When people feel appreciated for their positive contribution, they are more likely to keep up the good work. If you fail to recognise them, they are eventually going to ask, "Why did I bother?"

Sometimes when you work closely with people you forget to acknowledge their efforts. It might be more common when you aren't in the room. And so the Hybrid and remote workers get overlooked more often than site workers. In fact, research shows that remote workers are less likely to be overlooked for promotions or additional responsibility.

So, it is more important than ever to keep boosting performance with the rise of hybrid working. It's vital that you make people connection, increase visibility and shine a spotlight on achievements of your talent, a strategic decision. Di it strategically so it becomes a cultural norm. 

When you recognise those who show the right behaviours, which are aligned with your values and purpose, you signal to everyone that this is how we do things around here.

 

When you recognise those who show the right behaviours, which are aligned with your values and purpose, you signal to everyone that this is how we do things around here.

 

The next generation of employee engagement

If the 20th century was all about rank and yank and carrot and sticks, the early 2000's shifted to happiness and satisfaction. The 2020's looks set to push us into the new era of less stress and more wellbeing. 

For leaders and managers, the stress of adapting quickly, constantly changing Government advice, Brexit and social movement like Black Lives Matter seemed to throw one significant issue after another. Market places were disrupted and the normal routes to market were disrupted. And yet, that's just business. The element that added more stress was trying to keep their remote workers connected, happy and well whilst in lockdown and home schooling. 

And your people were struggling too. Their wellbeing became a priority to them and their expectations of their management and leaders also rose. In fact, research shows that in 2021 over half of people already in employment are actively looking on jobs boards. It might be because they have found a new passion or interest, they have enjoyed, or hated working remotely or like many (30%), they feel a lack of recognition and appreciation in their jobs.

So if 50% of your people are actively looking at other role and 30% feel underappreciated, you have to act now before you lose your best people and find it hard to attract their replacements. 

How to create recognition culture

Research

The first thing you do is to define what a great performer looks like. We aren't talking just productivity here. We are looking at the behaviours that represent your values and your culture. Who are your rising stars? What qualities do they have which you would love to nurture in others? 

Every company has heroes. Ask your people who their heroes are and what qualities they have.

Identify those qualities, perhaps update your values or behavioural competencies and then communicate them. Explain why these qualities matter to the success of your business. Include them in your recruitment processes, your performance management documents. Align them to everything and everyone.

Then, ask your people how they want to be recognised and appreciated. You can do lots of work that then bombs because your haven't thought about how to recognise people. Perhaps e-cards, gifts through the post, birthday gifts, a day off, a lunch voucher, an award or even a sing-a-gram is the approach that your people want. You won't know until you ask.

Launch

Think about it. You have probably engaged your people for ideas, so they know something is coming. So in the launch say, we asked, you told us, we listened. Remember to be inclusive to all. Don't organise a huge onsite launch event if half of your workforce work remotely. Think about how you can launch in style, for everyone. Perhaps you can send everyone a launch pack, with gifts, guides and surprises. Maybe you could invite everyone to an online launch event. If you are using a third party, such as Perkbox or RewardGateway, do some demonstrations and training. Enthuse the Leaders, Managers and workers alike.

Communicate success

How will people know when they have been recognised or appreciated. We recommend using technology and being personal. Perhaps you nominate someone for doing something great via a platform or app, then follow up with a phone call or a text. Perhaps everyone in the team gets an alert on their phones when someone is recognised or people are appreciated on the collaboration platforms or monthly newsletter. Could you get the CEO to write a personal message of thanks? 

Recognise and repeat.

If this is really going to become part of the culture, then you have to keep doing it. Make it a weekly or monthly thing. Put a reminder in your calendar to appreciate someone today. Remind team members to show their appreciation or nominate someone. As people get in the swing of it, they will do it without your nudge. You will see people recognising each other in meetings, on Zoom, and in their everyday interactions. One company I worked with decided to create a wall of appreciation. It worked for them because they were on site together, but you can use social media, your intranet or any other internal comms software.

The big finale

How do you celebrate the real heroes? This is tricky, because gone are the days when you could give a holiday or a car. A raise or bonus is still worthy, but it kind of becomes expected and can cause conflict. So think creatively. Perhaps you hold an awards ceremony, your own Oscars. If there is an annual dinner you attend, could you invite the winners instead of the leaders? Could you give extra annual leave or find out what their hobby is and get them a subscription, tickets to an event or something personal and meaningful.

The point is, celebrate people everyday, make a big deal of them frequently and do something big every now and then.

But it has to be real. 

It has to be inclusive.

It has to be from the heart.