If you’re like most workplaces, you probably celebrate occasions like birthdays, company anniversaries, one-time achievements, and annual holidays. But why wait until one-off celebrations to recognize and appreciate employees?
Especially as many workplaces shift to virtual or hybrid environments, showing employees appreciation is important now more than ever. According to the Achievers Workforce Institute’s 2020 Culture Report, they found that one-third (35%) of respondents picked recognition as their first ask when polled on how their organization could better support them through the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Employee Appreciation Day (March 5th, 2021), why not make the extra effort to ensure employees feel appreciated not only on this day but every day after it? The benefits on employee motivation and engagement are immense—recognition is consistently identified as having the greatest impact on employee engagement.
Here are 3 ways to start making recognition an everyday event:
1. Use momentum from one-time events to start recognizing employees better
A single event can feel hollow without more consistent appreciation throughout the year. Rather, use celebrations like Employee Appreciation Day as a springboard to kickstart a culture that positively reinforces high participation. A good place to start is by asking employees for their feedback, which can guide the type and timing of the recognition they would like to receive.
2. Increase your recognition frequency
Research suggests it takes, on average, two months to form a new habit. For many organizations, that means it will be take some practice to make recognizing and showing appreciation a regular practice. However, for recognition to really stick, it needs to start at the top. Managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement, with recognition playing a key role.
3. Make recognition part of who you are
There are two parts that work together to make recognition self-sustaining. First, making recognition a part of the culture by integrating recognition into organization-wide norms. Second, lean on technology to speed up adoption and track your results. Make sure when considering a recognition technology that it is compatible with your overall goals.
As you have learned, one-off celebrations are important but will not drive consistent recognition. What does drive consistent recognition is a plan and commitment to your employees that they are worth celebrating every day.
To kickstart your culture of recognition, download our free eBook: Employee Recognition: More than Just a Day or request a live demo.
