The end of the year is the time many companies think about employee recognition. In reality employee recognition is something you should do throughout the year. When you think about employee recognition three things should come to mind.

Recognized Employees Are Happy Employees

Most employees do not take their work home with them. However, all employees do take home feelings about work. Good experiences at work translate to a more peaceful and happier home life. When you take the time to let employees know the positive impact they are having on your company, they feel good about what they do and they take those feelings home with them. Happy employees are typically about 10% more productive than unhappy employees.

Leaders That Show Appreciation Are Appreciated

Trust in the workplace is critical to success. If you build a solid foundation, trust will thrive. Appreciation can be an important part of that foundation. Simply thanking your employees can foster an atmosphere of trust.

When Employees Feel Recognized They Stick Around

The cost of training a new employee to the point that they can perform like a seasoned employee can be very expensive. Many employees switch jobs because they feel a lack of respect or a lack of autonomy. With a little bit of recognition you can reverse these trends and keep your employees around for much longer.

There are many ways to show employees you appreciate them:

On-the-Spot Recognition

Provide on-the-spot recognition when you see an employee doing an exceptional job. This makes the employee feel good and can motivate others to excel.

Monetary Rewards or Gifts

A small gift certificate can serve as a nice recognition for various positive performance activities. Also company coffee cups or boxes of candy work nicely for this type of recognition.

Special Announcements

You can also recognize an employee’s efforts in a company newsletter, during a company meeting or at a company function. You are showing the employee you appreciate them and also showing the entire company that hard work does not go unnoticed.

Balance Small and Larger Awards

For employees who put in major effort on a special project or have worked for the company a specified length of time, a larger monetary bonus in addition to a printed and framed award goes a long way toward making the employee feel good and building a stronger more energetic team.

Appreciation is a fundamental human need. Praise and recognition are an essential to an outstanding workplace. Employees want to be respected and valued for their contribution.

Often employees do not quit jobs, they quit managers or supervisors. Frequently employees are happy with their job but not with their manager or supervisor. Employees can feel that their manager or supervisor makes them feel undervalued. People want to know they are making an important contribution at work. It is important to foster good relationships between management and employees.

If you do not have an employee recognition program, start one today. If you already have a recognition program, review it and see if you can make it more effective.

Remember: Happy and engaged employees not only bring positive energy to the workplace but also increase a company’s profits and sales.