Recognizing And Rewarding Employees

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝟒𝟓% 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 ! 💡 More and more executives believe that employee recognition must be a key pillar in their employee engagement and retention strategy. 📈 Through a review and summary of published studies, Gallup researchers estimate that replacing leaders and managers costs around 200% of their salary, replacing employees in technical roles costs 80% of their salary, and replacing frontline employees costs 40% of their salary. 🎯 Providing feedback is one of the most important habits a manager can have, and receiving high-quality feedback has a strong positive correlation with engagement on other key measures of the employee experience. 💪 Employees who receive recognition that meets at least one of these pillars are 2.9 times more likely to be engaged than those who do not receive recognition meeting any pillars. Furthermore, individuals who receive recognition meeting four or more pillars are 66% less likely to feel lonely on a daily basis and are 4.4 times more likely to strongly agree that their job provides them with a sense of purpose in life, according to a new interesting research published by Gallup and Workhuman which tracked by data 📊 the career trajectories of 3,447 employees from 2022 to 2024, significant findings have emerged. Researchers have already identified five essential pillars of strategic recognition in the workplace. Recognition is most impactful when it is: 1️⃣ Fulfilling 2️⃣ Authentic 3️⃣ Personalized 4️⃣ Equitable  5️⃣Embedded in company culture. Researchers have found that employees commonly cite work-related achievements as the primary reasons for receiving recognition within their organizations. ✔️ Performance at work for big tasks and projects- 63% ✔️ Work anniversary - 48% ✔️ Helping others at work - 35% ✔️ Performance at work for little things - 30% ✔️ Innovative or creates ideas - 21%  ✔️ Learning a new skill - 14% 👉 𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: This wonderful research by Gallup researchers, which continues their work on the five pillars of recognition, demonstrates the long-term effects of high-quality recognition on engagement and attrition. These findings underscore the necessity for organizations to embed both work-related and non-work-related recognition into the core of their employee engagement programs. 🙏Thank you Workhuman and Gallup researchers team for sharing these insightful findings: Meisha-ann Martin, Ph.D. Tom Libretto Dave Ulrich George Kemish LLM MCMI MIC MIoL ✍ What are some effective ways organizations can assess the lasting impact of high-quality recognition in the workplace, in your view? #recognition #feedback #performance #retention

Recognition isn’t like birthday cake. You don’t save it for special occasions. It’s more like oxygen. Your team needs it daily, to survive and to thrive. And science backs this up. When people feel seen and appreciated, their brains light up. Literally. Because recognition isn’t just feel-good fluff: ✅ It triggers dopamine. ✅ It rewires behavior. ✅ It builds loyalty. It can be the difference between someone  staying on your team… or leaving. As leaders, we have more influence than we think. Here’s how to make it count: 🎯 Notice great work as it happens 🎯 Skip the “great job” and explain why it mattered 🎯 Show people how their work makes a difference But timing matters more than method: 🕜 Weekly recognition builds momentum 🕜 Monthly check-ins keep the connection strong 🕜 Quarterly reviews become celebrations And it’s not one-size-fits-all. Different team members value different kinds of recognition:  🏆 Some love a public shout-out 🏆 Others prefer a quiet thank-you 🏆 High performers might want a stretch opportunity It’s our job as leaders to know what each person needs and act on it. The strongest teams I’ve seen? They have leaders who make recognition a habit: 🔁 They pause to say “I saw that, well done” 🔁 They make people feel truly seen 🔁 They cheer for small wins The most successful teams don’t wait for birthdays or big wins. They make recognition part of everyday life. And it shows — in performance, retention, and team morale. Because what you recognize? That’s what shapes your culture ♻️ If this resonates, repost for your network. 📌 Follow Amy Gibson for more leadership insights.

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐚 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 Many leaders still think of recognition as a soft, optional thing. A “nice-to-have” once the real work is done. But here’s the truth: Recognition is a 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.   And a 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿.     And a 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹. When people consistently do good work and it goes unnoticed, this is what happens: They disengage They stop going the extra mile Or worse — they leave Not because they need praise. But because they need to know 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. And they need to know what they should keep doing to perform even more. 💡 What gets recognised gets repeated. What gets ignored disappears. 𝐒𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥? ✅ 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 Recognition delayed is recognition forgotten and denied. Don’t wait for the performance review: Say it when you see it! ✅ 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 “Great job” is nice, but “The way you led that unhappy client call with calm and clarity was very professional and effective” is meaningful. And it will encourage them to do the same, again and again. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 Especially when effort was high and results were impacted by external factors. People need to feel seen for HOW they showed up, not just what they delivered. ✅ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 Recognition only works if it’s sincere. Trying to “spread it evenly” so everyone gets their turn (like in those dreaded employee of the month awards) doesn’t make it fair. It makes it meaningless! People don’t want recognition for the sake of it. They want to feel seen — for something real, something they genuinely did well. Want to build a culture where people care? Start by showing them that 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼! #PeopleStrategy #LeadershipTips #Recognition #PeopleDevelopment #Startups #ScalingTeams #CultureMatters

