Driving engagement, innovation, and a winning employer’s brand through the power of employee recognition.
As a kid, did you ever get a trophy just for being part of the team? You know, the little toke of recognition that said, “Hey, you showed up and gave it your best shot!” It may not have been as shiny as the first-place trophy, but it had its own special charm.
When it comes to participation awards, opinions are divided in the world of parenting world. But in the working world, participation matters. Showing up matters. Feeling seen matters. And that same spirit of recognition and appreciation matters. If it didn’t, buzz words like ‘employee engagement’ and ‘quiet quitting’ wouldn’t exist. (And employers wouldn’t obsess over their ratings.)
Participation Shoutouts Fuels Motivation and Employee Engagement:
Imagine showing up to work and coworkers are actually excited to see you! At the office, people want to know how you are and what you’ve been up to. On Slack, virtual high fives are plentiful. During meetings, your ideas are met with genuine consideration. Sure, your suggestions may not always win the gold medal, but you feel good knowing you’ve played a vital role in the process and helped move your team closer to their goals.
Feeling appreciated and a valued member of the team is part of our human condition. It fills us with a sense of pride and self-worth. Positive reinforcement that uplifts spirits and boosts morale creates a culture of positivity and engagement. Engaged employees are passionate, committed, and deeply connected to their work. By recognizing their efforts, you tap into their intrinsic motivation, and inspire them to strive to do great work.
Reinforcing Core Values Attracts Top Talent:
Employees are looking for more than just a job… They want deeper connection, a sense of purpose, and company culture that resonates with their own beliefs. In the competitive talent landscape, top candidates have options. When they see your organization consistently recognizing and valuing employees who exemplify those core values, it sends a clear signal that your company walks the talk.
A company that actively celebrates and recognizes employees who embody your core values stands out from the crowd. It showcases authenticity, integrity, and a commitment to creating a positive and values-driven work environment. It’s a powerful tool for attracting top talent who are eager to be part of an organization that empowers and rewards individuals who uphold those shared beliefs.
Celebrating Creativity and Innovation Drives Growth:
Innovation and creativity are the spark that ignites the fire of growth in any successful organization. It’s the sparkly unicorn that gallops through the meadows of possibility, inspiring breakthroughs, service improvements, and sets you apart from the competition. But here’s the catch: to foster a culture of innovation, you must celebrate and recognize it.
In celebrating innovation in your company, you send a powerful message that your team’s wild, out-of-the-box ideas matter. You give them the green light to tap into their brilliance and take risks, try new things, and turn their ideas into reality without fear of failure or judgement. When one team member pushes the boundaries of their own creativity and contribute their best ideas, it inspires others to do the same.
3 Ways to Celebrate Your Team:
1. Shoutout Channel
Bust out your virtual megaphone and create a dedicated Slack or Teams channel for daily shoutouts. Encourage team members to publicly recognize and appreciate their colleagues for their incredible work, helping hands, or simply being awesome human beings. This simple act of recognition not only boosts morale but cultivates a culture of gratitude and support. It’s like the digital version of standing up at your desk and shouting “You rock, Daniela!”
[Example shoutouts from members of the JAM team for inspiration: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFny9iGz-g/IiwSo7GXz7czVRKxSivO8g/edit?utm_content=DAFny9iGz-g&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton ]
2. The Core Value Award
Give teammates the chance to nominate a fellow superstar who exemplified one of your company’s core values. Each nominated person gets a shoutout at company-wide meeting. It’s like the Hollywood walk of fame, but instead of handprints, we celebrate the incredible work and values they embody. The person with the most nominations wins the coveted Core Value Award and basks in the glory of recognition. Doing this once a month ensures your company’s core values are top-of-mind on the regular!
[Picture of Daniela winning Core Value Award]
3. Find a Better Way Award
Host a quarterly celebration to honour those teammates who have gone above and beyond to put their creative ideas into action. Open nominations for those who found a better by improving a process, inventing (or adapting) a new product, or solved a unique problem. Then, let the entire team vote on the top three teammates who made a BIG splash. Announce the winners at an in-person lunch which doubles as face-to-face team bonding time. Consider sweetening the incentive by including a monetary award.
[Link to post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7070428854548381696]
Final Thoughts
Employee recognition is more than a participation trophy – it’s an essential element to a happy and productive workplace culture that gets employees to sing boasting about where they work.
By showing genuine appreciation for your team and acknowledging their extraordinary contributions, you ensure that everyone feels like an essential part of the team. It let’s them know they aren’t just a cog in the corporate machine but a vital piece of your company and culture!
In recognizing teammates for their hard work, you create a sense of accomplishment and pride, driving them to continue excelling in their roles. In turn, you boost engagement and productivity, and higher levels of job satisfaction. When the outside world sees your core values aren’t just words on a mission statement, but actively celebrated and reinforced, your company becomes a magnet for top talent seeking a workplace where their values align.
So celebrate the heck out of your amazing teams! When you do, you create an awesome workplace culture that energizes, inspires, and drives us towards success.