Recognition (Part 4): Promoting a Culture of Recognition

It is evident that a culture of recognition is far more valuable, meaningful, effective, and financially resourceful.  Formal recognition programs have inadvertent impacts that can do more harm than good in terms of morale and engagement.  Perilous outcomes specifically include apathy, sarcasm, cynicism, demotivation, and a lack of perceived fairness.  A prominent demise of formal recognition programs are the components that promote inauthenticity and insincerity.

We seen in the case example with the previous article that the organization spent far more expenses compared to the team we analyzed on recognition. The team also had higher scores under recognition and appreciation as compared to the organization and far lower scores with respect to the formal program. As a result, promoting informal day-to-day recognition is more beneficial than implementing a formal recognition program.  

There are four overarching tenets in creating a culture of recognition and a few specific ways of how that can be achieved are listed under each principle:

Communicate regularly:

People require frequent feedback to know that they are valued and this does not occur through an annual or bi-annual event.  Positive reinforcement is a daily affair and it is important to show gratitude for everyday work even when it is not extraordinary.  Any delay between the behavior and recognition must also be bridged.

• Campaign – market, promote, evaluate
• Have an appreciation week with daily fun events spearheaded by staff
• Appreciate/acknowledge hard work or being short-staffed
• Simple thank-you
• Getting to know your co-workers and asking them about their weekend, hobbies, mutual interests – management by walking around
• Leadership visits with token of appreciation – be visible
• Success stories marketed through various mediums
• Have Recognition moments in meetings for peers to recognize each other. If people are too shy, create stickers where employees are able to write comments on them and leave them at co-workers’ workstations.
• Have regular and meaningful one-on-one conversations with staff

Individualize and personalize:

Recognition must have personal value.  Making recognition personalized by focusing on the individual and their contribution is more meaningful rather than a generic gift, email, or card.

• Training for management – how to provide feedback
• Provide autonomy, creativity, engagement, collaboration
• Provide bonuses, promotions, special project work
• Formal letters on employee files or other individualized preferences
• Individualized retirement gift or memento

Be meaningful in language and action:

Communicating appreciation that is meaningful to the person is what is important and not what you feel is meaningful to yourself.

• Engage your team in a ‘5 languages of appreciation’ workshop
• Take advantage of celebrating with food and socializing
• Celebrate milestones and achievements
• Teambuilding activities

Be authentic:

Recognition programs are superficial, disingenuous, and insincere.  This has adverse impacts and so appreciation needs to be communicated authentically.

• Training for management on how to be authentic.  I kid.  However, providing training to management on effective principles of recognition and assisting them in coming up with ways to implement day-to-day recognition with their team would be beneficial.  Training puts an emphasis on its importance and the fact that it’s a priority. 

Good luck!