The Fundamental Misconception Stalling Professional Advancement   After placing executives for over 25 years, I've observed a consistent pattern among professionals experiencing slower-than-desired career progression: they're operating on an outdated assumption about how recognition and advancement actually occur.   The most insidious career misconception is that consistent performance naturally leads to recognition and advancement.   In reality, organizational systems aren't designed to automatically identify and reward quiet competence.   Executives who achieve rapid advancement understand several critical principles: • Visibility Engineering: Deliberately creating awareness of achievements among decision-makers without relying on immediate supervisors as sole advocates • Documentation Priority: Systematically recording contributions and impact, making it easier for leaders to recognize patterns of value when advancement opportunities arise • Strategic Relationship Building: Developing connections with leaders who influence advancement decisions, not just peers and immediate managers • Opportunity Anticipation: Positioning themselves for roles before they're formally available, rather than waiting for announcements   The professionals who advance most efficiently aren't necessarily performing at higher levels - they're ensuring their performance is strategically visible and aligned with organizational priorities.   If your career progress feels disproportionately slow relative to your contributions, the solution may not be working harder, but rather shifting how you position your existing work within the organization.   What strategies have you found effective for ensuring your contributions receive appropriate recognition?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #careeradvancement #executivedevelopment #professionalrecognition #careerstrategist

3 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 About Recognition That Will Transform Your Leadership. Last month, a client asked me why his top performers were leaving. The answer was painfully clear: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻. Here's what 20 years of leadership coaching taught me about recognition: Recognition isn't a "nice to have" According to Gallup's research: - Only 1 in 3 workers strongly agree they received recognition in the past week - Employees who don't feel recognized are 2x more likely to quit in the next year - Recognition is the most forgotten element of employee engagement Most leaders get recognition wrong They wait for: - Annual reviews - Project completion - Major milestones But high-performing teams need continuous acknowledgment. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Recognition must be: 1. Specific (tie it to actions) 2. Timely (within 48 hours) 3. Public (when appropriate) 4. Personal (show you notice details) The most powerful insight? Top performers don't just want praise. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Here's what works: - Weekly recognition meetings - Peer nomination systems - Real-time feedback channels - Growth opportunity discussions - Personal development investments 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮���𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. What's your most effective way of recognizing top performers? Share your insights below. Your experience might help another leader retain their best talent. P.S. Need help building a recognition-rich culture? Let's connect. [Source: Gallup - Employee Recognition: Low Cost, High Impact]

Demand for reward and recognition benefits jumped from 11% to 17% in just five months 🎯 New research shows nearly 90% of organisations now track the outcomes of their recognition programs, and 40% are conducting full ROI analyses to link recognition directly to business results Recognition has officially moved from "nice-to-have" into strategic business priority territory ��� The results? 💼 84% report stronger employee engagement 📈 67% see measurable productivity gains 💰 Clear ROI through reduced turnover costs Here's the thing: employees don't just want a paycheck. They want to feel valued and seen for their contributions. The companies getting this right aren't just doing annual awards. They're building systems for frequent recognition, enabling peer-to-peer appreciation, and actually measuring the impact. In a competitive talent market, your commitment to recognition could be the differentiator that attracts your next star hire 🌟 Is your organisation treating recognition as a strategic investment or just a nice gesture? Full breakdown in this week's Work in Progress 👇 #EmployeeRecognition #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork

69% of employees say they’d work harder if their efforts were better recognised. Yet, how many managers actually see their people? Last week, I met an old teammate and was reminded of a project that went south and how he helped get it back on track. And he said- Boss, you never recognised that effort. I felt a knot in my stomach and said… I’m sorry. I used to be the “quiet first-time manager”. The one who nodded in meetings assumed people knew I appreciated them. Now I have realised: recognition isn’t optional. It’s oxygen. Here’s what actually boosts morale, and what I wish I’d known as a first-time manager: 1) 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐭. ↳ Call out the specific action, not just “great work.” 2) 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲. ↳ A tiny success is the building block of confidence. 3) 𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐫-𝐭𝐨-𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞. ↳ Let teammates recognise each other, magic happens. 4) 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. ↳ An email or note lasts longer than a fleeting verbal compliment. 5) 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲. ↳ Praise delayed is praise denied. 6) 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞. ↳ Show why the effort matters, not just that it matters. 7) 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. ↳ Recognition is personal; find their language. Yes, I sometimes forget all of these things, but I am more cautious now. 💡 The truth: It’s about feeling seen. So today, pause. Notice. Say it. Acknowledge. It costs nothing, but it might just change everything. Watch someone’s face light up. ---------------- Have a Joyful Weekend Thanks, Jayant

