Resources

How to Recognize and Reward Your Workforce…Without Making It Feel Forced or Fake

You have a great team and you know it. This group of people impresses you with their hard work on a daily basis, so you want to recognize and reward them. Of course, you also want them to know your gratitude is sincere, so you’re looking for tips to ensure it doesn’t feel forced.

Personalization is the key to getting this right.

People want to be called out because they’ve made an outstanding contribution to the team — not because you feel like you need to extend a compliment to anyone who happens to be in front of them.

Here’s some advice to help you recognize employees in a manner that feels more genuine.

Be Prompt

When an employee impresses you, call them out as quickly as possible. This keeps the action fresh in both of your minds, so you can remember exactly what they did, and they don’t feel like an afterthought.

Waiting to speak up until you offer a standard reward — i.e., employee of the month — can seem forced, because it might give the impression they were selected because you had to fill the spot with someone.

Offer Praise the Right Way

Everyone doesn’t enjoy receiving compliments the same way. Some people like to be praised in highly public settings — i.e. a crowded staff meeting — while others prefer to have you stop by their desk for a private chat, because they don’t like having all eyes on them.

Taking the time to learn the type of praise each of your employees desires is thoughtful and will make your kind words feel more sincere. Delivering applause the right way will give each of them a greater ability to bask in it.

Say ‘Thank You’ Often

You probably spend a lot of time thinking about how lucky you are to have your employees. The thing is, they can’t read your mind.

Taking a quick second to say “thank you” lets them know you appreciate everything they do. Sometimes the simplest acts can have the strongest impact.

Spend Time With Them

Emailing employees a random gift card when they exceed expectations is a nice thought, but it can feel fake. While people appreciate the gesture, the lack of personal touch leaves them wanting more.

Instead, make it clear your praise is genuine by clearing your schedule to take them out to lunch. People feel special when the boss makes time for them, and stepping out of the office together will give you the chance to deepen your bond.