Description: In a work environment with positive recognition and reward, there is appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation of employees’ efforts in a fair and timely manner.
You can access our free workshop materials to learn the type of recognition that matters to them.
Understand how each employee is motivated by different types of recognition and reward.
- Review the results of Putting recognition and reward on the agenda: creating awareness.
- Use the Recognition preferences form | PDF can help you learn what motivates employees. For example, some employees may prefer team-based recognition. Others may want recognition privately.
- Recognition strategies for leaders can help leaders express their appreciation.
Maintain clear practices for recognizing effort and providing feedback.
- Recognize both individual and group accomplishments. These may include non-monetary awards for particular tasks or milestones. Consider a variety of rewards for accomplishments, like:
- Monetary compensation
- Vacation time
- Benefits
- Bonuses
- Find a way to share recognition with employees at all levels. This could be positive feedback from customers, patients, clients or colleagues.
Train managers and supervisors to be effective when providing constructive feedback.
- Recognize effort and not only outcomes.
- Recognize employees’ accomplishments regularly. For example, you could send a personal email or take the time to recognize them in a team meeting.
- Acknowledge good performance frequently – not only during performance reviews. This can reinforce the behaviours that encourage effectiveness.
- Check out Building stronger teams for activities that recognize accomplishments, like:
- Positive and specific feedback. This offers leaders ways to increase positive emotions and reactions in the workplace.
- Acknowledge our accomplishments. This gives employees the chance to share their accomplishments. Their leader can also use this to point out the positive impact employees have had.
- Healthy break activities, for Create a wall of gratitude. Activities that encourage the recognition of employee efforts, and to show support.
Additional actions and resources
- Review employee salaries regularly and adjust as needed. Try to consider what is fair from both an economic and comparative perspective. You can also consider providing opportunities for growth and development.
- Introducing opportunities for engagement may also help to boost job satisfaction. For example, organizing social events or attending higher-level meetings.
- Improve psychological health and safety with these Psychological health and safety policy recommendations.
- See how psychological health and safety has a positive impact on business goals with this Evidence for psychological health and safety.
Putting recognition and reward on the agenda provides you with materials to support a team discussion on approaches to recognition and reward as well as materials to support policy review and development.
Adapted from Guarding Minds at Work™
Guarding Minds at Work was commissioned by Canada Life and additional resources are supported by Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.