Some employers may wonder if there a low cost, yet effective way to improve employee productivity and morale in the workplace. You do not always need to reach for your checkbook to offer efficient employees costly raises in order to ensure that they remain happy or content working for your company. What employees often desire most is not monetary remuneration but, rather, recognition for their hard work. A simple yet sincere show of appreciation to employees who deserve such recognition can go a long way with your staff, and can also ensure that your employees remain motivated to be productive.
Employee recognition programs can play a vital role in the workplace. Psychology scholars have long demonstrated that offering employee recognition programs can result in greater employee productivity and morale, and lead to a more efficient workplace. Contrary to many misconceptions managers have about employees in general, many individuals take pride in their work and enjoy doing their job well. When their work is not being appreciated by their managers, however, it is easy for employees to become less concerned with how well they perform. Implementing formal employee recognition programs can be a cost effective and easy way to ensure that your employees who are performing well receive the validation and recognition that they deserve.
Yet a reward system that is arbitrarily determined according to the whims and moods of middle managers who simply pat employees on the back when they do a good job may not be enough. Implementing a formal system from a recognized company, such as Diamond Recognition (you can find their programs at www.diamondrecognition.com/), that rewards the highest performing employees provides a structured way to make sure that the individuals who are most deserving of recognition receive awards. Offering recognition that takes on a tangible form, or even a nominal financial reward, makes the recognition that the employee receives feel real. Simple verbal recognition for a job well done every now and then may make the employee feel like the recognition being offered is hollow.
Your employees dedicate a significant amount of their days away from their families and friends in order to work for you. Many of these employees, particularly skilled employees, may spend late nights in the office without being compensated for their overtime. When that employee is able to come back home one day and tell his family that he or she received an award recognizing the employee’s contributions at work, it validates the time that the employee spent working hard for your company. If your company is interested in ensuring that employees keep showing that level of dedication to their jobs, they must provide them with formal recognition of their hard work that they can take back to their families.
Moreover, while not all employees are great, those who are deserve to be recognized for their contributions to your company. It is the great employees who often carry their teams to success, and their contributions should not be glossed over. Studies have shown that employees highly value receiving personal recognition when they do their job well. A simple formal show of appreciation to your company’s most talented and hardworking employees properly incentivizes the employees, and can lead to a more productive and efficient workforce.