices where peers are allowed to recognize one another for their hard work, employee recognition means better teamwork. Teams can be honored together or as individuals. Team awards can build pride and camaraderie.
How to Implement an Employee Recognition Program
Even if starting an employee recognition program sounds like a great idea, in theory, it can be daunting to get started. Above all, the system for choosing who is honored under the program needs to be fair. It needs to be less of a popularity contest and more focused on each employee’s individual and team contributions to the company’s welfare. If the same few people are constantly recognized while most of the employee population is ignored, this will build resentment and bad feelings toward the company.
It is better to implement a program where contributions of all kinds are recognized. There are many hardworking people in each company who are typically not brought to public attention. These people frequently end up shouldering large burdens due to turnover and vacant positions. They are far more likely to leave their jobs if they are not recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty.
One of the most novel ideas for starting an employee recognition program is a points system. A points system allows both supervisors and peers to give points to an employee, which the employee can save and use for rewards at various levels. This avoids the cliched coffee mug and T-shirt awards unless that is what the employee sincerely wants to receive.
Individual Awards
When employers want to have a glass award engraved for their workers, they may wonder what the best categories for these awards may be. There are three primary types of award used by most companies today.
The first type of recognition that would be appropriate for a glass or crystal award is the longevity or tenure award. People who have worked at the same company for a number of years need to be rewarded for their loyalty and dedication.
The second type of recognition is the spot award. These awards are given out during the course of the entire year, not only at work anniversaries. They are especially helpful when an employee has made an outstanding contribution to a project and has put in more than the required time and effort.
The third type of recognition that most companies should consider awarding is the performance recognition award. These awards cover the top performers in each department, ranked by a tangible set of data.
Recognizing Employees
This article makes it clear that employers need to step up and recognize their hardworking staff. Implementing a program is easy when partnering with an awards company like EDCO. If you put time and effort into your program, you can reap benefits regarding turnover, morale, and productivity.
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This content is brought to you by Hannah Madison.
Photo provided by the author.
