In generations past, it probably wouldn’t have occurred to a manager that part of his job was to make sure his employees felt good about themselves. “They’re here to work!” an old fashioned boss would likely say. Now, we know this isn’t the best way to handle employees, both for them or the company as a whole. Study after study tells us that “esteem” is an essential human need, ranking not far below food, water, shelter, and safety. It’s a big mistake to think of compliments and feedback as a little bonus, but not really necessary. In reality, team members don’t just enjoy recognition, they need it.
Your employee recognition programs should be effective at fostering this esteem and improving employee engagement. There’s no denying that people of all ages and places in their career respond positively to being recognized and rewarded – even if it’s “just” a verbal reward. There are a lot of ideas out there on how to do it, though. The question is – which ones work and which ones don’t? Which form of employee recognition resonates most deeply with your staff?
3 Employee Recognition Ideas
Efficient team members are those who are engaged, empowered, and actively participating in making the workplace better. You won’t get these all-star employees by chance. You need to foster an environment where employees are recognized for their efforts. A few of the best ways to do this include:
#1 Give Regularly-Scheduled Employee Reviews
An employee review is when a manager and an employee meet to discuss the employee's performance. These are commonly held either quarterly or annually but may happen on other occasions, such as when an employee’s 90-day probationary period ends. An employee review process is found in nearly all successful companies, and it’s easy to see why. In these one-on-one meetings, employees learn what their strengths are and what they should focus on in order to improve. This effort serves to boost morale, increase retention, as well as simply make your organization a better place to work.
Employee reviews are focused on growth. Ideally, they provide positive feedback, and measure staff performance. You may worry this will make your team member nervous or upset, but studies show that the opposite is true. Employee reviews lead to more engaged-team members. They are also happier than those who don’t feel they’re getting direct feedback and that their opinions are being heard.
#2 Contests and Gamification
One of the most effective ways to make an employee feel like a winner is to, well, have them win something! Incorporating what are known as “gamification techniques” will help you inspire your team members. They’ll feel a friendly sense of rivalry, and each week they will try to reach that top spot on the leaderboard.
There are plenty of ways to get your employees’ competitive spirit going, all in the name of good fun and recognition. See who can sign up the most new members to your athletic center, who can upsell the most cookies at the cash register, or who can get the most positive reviews from guests in your dining hall. The possibilities are endless! A $25 gift card won’t blow your budget, but it will be a driver for your team to win. Your employees are working hard to win, while you enjoy a team that is laser focused on doing the best job possible.
#3 Public Shout-Outs
You don’t need to spend any money at all to recognize your team’s brightest stars. Consider setting up a board or a wall in the employee area where people can share messages of appreciation toward their coworkers. This will make the employees who have been recognized for their stellar work feel incredibly proud, while at the same time challenging others to increase their efforts so they can receive praise too.
You can also make your shout-out efforts a little more tech savvy by having a weekly or monthly social post celebrating a special employee for their dedication and hard work. This is a great way to showcase someone who has been an employee for a particular period of time, was recently complimented by a customer/client, or who has done something to earn special praise.
SubitUp Makes This Simple to Accomplish
Employee reviews are essential to the short-term happiness and long-term success of your organization. SubitUp helps make these reviews easier and more actionable! Our new employee review tool aggregates everything a team member does into one view for you, their manager, to see. This “snapshot” makes employee review incredibly easy and efficient by allowing you to:
- Schedule the Review
- View Their Certifications
- Assign and Track Goals
- Understand Trend Lines
Within SubitUp, you will be able to clearly access all of the team member’s data you need for the employee review, including:
- Punctuality
- Number of Shifts They’re Scheduled for
- Number of Shifts They Pick Up for Others
- How Much They Make
When employee reviews are easier for you to facilitate and clearer for your employees to understand the information presented, everyone walks away happier. The right path forward begins with a consultation. Connect with us to chat about our new employee review tool, as well as how we can make it easier to handle your employee reviews. Reach out today and let’s talk about your organization’s needs.
