Cultivating a Culture of Appreciation and Acknowledgment

Studies have shown that employee recognition can provide companies with a significant return on investment. For example, Gallup describes employee recognition as a “low cost, high impact” business strategy, and it reports that, “[r]ecognition not only boosts individual employee engagement, but it also has been found to increase productivity and loyalty to the company, leading to higher retention.”

With this in mind, what can (and should) your company be doing to cultivate a culture of appreciation and acknowledgement?

As with other areas of employee retention and satisfaction, cultivating a culture of appreciation and acknowledgement starts at the top. To be effective, a cultural shift requires support and commitment at the leadership level. If your company’s executive team is on board, or if you think you can get them on board, here are some additional considerations to help you chart your next steps:

Implement Structured Appreciation and Acknowledgement Programs

Far too often, corporate appreciation and acknowledgement initiatives fail due to a lack of structure. They might launch with lots of fanfare and excitement; but, in the end, then they fizzle out because they weren’t set up for long-term success. Planning employee appreciation events for the year ahead, organizing acknowledgement programs and providing materials to department leaders, and scheduling meetings to check in and jumpstart next year’s efforts can all help to maximize the chances of affecting meaningful organizational change.

Empower Managers to Acknowledge Their Team Members’ Achievements

Managers typically have the most insight into when appreciation and acknowledgment are warranted. As a result, companies should empower their managers to acknowledge their team members’ achievements. By giving managers the authority to issue awards and the ability to report their team members’ achievements to leadership, companies can more effectively implement their recognition programs at the ground level.

Focus on What Your Company’s Employees Value

When deciding how to recognize their employees achievements, companies should focus on what their employees want. An award that the recipient doesn’t value won’t serve its intended purpose—and it might even have the opposite of its intended effect. For example, while a fleece jacket branded with the company’s logo might provide a good photo opportunity, it might also come across as disingenuous; and, more likely than not, it will never come out of the employee’s closet.

Focus on Small Wins As Well As Big Ones

While companies should celebrate big wins, they should celebrate the small ones, too. Day-to-day achievements that play a role in positioning the company for long-term success deserve recognition. Recognizing an employee’s contributions in the normal course of business can go a long way—as long as it isn’t a one-time event never to be repeated again.

Schedule a Consultation at AR Group

Do you have questions about how your company can cultivate a culture of appreciation and acknowledgment? If so, we invite you to get in touch. To schedule a confidential consultation with a human resources consultant at AR Group, please call 720-452-3300 or request an appointment online today.