8 Ways to Recognize Employee Achievements

If you run a busy office, you might not think you have time to recognize your employees’ achievements, and it might not seem like a big deal to do so, but it is. A little recognition can go a long way. Think employee satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty. Sometimes those intangible rewards, like saying “thank you” or “good job” are more important than a monetary bonus. If your employees don’t feel valued, they’re more likely to find a new organization that does appreciate their hard work. Here are eight ways to recognize employee achievements.  

Celebrate employee achievements frequently

You can’t only do it once a month or at a quarterly meeting. At that point, the effect will have worn off. Instead, recognize someone as soon as you see they’ve done a good job.  

Use social media

On your company’s social media account, set up an “employee of the week” program to highlight employee achievements or make it a goal to thank an “all-star” at least once a week. It doesn’t have to be anything formal, just whenever you notice some stellar performance or above-and-beyond effort, note it publicly. And if it ends up being two or three people in one week, so be it! 

Superhero program

When one of your employees does something really great, award them “Superhero for a Day.” Give them a cape or a superhero crown or something that symbolizes their achievement – maybe a medal or trophy. Then make it their duty to pass it along to the next company superhero. Sometimes an award from a peer means even more than from a boss.   

Mention them at a meeting

This is the simplest one – take a moment at the start of your next team meeting and give praise to someone for something significant they’ve done. Be specific as you speak about them. Say exactly what they did and how it impacts the whole company and follow it with a big round of applause. 

Monday Morning Gratitude

Feeling grateful makes you feel happy and knowing someone is grateful for you makes you even happier than that. So, on Monday mornings, gather your team and have each person say one thing they’re grateful for about the person next to them. It may sound cheesy, but gratitude and happiness are contagious and can have a direct impact on motivation. 

Treat for lunch

Take your team to lunch at a nearby restaurant to celebrate employee achievements. Make it clear – with an announcement or toast – that you’re proud of the year (or month or week) they’ve had, and you appreciate how hard everyone’s been working. It might be even more impactful after a particularly trying project. 

Award time off

This might be the best one yet! If you have an employee who does something really phenomenal and you can afford to do so, give them an extra day or two off. Or maybe the chance to work from home for a few days, whatever makes sense for your company.  

Give a gift card

But don’t simply drop it on their desk when they’re not around. Make it a point to speak with them directly and mention exactly why you feel they’ve earned a little something extra. If you can, try to match the gift card to their interests or hobbies. It doesn’t have to be much – even $5 or $10 to a coffee shop is meaningful. It’s more about the acknowledgement itself. 

Looking to Keep You Team Motivated?

For more tips on rewarding your team and keeping them motivated, check out our website at http://www.icrjobs.com.