How to Implement Employee Recognition Programs

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? Ignore their hard work. Recognition isn’t a perk - it’s fuel. People don’t just want to be paid... they want to be valued. And when leaders get this wrong, morale crumbles. I once had a high-performing team member pull me aside and say, "I love this job, but I feel invisible." That hit me. He wasn't asking for a raise. He wasn't asking for a promotion. He just wanted to know his work mattered. And I realized - I was so focused on results that I had overlooked recognition for the team contributions to the organizational successes. I changed my approach immediately, and the impact was undeniable. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻: Too many leaders underestimate the power of recognition. → Silence feels like indifference. No feedback is often worse than negative feedback. → "They know I appreciate them" isn’t enough. People need to hear it. → Recognition doesn’t just boost morale- it drives performance. → A lack of recognition fuels disengagement, high turnover, and burnout. If you don’t intentionally recognize your team, you’re unintentionally demotivating them. 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Why do leaders struggle with recognition? → They assume "doing your job" shouldn’t require praise. → They think recognition has to be formal or expensive. → They get too busy and forget. → They don’t realize how much it matters. The truth? Recognition isn’t about big gestures - it’s about consistency. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲: Want to boost morale and engagement? Start recognizing the right way. → Be specific. Instead of “great job,” say "Your attention to detail on that project made all the difference." → Make it public. A simple shout-out in a meeting can go a long way. → Be timely. Don’t wait for performance reviews - recognition should be immediate. → Personalize it. Some people love public praise, others prefer a quiet thank-you. Know what works for each team member. → Tie it to impact. Connect recognition to company goals so employees see how their work contributes. The best part? It costs nothing and delivers huge returns. 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀: → Increased engagement. Teams that feel valued show up stronger. → Lower turnover. People stay where they feel appreciated. → Higher performance. A culture of recognition leads to a culture of excellence. → Stronger leadership trust. Leaders who recognize others build loyalty and respect. Recognition isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a leadership responsibility. "Recognition isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about making sure no one feels invisible." 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂? Or, as a leader, how do you ensure your team feels seen and valued? Hope you have a fulfilling, productive, and inspiring Thursday! - Chris Clevenger #Leadership #EmployeeEngagement #Recognition #WorkplaceCulture #TeamSuccess

BETTER than trophies and certificates: This recognition? It comes FROM your colleagues! ⭐Peer-to-peer (P2P) recognition programs are often an UNTAPPED well for boosting employee morale, engagement, and appreciation. ⭐ In a previous role, I noticed a LACK of appreciation within the company culture. This was confirmed by exit interview comments. So, I implemented a P2P recognition program using a software called Motivosity (not a sponsored post!). This platform allowed employees to give each other small cash rewards ($1-$5+) for any reason. The impact was REMARKABLE! We saw significant improvements in employee retention and satisfaction scores. One departing employee even highlighted the program as "the best thing to happen" to their division, crediting it with fostering a positive change in culture. Tips for getting started: ⤵ ✅ Choose the right platform ✅ Promote the program ✅ Lead by example ✅ Make it fun and easy ➡ Have you experienced the power of P2P recognition? #HR #HumanResources #EmployeeAppreciation #CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #PeerRecognition

