A MUST HAVE List of Employee Recognition and Appreciation Ideas

Organizations need to carefully tailor their employee recognition and appreciation efforts and make them meaningful to their employees. Why? Everyone likes to be recognized for their efforts.

Think back to the last time someone expressed appreciation for your work — it stuck in your mind and meant something, didn’t it? But employee recognition is not just about making people feel good. It has a significant impact on key business metrics, including engagement, retention, and productivity. Data indicates that “lack of recognition” is the third most common reason employees leave their job, and 26% of employees feel that being undervalued and underappreciated is the highest barrier to engagement.

Leadership to Employee Appreciation Ideas

Recognition from leadership boosts employee morale and encourages positive behavior by setting an example. 58% of employees say their manager relationship would improve with more recognition, but 30% of respondents feel recognition was “not really” or “not at all” valued by leadership. And recognition from leadership above the supervisor levels matters even more: 44% of employees value recognition from higher levels of leadership the most.

To become recognition champions, leaders from the C-suite down should prioritize recognition by following these recommendations:

Serve as an example by recognizing employees frequently.
Publicly recognize team members by hosting company-wide meetings.
Advocate for a culture of recognition in your daily interactions and in meetings with leadership.
Practice both monetary and social recognition.
Take advantage of one-click recognitions so that no leader can use the excuse that they’re “too busy” to recognize employees.

Recognition from leadership is especially crucial in times of difficulty. Words of positivity, support, and appreciation for team efforts help employees focus on moving forward.

Company Culture Employee Recognition and Appreciation Ideas

A positive organizational culture has a significant impact on business results and is critical to attracting top talent, and recognition is the foundation that great company cultures are built on. According to Brandon Hall Group’s recent report, organizations that rate their culture of recognition highly are:

3x more likely to see increased employee retention
5x more likely to see increased employee engagement
2.25x more likely to give frequent recognition
79% more likely to give their employer brand a high rating

To start incorporating recognition into your culture, make peer-to-peer, team, manager, and leadership recognition a regular occurrence. The Brandon Hall Group found that companies that recognize employees multiple times a month are 41% more likely to see increased employee retention and 34% more likely to see increased engagement.

You should also explicitly and clearly tie recognition to specific positive behaviors, and especially those that reflect company values. Employees are more likely to repeat actions they’re recognized for, so this is one of the most effective ways to shape your culture.

Ideas For Peer-To-Peer Recognition

Recognition from colleagues is just as important as being recognized by leadership. Peer-to-peer recognition builds employee engagement and helps establish a positive company culture. In fact, research shows that peer-to-peer recognition can boost employee performance by as much as 14%. It also fosters a sense of connection, belonging, and well-being. Here are some ideas for incorporating peer-to-peer recognition into the workplace:

Ensure that all employees can participate in your recognition program whether they’re on the move, in office, or working remotely.
Include peer participation in employee recognition celebrations. Whether its a service anniversary or personal achievement, encourage peers to comment and be a part of the event. And consider digital celebration cards that all team members can sign and customize with a special message of appreciation.
Make it easy for employees to recognize a peer for good work or simply living the company’s values.