What’s the opposite of recognition?

You might be tempted to say disapproval or repudiation – in other words, actively rejecting.

But no, the opposite of recognition is actually inaction – or forgetting to honor or acknowledge.

And yet, too many businesses today do exactly that; little to nothing to respectfully acknowledge and appreciate their employees’ contributions.

Take a moment and consider: When was the last time you recognized the contributions of the people who work for you in a meaningful way? 

As leaders, thoughtful reflection about this question is more than just the value of a pat on the back. Recognition ought to be core to our work culture, is integral to our employee engagement and retention, and even trickles down to the customer service experience.

Employees not only perform their jobs better, but they feel more positive about doing so when they are recognized for their service. This is backed by both survey data and rates of employee retention, satisfaction, and advancement across companies.

Whether you already have a strong employee recognition program, or you’re starting from scratch, it’s worth considering:

• When did you last feel appreciated for your work and what made it memorable?
• What qualities or behaviors do you want to acknowledge in your team?
• What approaches could you take to make your employees feel valued?
• Have you solicited feedback from staff regarding workplace recognition? This is in itself a way to acknowledge how valuable their opinions are to you.
• Do you want to recognize outstanding work? Or show appreciation to everyone for being part of the team? These are not mutually exclusive.
• What would be most meaningful to team members?
• Beyond a formal recognition program, what qualities do you as a leader need to display to make employees feel valued?

This work is more important now than ever. In the past year, workers have felt undervalued and unappreciated. Even within our personal lives, the power of human connection has rarely been as important as it is these days. While we are focusing on business relationships, don’t forget to recognize your family and friends as well.

Recognition doesn’t have to cost you a thing, but it will bring a return on your investment.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking about great ways to show your team how much you care for and appreciate them:

• Praise strong work ethics with gifts or bonuses when employees reach big accomplishments.
• Acknowledge their positive attitude in an email or in conversation.
• Take note when anyone solves a challenging problem, and reward them appropriately, even if it’s a simple hand-written note.
• Show appreciation for people who positively contribute to workplace culture, whether it’s with thoughtfulness, encouragement of coworkers, or a sense of humor.
• Recognize work milestones, like length of service or promotions.
• Encourage teamwork by rewarding teams that succeed together.
• Respect everyone’s time by allowing for time off, especially for family and faith.
• Last but not least, acknowledge holidays, birthdays, and annual milestones as something for everyone to celebrate.

“Recognition is a reward in itself. Any form of appreciation, even a small word, is important.” –Vikrant Massey

Running a team is one of the many challenges we tackle in our Celeste Giordano Coaching Golden Circle Mastermind Group. That’s why members report that they not only run their businesses more effectively, but also have better work/life balance as a result of participating. If you’d like to join the elite group of business owners and professionals in our Golden Circle, contact me today.

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

Want to use this article? Please feel free to use this content as long as you keep it in its original format and include a link to the original post and Celeste Giordano’s brief bio.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.