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The Right Recognition In The Workplace
Everyone wants to be recognized, by their peers, their colleagues and their loved ones. It's part of the human condition, part of our makeup. We crave recognition because it validates our being there.
By: Mark Bergman
Everyone wants to be recognized, by their peers, their colleagues and their loved ones. It's part of the human condition, part of our makeup. We crave recognition because it validates our being there.
By: Mark Bergman
Who does not want to be recognized publicly? Recognition gives the recipient a great feeling of well being and does help build up self esteem.
So why would this need for recognition be any different for your employees or people that you work with? Recognition has an amazing effect on the person who receives it.
Recognition of employees does make for a better work place. Recognition can really build up morale and productivity. If you are a manager or employer, it soon becomes pretty clear that using a carrot is far better than using a stick to motivate the people under you. Recognition goes a long way in providing the carrot.
However, recognition must be earned. Often one sees signs at retail stores where the employee of the month is honored. I believe programs of this sort have very limited appeal. If someone must be chosen once a month or whatever the time period, every month, then the program forces someone to be chosen every month. This does not mean that the person necessarily did actually make such a difference during the month. This type of program also forces the time period in which people's efforts are evaluated to be finite. I believe that this fixed period recognition program soon becomes something of a joke to employees and they soon ignore them. They lose their meaning really fast.
A better route to take is to reward really well for work and effort that is exceptional. This cannot be at any fixed period, but should be periodic. This does mean that the recognition comes as somewhat of a surprise to all employees and not the once a month yawn. Also the reward should be exceptional too. This makes the recognition seem that much more worthwhile to even those who do not receive it.
Of course the form that the recognition takes also makes it that much more special for the recipient. Journals, newspapers, industry bodies, newsletters and other forms of public recognition are great vehicles to announce to the industry or area of the person's exceptional achievements.
Naturally to be able to recognize a person that person's efforts have to be monitored constantly. This requires a different set of metrics than a once a month, "chosen out of a hat" approach. This requires constantly being aware of what each person is doing and determining whether their efforts are exceeding requirements consistently and the results they produce are exceptional.
Mark Bergman has 25 years in business experience, covering areas of consulting in strategic planning and software and general business consulting. He also has started up a number of small businesses which he successfully ran and sold off. He has formal qualifications in both business and computer science. To learn more from Mark you can visit www.startupmysmallbusiness.com/blog.
So why would this need for recognition be any different for your employees or people that you work with? Recognition has an amazing effect on the person who receives it.
Recognition of employees does make for a better work place. Recognition can really build up morale and productivity. If you are a manager or employer, it soon becomes pretty clear that using a carrot is far better than using a stick to motivate the people under you. Recognition goes a long way in providing the carrot.
However, recognition must be earned. Often one sees signs at retail stores where the employee of the month is honored. I believe programs of this sort have very limited appeal. If someone must be chosen once a month or whatever the time period, every month, then the program forces someone to be chosen every month. This does not mean that the person necessarily did actually make such a difference during the month. This type of program also forces the time period in which people's efforts are evaluated to be finite. I believe that this fixed period recognition program soon becomes something of a joke to employees and they soon ignore them. They lose their meaning really fast.
A better route to take is to reward really well for work and effort that is exceptional. This cannot be at any fixed period, but should be periodic. This does mean that the recognition comes as somewhat of a surprise to all employees and not the once a month yawn. Also the reward should be exceptional too. This makes the recognition seem that much more worthwhile to even those who do not receive it.
Of course the form that the recognition takes also makes it that much more special for the recipient. Journals, newspapers, industry bodies, newsletters and other forms of public recognition are great vehicles to announce to the industry or area of the person's exceptional achievements.
Naturally to be able to recognize a person that person's efforts have to be monitored constantly. This requires a different set of metrics than a once a month, "chosen out of a hat" approach. This requires constantly being aware of what each person is doing and determining whether their efforts are exceeding requirements consistently and the results they produce are exceptional.
Mark Bergman has 25 years in business experience, covering areas of consulting in strategic planning and software and general business consulting. He also has started up a number of small businesses which he successfully ran and sold off. He has formal qualifications in both business and computer science. To learn more from Mark you can visit www.startupmysmallbusiness.com/blog.
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Increase Your Customer Satisfaction By Praising Your Staff
Who Is The Most Important Person In Your Company?
What's The Best Way To Serve And Get To Know Your Customers?
Time Is A Valuable Resource - Are You Making The Most Of Yours?
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