The #1 reason that most professionals will leave a job is lack of recognition. At the same time, organizations with recognition programs experience 1/3 lower frustration levels and lower voluntary turnover. These stats represent the terminus results of high morale vs low morale teams. In any work culture where recognition is an integral part of the job experience, employees are more likely to feel valued, fulfilled, and dedicated to the job.
Recognition can lower stress and appreciation awards can even inspire employees to remain dedicated for years in a workplace that truly appreciates their hard work and achievements. But you may be wondering: Just how often should a business give appreciation rewards to optimize morale? Where is the line between an award that is meaningful and empowering vs one that feels like a token gift?
Today, we're breaking down how to optimize recognition frequency and solemnity of awards to create the greatest morale for your team.
Timing Your Employee Appreciation Awards: Trophies vs Tokens
The first time an employee receives a crystal award with their name and achievement embossed in metallic ink, it feels like winning a Grammy. Most people never receive an award at work, and receiving one that you know you worked hard for can mean the whole world. It can make loyal employees for years - sometimes decades. But getting the same award every two months loses it's meaning pretty fast.
The key is to measure your appreciation program to provide that inspirational solemnity - sometimes - while promoting a culture of recognition in smaller ways throughout the year. The difference between a trophy and a token is the challenge and time required to earn it.
A Culture of Peer-to-Peer Recognition
Let's start with a culture of peer recognition. Everyone needs to feel appreciated at work, and just a few comments like "Your well-organized chart was really useful to me" or "I appreciate that your reports are always on time" can leave a person glowing on their way home. You can start a culture of peer-to-peer recognition from the very beginning - during the onboarding process - and in every daily or weekly meeting just by encouraging co-workers to compliment each other and share some recognition. And, of course, passing out a few casual business-related compliments of your own.
Some workplaces also have a recognition box, where peers can submit signed or anonymous recognition of others to be shared at the end of each week or month.
A Weekly Something to Recognize
Every team leader should look for something to recognize weekly - but it doesn't have to be serious. If your team is casual or playful, you might recognize the most cups of coffee consumed in a week, or the person who turned in the largest portion of their work before the deadline. If the achievement is stable, it should be something anyone can achieve - and that someone different is likely to win each week. Otherwise, choose a silly variety that is likely to include everyone in a few weeks time.
The prizes should also be casual. A hat, an extra donut, or a drinky bird "desk pet" are about the level of seriousness appropriate for the weekly award. Why? Because this also creates a culture of recognition, and even team promotion if team members can nominate each other to win this or that little weekly award.
Monthly Achievement Goals and Rewards
There is a reason that "Employee of the month" become a popular trend. Those who work hard and achieve throughout the month deserve recognition. But we say that everyone who reaches their goals should be recognized each month. After reading the stats on employee appreciation, many business leaders now take a few minutes each month to recognize those who achieved - both on a team level and reaching a personal best.
This gives you the opportunity to high-five everyone who made quota, encourage your most-improved players, and recognize high-flyers with just a few simple achievement goals and awards at the end of every month. You can also combine public awards with private pats on the back based on your leadership style and team needs.
Quarterly High-Flyer Recognition
Businesses that have a quarterly cycle should emphasize the importance of this calendar schedule with employee recognition. If performing well is measured in your industry quarter by quarter, your team should be in-tune with the motivation cycle. It should feel like a victory to pull in another successful quarter, so reward those who do really well. With monthly recognition of routine performance, quarterly meetings can be a chance to recognize high-flyers. Create a board, a ribbon system, or another structure that makes employees feel great to win and strive to get there without diminished value for those who win multiple times.
Annual Award Ceremonies
Finally, save the special awards for an annual awards ceremony. Business events can create meaning and landmark memories for your employees. Hosting a fancy dinner and handing out crystal and engraved awards to those who really pulled the company through or outdid their performance each year is enjoyable for everyone - and a profound incentive for your top talent to stay.
Annual award ceremonies should represent real achievements, and things that those awarded will be proud to show off throughout the rest of their careers. Built correctly, awards will become items placed in prominent positions in an employee's office, dusted with care, and collected with fervor. These should be awards that are earned with skill and results, that mentors will coach their mentees to achieve and awards that keep even your top-levels striving for prestigious results-founded recognition.
Landmark Appreciation Awards
Finally, there are the awards that don't always happen on a calendar. These are landmark events in the company thanks to an employee or team -- or landmark events in an employee's career that your company is proud to have seen. You might give an award to employees who graduate and earn a degree or high level of certification in your employ, or those who heroically manage an emergency situation.
Landmark awards are often given to long-time employees who retire as a thank-you for their many years of service and a proud reminder of their many professional achievements on the job. Each landmark is an opportunity for employers to recognize that their team members are noteworthy in a way that is tangible and provides a long-term morale boost.
The Right Employee Appreciation System for Your Company Culture
How often should your business have appreciation awards to optimize your morale and company culture? When it comes to serious awards, about once a year is the right pace, but these awards can also be deeply meaningful when parting - if your interns graduate or your long-time team members retire. However, recognition and employee appreciation should happen on a daily basis within your company culture. Co-workers complimenting each other on good work, helpful tools, and timely work is the foundation of a workplace where everyone feels recognized - and where leaders find it easy to structure weekly and monthly recognition for more significant achievements.
If you are preparing annual or landmark appreciation awards for your employees, DIY Awards is here to help. Choose from a wide selection of crystal award shapes and styles to create a beautiful morale-boosting award system that your team will strive for and enjoy each year.
