Recognition is the ultimate non-monetary reward (4/8)

Here at Kudos we’re a big believer in employee recognition – and for good reason. A huge proportion of employees out there feel like they don’t get enough recognition, and we’ve seen first-hand the impact the recognition has on employee engagement. While many businesses focus on trying to incentivize employees with financial rewards, you’d be surprised at the impact simply introducing a formal recognition program can have. When you recognize good or desirable behaviors, employees naturally tend to repeat those behaviors – especially if you recognize them in a public or social manner. Recognition also has a longer effect than financial rewards and can be tied to organizational values to re-enforce them. The key things to keep in mind when starting out with recognition are:

1. Be consistent. Send recognition frequently and encourage others to give recognition as well.
2. Democratize your recognition program. Don’t just rely on a top-down approach to recognition. The most successful recognition programs that businesses incorporate enable people from all areas of the business to give each other recognition.
3. Make it visible and transparent. By making the recognition within your organization transparent, you amplify the impact of the recognition that your employees are sharing with each other.

Contributors: Garrett Genest from Kudos Inc