"I'm proud of you, Riyaan." 🌟 Sahana's quick reply: "What about me?" A big parenting lesson coming up. 💡 I overlooked my daughter who consistently finishes her food. Instead, I focused on Riyaan who ate 10% of his meal. This moment taught me something crucial about recognizing efforts, both at home and at work. Where did I go wrong? • Praising the picky eater for minimal progress • Neglecting the child who always cleans her plate Leaders, does this resonate? 🤔 At work, we often make similar missteps: 1. We fixate on struggling team members 📊 • Invest extra time in their improvement • Celebrate their small wins 2. We underappreciate consistent performers 🏆 • Take their excellence for granted • Assume they know their value without explicit recognition This oversight can lead to significant issues. According to Gallup, • Unappreciated workers are 2x more likely to resign within a year • Companies regularly recognizing employees see 31% lower turnover Key insights: • Celebrate excellence, not just improvement 🎉 - Consistently acknowledge top performers - Dedicate time to recognize ongoing achievements • Value reliability as much as progress 🚀 - Highlight the impact of dependable team members - Demonstrate how their consistency elevates the entire team • Your star employees crave recognition too 💫 - Never assume self-motivation suffices - Tailor recognition to individual preferences (public praise, growth opportunities, etc.) Practical implementation: 1. Create a recognition schedule to ensure all team members receive acknowledgment 2. Foster peer-to-peer appreciation to build a culture of recognition 3. Provide specific examples when praising to enhance meaning 4. Invest in high-performer development to show commitment to their growth Don't repeat my mistake. Acknowledge all forms of success on your team. This approach cultivates a more engaged, motivated, and loyal workforce. Photo of my two eaters. #LeadershipLessons #EmployeeAppreciation #WorkplaceCulture __________________________________________ Hi, I'm Foram! I demystify leadership using everyday examples. Follow me for actionable leadership tips you can apply immediately.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒔 This morning, while reading Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet, I came across an interesting insight: “as leaders, we must find ways to immediately recognize behaviors that drive our organizations toward success” This got me thinking about a recognition initiative we implemented at our plant in South Africa a few years ago… At the time, we were struggling with production delays due to recurring quality issues. After conducting a structured problem-solving exercise, my team and I discovered that most of these defects were caused by human related errors in the process. Instead of adding more quality checks, we decided to take a different approach—one focused on positive reinforcement. We introduced a mini recognition award where we audited shifts and awarded a trophy to the crew that produced the best-quality conformance results. At first, the teams were skeptical, assuming this was just another way to “catch them out.” But thanks to some exceptional shift leaders who rallied their teams, the mindset started to shift. The real breakthrough came when we awarded the first crew. Suddenly, competition ignited! Each shift wanted to be the best, and in their drive to win, they started proactively pushing our process and engineering teams to resolve machine-related issues that had been hindering their performance. By the end of the year, the results spoke for themselves—a significant improvement in quality performance and a stronger, more engaged team culture. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯: 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴; 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴. A huge shoutout to the incredible shift leaders who made this possible—Treasure Hlulani Msapa , Gert Jonker , Roland Heuvel and Riaan Haasbroek. Also special mention to my former boss who supported the execution and sponsored our small tire 🏆(unfortunately its not real gold 😅) You guys were the secret ingredient behind this success! I Miss you all🙏🏽 I would love to know how recognition is done in your various industries? Have any of you experienced such initiatives and how did they impact you or your team? #Recognition #PeopleBusiness #Reflection

I conduct monthly OD Check-Ins with each of the People Leaders at CooperVision ‘s Scottsville Manufacturing Operations. Some months I designate a topic for discussion, such as goal planning, communication, or employee engagement. Other months I simply respond to questions or provide coaching. I am in the process of soliciting feedback from my Business Unit Managers and Shift Supervisors on the Progression Matrix we launched 18 months ago. ❓Are they using it during their quarterly check-ins❓ ❓If so, how, and is it useful❓ ❓If not, why not❓ ❓How can we improve this resource? Last night I engaged in my 3rd check-in of the day which revealed an unexpected theme. All 3 Shift Supervisors highlighted the importance and value of asking their team members - ⭐️How do you like to be recognized? ⭐️ What do you find reinforcing? This practice was born of our commitment to recognition. Making sure our team members feel sincerely valued, seen and appreciated for their contributions, performance and demonstration of our values. Every people leader asks each of their team members these 2 questions. What is reinforcing to one person is not reinforcing to everyone. For recognition to be meaningful it is necessary to take into consideration individual preferences. Have you ever publicly recognized someone who prefers private recognition? Then you know what I mean! We also have a practice of giving team members a choice of the recognition award they receive. If you are looking to make your recognition programs more personal and meaningful, I encourage you to ask those you lead how they prefer to be recognized and what they find reinforcing. This simple practice could be game changing! #recognition #appreciation #thankyou