The Importance of Recognition in Business

In business today, companies that create environments where people are motivated, and positive behavior is rewarded, will attract the best talent, maintain strong morale, retain key employees and ultimately stay ahead of the competition.

Despite popular belief, money isn’t the best way to recognize superior performance. In fact, research shows us that the number one reason people leave jobs is “limited recognition and praise.” Issues such as compensation were all deemed less important than recognition. Clearly, people value respect, appreciation and recognition just as much as — and often more than — monetary rewards.

Recognize individual achievement whenever you can. Or, you may choose to implement a more formal recognition program. The program can be tailored to suit any goal, from increasing points scored to improving corporate sales to bringing up the class grade point average. It’s a fairly simple process, and it doesn’t have to involve spending a lot of money — remember, it’s the recognition itself that’s so important.

Creating a recognition program
A recognition program is the best way for any company to provide employees with these "good vibrations." How you design and implement a program, however, will determine how successful it is. It must be carefully planned, consistent and meaningful to employees and managers alike. Remember, the ultimate goal is to motivate those involved to reach higher levels of achievement, as well as provide for recognition among peers. Follow these tips to get the most out of your recognition program.

Step 1: Determine the goals of your program. It may be sales, cost reduction, customer satisfaction, or promoting a new product. Get input, then make the goal simple but specific.

Step 2: It needs to be clear exactly whom the program will target (warehouse personnel, salespeople, etc.) and you may need overlapping programs for different groups. Make sure your objectives are realistic and quantifiable.

Step 3: Communicate the program clearly and completely. When the program has been formalized, post it in a conspicuous place.

Step 4: Will you give the recognition and awards to just the top person, or will there be second and third places? Keep in mind the power of personalization. Whether it's a crystal obelisk, a silver desk clock, a plaque, certificate or a small medal, it's important to have the person's name inscribed. Every time the winner sees her personalized award, her relationship and commitment to the organization, herself and her peers is enhanced.

Step 5: Once the plan is in place, promote it. Send reminders to participants, being sure to rally them to the cause. Before the awards are distributed at the end of the promotion, send congratulatory notes with messages from top management recognizing your employees’ efforts and contributions to the company.

Step 6: The distribution of awards should be done as lavishly as your means will allow. A bit of fanfare will make the awards all that more special. This positive feeling will extend from the actual award recipients to their peers and even to upper management.

Step 7: Evaluate the program's results. Poll the participants to see if the program reached its goals, met the participants' expectations and resulted in any unexpected fringe benefits. Sit down and analyze the feedback carefully.

How to give a reward
Whether your organization presents awards in a black-tie ceremony or you do the lunch thing, here are a few points to remember:

There are three elements common to every award presentation: the people getting the awards, the people giving the awards, and the awards themselves.

Determine who attends the awards ceremony, who presents the award, and who receives the award. This is especially important in larger events, with multiple presenters and recipients.

Develop an agenda, so things run smoothly. Limit your lunch fete to an hour-and-a-half, and clear your calendar so there are no interruptions. Big or small, every event runs better with a schedule.

Motivation and morale
People often need a reason to work their hardest and their smartest. They need motivation. And more often than not, coaches, managers, teachers and even parents need help in learning how to motivate those around them.

Our basic physical needs are simple to meet in today's world, however, once they are met, mankind turns toward meeting higher, less defined needs. On the ball field, in the workplace, in the classroom and at home we can ask ourselves, "What makes us strive to work harder, produce better and be satisfied with our accomplishments?"

By improving our individual attitudes, overall morale improves. Not surprisingly, low morale leads to plenty of moaning and complaining and poor, or at the very best, mediocre performance. High morale lends itself to superior performance, greater effort, and improved concern about the health of the group and how to make it stronger. Now, which would you rather have on your team, in your company, in your classroom or at your home?

How motivation affects employee retention
Studies have demonstrated that the number one reason for people to leave a job is "limited recognition and praise." Issues such as compensation, limited authority and interpersonal conflicts were all deemed less important than appreciation. But just recognizing and praising employees is not enough. You must do it consistently, sincerely and on a company-wide basis.

Giving employees opportunities to perform, learn and grow as a form of recognition is quite motivating. Beneath all this, however, is a basic premise of trust and respect. Your employees will feel it, and acknowledge that you have their best interests at heart, not your own. And who wants to leave that behind?

Motivation's effect on performance and productivity
Too often, we're afraid to push for increased productivity. Perhaps we'll set the bar too high and the goals won't be met. We worry that this may lead to benching a player or letting go an employee. We also worry that an increase in resources may be required, or that the player or employee may become resentful, feeling that they are already working at their limit. Another fear is that their failure to achieve may be a reflection of our own performance.

To compensate, we rely on incentives and sometimes threats to produce a desired result. In corporate America,

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