There are several reasons why having an Employee Recognition Program works so well in the workplace. It comes back to our basic human needs being fulfilled. Everyone loves feeling valued and genuinely appreciated for the effort or hard work they put in. When a company goes the extra mile to organise some sort of recognition system, it really says a thing or two about how much they value their employees and hard work.
So what makes recognition so important in any way for employees? Well, just reflect this back on yourself for a moment. Can you imagine working extra hours, pouring heaps of energy and time into a project which has a tight deadline? You may have even had to battle with stress or disagreements with various staff due to the pressurised environment. Then afterwards, there is no follow-up from your line manager, not even a thank you and your work goes unrecognised.
How would that make you feel? Well, let’s just say you wouldn’t feel like sticking around for long.
Now that we have looked at the downsides to not incorporating it, let’s check out some of the benefits to including employee recognition programs.
THE MAIN BENEFITS OF HAVING AN EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM:
- Doing so keeps employees engaged and motivated to keep improving. Creating an improvement ethos in your workplace is essential to keeping your workers moving forward and aiming for more. The more they do, the more it benefits the overall company; and everyone can reach their targets much easier this way! If you want some great ideas for rewards you can give your hard-working staff, you can search online for some awesome reward suggestions!
- You will experience a decrease in staff turnover. People know when they are appreciated and when they are not. If they are not getting it from your agency, it makes sense to move on to somewhere that does. So reduce your turnover and retain those talented staff of yours by injecting some reward schemes into your company. It can only do more good than harm!
- Staff can track their development more easily. Having something tangible to track their success can really push an employee to move forward in their career. As they achieve and develop their craft, this will only have a positive and direct impact on the company itself.
- Better atmosphere in the office and enhanced team work. When people have something to work towards, something to win, they are much more likely to work together and muck in to grab the goodies! This leads to a better camaraderie in the office and within teams.
- Increased level of productivity. When behaviour is recognised, this increases the chances of that positive behaviour being repeated. So in a sense, it’s a sort of positive conditioning and reinforcement that helps and supports your staff to keep aiming high!
- Your staff will actually love coming to the office on Mondays. There will be a better atmosphere all-round and staff will start to enjoy their work much more as a result of reward programs.
As you can see, there is much more to be gained than lost when you put reward and recognition awards into your annual reviews. Why not give it a go and see the benefits for yourself!