As we ramp up to the holiday season, gift giving is top of mind. As leaders, the gift our employees need most from us is the gift of recognition. 

Being recognized for our achievements, being noticed, seen, and celebrated is a key driving factor for employee satisfaction, engagement and retention, and, sadly one of the most overlooked and under-utilized tools in our leadership tool belt.

According to Gallup, employees who received adequate recognition are 73% less likely to report being burned out. And, more than 40% of employed Americans feel that if they were recognized more often, they would put more energy into their work (HBR). 

As leaders, we can be hesitant to offer recognition for many reasons. We may feel that it won’t be received well, we may assume people know how we feel, we don’t think it makes that big of a difference, and we can feel hesitant to offer praise when we know we can’t match our gratitude with financial incentives in the form of an extra bonus or raise.

Whatever the reason we hold back, the cost of not sharing our gratitude and positive feedback is immense. Lack of recognition is one of the key factors for why employees begin searching for a new position:

via HealthStream

Thankfully, committing to a more regular recognition practice can be simple and easy. And, it’s free.

There are numerous ways we can effectively recognize our teams and meet their deep longing for encouragement and praise that in fact are even more effective and longer lasting than a raise. 

The TalentTracks Leadership Training Library from HealthStream has a great starter course for launching a recognition program. While Trinity Health has many excellent recognition tools in place, this 30 minute course offers helpful insight to refresh your awareness of how simple and necessary this practice is for your teams. Here are some key tips: 

-All rewards and recognitions should be “SMART”

• Sincere: rewards should reflect a genuine expression of appreciation. If recognition comes across as insincere, it is ineffective. Be aware of both your words and body language and never view the process of reward and recognition as a chore.  
• Meaningful: meaningful recognition is tied intrinsically to the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals. When employees see that their actions have impacted one of these driving principles, they are motivated to repeat the behavior. 
• Agile: embrace creative options to reward all involved. Rewards can be informal and “on the spot” or planned and formally presented. Give praise whenever it is deserved and as often as you can. Keep the practice fresh and fun through spontaneity and variety.  
• Relevant: it’s important to match the reward with the person. Using a method of recognition that is not valued (or disliked) is self-defeating for your goal. Make a connection with each employee to learn their personal likes and dislikes (food, restaurants, pastimes). When leaders know their employees, they can make rewards meaningful.  
• Timely: the reward should promptly address the behavior it is intended to reinforce. If too much time passes, the recognition may be devalued. Best practice: carry a spot recognition tool with you, so you are ready to recognize positive behavior whenever you see it.

-Be sincere and specific when giving recognition with these “Words that Work”

• “What a resourceful way to…”
• “You got my attention with…”
• “You really made a difference by…”
• “You are right on the mark with…”
• “We could not have done it without your…”
• “You can be proud of yourself for…” 

-One of the simplest and most appreciated forms of recognition is a personal thank you note sent to the home. Sending the note to the employee’s home can help ensure the employee’s family is able to share in the recognition and better understand the employee’s contribution, the thank you note can end up on the fridge and appreciated for months rather than lost in a stack of papers on their desk and sometimes, the reason for the thank you note has required sacrifice from the family such as late nights and long hours. 

-Other meaningful rewards and recognition: 

• Informal words of thanks
• Written note or certificate of appreciation
• Recognition in newsletters
• Team celebration
• Peer-to-peer recognition
• Free lunch or coffee
• Employee of the month
• Dedicated parking space

Ultimately, what matters most about recognition is that you do it and that you commit to dedicating time to recognizing your team’s wins.

Set a calendar for 15 minutes once a week for “Recognition Rounding” and notice what’s going right, keep a stack of thank you notes handy at your desk and when you see something, say something! It really is that easy. 

Watch the TalentTracks course here and recommit to your recognition practice today.