Positive feedback? Hurry through it. It doesn’t feel 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭. Negative feedback? That’s what we can 𝘧𝘪𝘹. That’s where the real work is. Too many engineers and leaders treat positive feedback like it’s background noise. I’ve seen this in clients, teammates, and honestly—myself, at times. But here’s the problem: when you train your brain to only listen for what’s wrong, every feedback session starts to feel like a threat. You miss the information about what’s working. You lose the signal that says “𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”. That makes feedback harder to give and harder to receive. This is how we create feedback-phobia. Positive feedback isn’t fluff. It’s a reinforcement tool. It tells your brain, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩—𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨.” ↳ If you’re receiving feedback: slow down when someone tells you what you did well. Ask why it worked. Positive feedback is data. ↳ If you’re giving feedback: don’t let the good parts get skipped. Pause and say, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥. 𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵.” What kind of feedback are you wired to notice—and what might you be missing? When was the last time you let positive feedback actually land? Give this a repost ♻️ to help others find this message ✍🏻 You might like my weekly newsletter https://lnkd.in/gxtnCFay

Leaders Don’t Burn Out from Pressure, They Burn Out from Invisibility. A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a leader. I asked him casually, “So, how’s it going? You just wrapped up your review!” He smiled and gave me the standard answers. Numbers? Met. Pipeline? Built. Challenges? Managed. On paper, he looked solid. Then I asked, “But do you feel seen?” Silence. A shift in the air. And then, almost under his breath: “Not really.” That struck me hard. I’ve heard the same line from leaders of all ages and roles. I’ve heard it from a 30-year-old manager trying to prove herself, from a builder in his 40s managing growth, and from a 50-year-old veteran keeping a division alive. They are different ages with different struggles, but they all share the same need. Every leader seeks recognition. But those who need it most often get it the least. We’ve created a myth that strong leaders don’t need acknowledgment. We think results should be enough reward. We believe that asking to be seen shows weakness. So, they don’t ask. When a rare compliment comes, they brush it off. “Just part of my job,” or “Anyone could have done it.” Meanwhile, the system operates differently. Reviews focus on what’s broken. Dashboards show red. Wins get a polite nod. It feels efficient, but it’s costly. Here’s the truth: Leaders don’t break under a heavy load. They break when no one notices they are carrying it. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It creeps in quietly. Energy drains. Motivation fades. The spark goes out. But recognition can bring it back. One sentence can change the atmosphere: “I saw what you did. And it mattered.” That’s enough to turn exhaustion into energy. It’s enough to remind a leader why they started. Recognition is not just fluff. It’s fuel. It’s not about ego; it’s about energy. And science supports this. Hogan’s research shows that recognition is one of the top values leaders score high on across generations. The challenge? Most workplaces lack the rituals to meet that need. But recognition alone isn’t enough. In my Hogan work, I see this pattern: Leaders who can’t identify what drives them or accept recognition when it comes tend to feel stuck. That’s why self-awareness is the most essential skill of this decade. Self-aware leaders don’t just wait to be seen. They know what energizes them and what drains them. They can ask for what they need without shame and offer recognition freely to others. So here’s the challenge. If you lead teams, notice who around you is carrying weight unseen. Will you notice them before it’s too late? If you lead yourself, pause. Identify what drives you, what drains you, and the recognition you resist. What you notice grows. What you ignore fades. Leaders don’t burn out because they can’t handle the pressure. They burn out because the pressure hides their contributions. Those who last learn to see themselves and to recognize others before the silence overwhelms them. #careershifts

Appreciation isn't optional in leadership. It's the difference between retention and resignation. Your best people will leave if they don't feel valued. No matter how talented they are. No matter how much you pay them. I've seen this pattern repeat in every team I've worked with. The ones who stay aren't always the highest paid. They're the ones who feel seen. Work pressure is constant: ↳ Deadlines don't stop ↳ Long hours become normal ↳ Energy drains fast ↳ Burnout creeps closer So how do you make people feel valued? Here are 7 ways to show genuine appreciation: 1️⃣ Notice the quiet contributions ↳ Acknowledge work that goes unseen ↳ Recognise effort, not just outcomes 2️⃣ Give specific, timely praise ↳ Say exactly what they did well ↳ Don't wait for formal reviews 3️⃣ Protect their time and energy ↳ Shield them from unnecessary meetings ↳ Respect boundaries consistently 4️⃣ Ask for their input genuinely ↳ Listen when they share ideas ↳ Show how their thinking shaped decisions 5️⃣ Share credit publicly ↳ Name their contributions in meetings ↳ Let others know who did the work 6️⃣ Support their growth actively ↳ Connect them with opportunities ↳ Invest in their development 7️⃣ Show up when it matters ↳ Be present during difficult moments ↳ Make support visible, not just verbal Show appreciation consistently. It's what separates teams that stay from teams that scatter. How do you show appreciation to your team? Let me know in the comments. ♻️ Repost to promote healthier workplaces 👉 Follow Lauren Murrell for more like this