5 Ways to Add Employee Recognition Into Your Company Culture

Hiring & Recruitment Public Relations Strategy

We’ve touched on company milestones, anniversaries, and awards, but we’d be foolish to discount one of the biggest contributors to business success – amazing and dedicated employees. 

From the frontline employees who become the face of your business, to those who work behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly, a good team can make all the difference for a successful business.

We hear from many clients in various industries that good employees can be hard to find and keep. While there is no quick-fix solution, a study done by CareerBuilder shows 50% of employees believe increased recognition would reduce voluntary turnover. (Looking for tips on recruitment? Why not try video!)

Productivity lacking? Studies show 40% of employees who don’t feel meaningfully recognized will not go above their formal responsibilities. 

Employee recognition and appreciation can be a game-changer when it comes to workplace morale, productivity, and turnover. It can also help with recruitment; who wouldn’t want to join a team of people who work hard, have fun doing it, and are valued and appreciated for it?

Luckily, you don’t have to wait until Employee Appreciation Day to make your team feel valued. 

Grab your sheet of gold star stickers! Here are five ways to add employee recognition into your company culture. 

  1. Company Kudos

From employee-of-the-month plaques and parking spaces to financial incentives for hitting benchmark goals, it’s important that employees are recognized for their hard work by management. But to create a culture of appreciation that goes beyond the boss, it’s important to include the whole company in the dishing out of positive reinforcement. Consider doing company-wide kudos, where employees can call out co-workers who have done an exceptional job that month or quarter, whether it was moving a big project forward, being a team player, or helping others get past a problem. You can keep these anonymous or go as far as sharing a few kudos at company-wide meetings.

  1. Get Social

You already know you’ve got some outstanding employees, but do your customers, prospects, and the community? It’s okay to humble-brag about the people on your team and their accomplishments, both work-related and personal. It’s common to see posts about the great work done by employees for awards your company has won or projects you are proud of but don’t stop there. Have someone at your company supporting a cause they value or accomplishing a huge personal goal? As long as it’s within company guidelines, recognize their efforts and ask if you can share it on social. They’ll appreciate it and your audience will too. 

  1. Party Like It’s Their Birthday

Birthdays, as well as employment anniversaries, are meant to be celebrated (yes, even if it’s the fifth time you’re turning 40). Here at Sutherland Weston, we have a tradition where we celebrate employee birthdays by letting that month’s honorees each choose their celebratory treat, gather around our conference table, and serenade them with “happy birthday”. Not a fan of cake? Some companies treat birthdays like floating holidays, allowing employees to take the day off and celebrate however they see fit. 

  1. Take Things Off-Site

Remember how excited you got as a kid when your teacher took the class outside? Whether it was to study bugs in science or draw flowers in art, the change of scenery added a pleasant element to the day – and in many cases upped productivity. Give employees the ability to take things out of the office once in a while, whether it’s letting them work from the cafe down the street, holding a department meeting at that cool new brunch spot, or even closing the office early for a company BBQ or bowling party. While you might not get as much done that day, the boost in morale is likely to yield positive results. 

  1. Don’t Underestimate The Obvious

While public recognition, celebrations, and special occasions are all fun ways to add employee appreciation into the workplace, don’t glaze over the impact something as simple as a one-on-one conversation can have on your staff. Think they crushed that sales presentation? Shoot them a note or make the time to stop by their desk. Most importantly, make it personal. A run-of-the-mill pat on the back or generic “great job” can seem insincere; instead, let them know what about the presentation they did well and why the company (and you) value that skill or approach.