Recognition

PERSPECTIVE

Conventional wisdom and even cursory observation would tell you there’s a strong correlation between employee recognition and healthy workplace cultures. For years, we’ve analyzed and measured it. But this year we found a causal link—hard evidence that personalized recognition directly impacts the strength of the connection between employees—which subsequently affects culture and business performance. Furthermore, recognition that’s tailored to individuals can have an even greater effect across the organization. Unlike the lackluster transactional recognition employees often receive, truly personalized appreciation is transformative. Especially when it creates employee experiences that reflect and support an intentional workplace culture.

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INTRODUCTION

Recognizing employee accomplishments is vital for building strong relationships at work. But many employees have difficulty admitting they need or want recognition. This year’s research sought to uncover why. The results were surprising.

Some employees have never had meaningful recognition in their careers and have learned to survive without it. Others had childhoods that lacked rewards and recognition, so they focused inward and became more self-motivated. Still others have built a psychological wall between themselves and their colleagues to maintain a professional distance.

But perhaps the most significant finding in our research on this subject is a causal link between recognition and connection. In one experiment, employees received various levels of recognition for spending extra effort in support of a colleague. The unexpected and profound results: In the absence of any recognition, the existing connection between the employee and colleague was severely damaged. (For more on the experiment, see the research brief above.)

Connections at work do more than support employee happiness in the workplace. They help employees perform better. And recognition deepens the connections employees crave. The giver acknowledges the value of a coworker and demonstrates their appreciation. The recipient feels seen; they believe they matter and are valued. And, as recognition is shared across the organization, the connections amplify.

Recognition builds trust, camaraderie, and the perception that an employee’s contribution counts. Nearly 90% of employees have high trust in a leader who recognizes their accomplishments, compared to 48% who feel the same level of trust without recognition.¹

If the goal is to build connection, then recognition cannot be generic; it must be sincere and tailored to the individual recipient. In a hybrid work model, organizations may struggle with how to evolve their recognition programs, particularly since employees won’t be physically together as often. However, meaningful recognition doesn’t have to be complicated. Rethink how recognition fits into your new employee experience. What systems or processes might you have to change or enhance? One fact is increasingly clear: integrated, personalized recognition is a potent means to help employees feel connected and do more great work.

RECOGNITION MUST BE INTEGRATED

No matter the type of recognition (public, eCard, monetary, or non-monetary), giving and receiving it builds connection. Conversely, a lack of recognition diminishes connection. Based on our employee recognition experiment, failing to recognize a colleague for great work results in the lowest chances of future connection and support, whereas higher levels of recognition lead to better opportunities for connection and support.

To ensure great work gets appreciated as it happens, recognition should be a constant, integrated element of an organization’s culture. To be truly integrated, recognition must be personalized, part of the daily employee experience, and celebrate a variety of achievements.

If recognition is an integrated part of the natural flow of work, it’s far more likely to be given in a timely manner when it will have the greatest impact. And, when leaders and peers frequently show appreciation for employee contributions, there are myriad opportunities for employees to feel connected to each other, to the organization’s purpose, and to success.

Figure 7. INTEGRATED RECOGNITION
Eight ways to assess how deeply recognition is ingrained in an organization's culture.

“The single most important lesson I learned in 25 years talking every single day to people was that there’s a common denominator in our human experience…[W]e want to be validated. We want to be understood….As soon as that camera shuts off, everyone always turns to me and inevitably, in their way, asks this question: ‘Was that OK?’ I’ve heard it from heroes and homemakers. [We] all want to know one thing: ‘Was that OK?’ ‘Did you hear me?’ ‘Do you see me?’ ‘Did what I say mean anything to you?’”
—OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST, PRODUCER, AND PHILANTHROPIST

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RECOGNITION MUST BE PERSONALIZED

Integrated recognition helps all employees thrive at work, but recognition preferences and impact vary across each of the five employee personas referenced earlier in this report: Socializers, Taskers, Builders, Coasters, and Achievers.

Coasters are highly responsive to recognition with a significant lift in great work (19x higher probability) when it occurs, as are Taskers (4.5x higher probability) and Socializers (4x higher probability).

In our research, we saw different types of recognition also affect feelings of connection differently for each group. For the often-introverted Taskers, public praise has a negative effect, but eCards and monetary eCards increase connection. For Builders, any form of recognition builds connection. And, not surprisingly, public appreciation has the biggest impact on the more outgoing Achievers.

“Recognition helps maintain an energized environment, allows for more connection between people, and makes the employee experience meaningful.”
—KARINE CLÉMENT-DEBROSSE, SENIOR ADVISOR, HUMAN RESOURCES, BDC

RECOMMENDATIONS

A personalized, flexible recognition approach will ensure employees in all groups feel more connected and inspired to do great work.

1. Personalize recognition

Not every employee wants to be recognized in the same way with the same type of experience or award. The more reward-receptive groups (i.e., Socializers and Achievers) respond positively to more public recognition, while Taskers and Coasters prefer smaller presentations. Achievers want recognition to connect them to purpose, and both Builders and Achievers like a senior leader to be part of the experience.

Remind leaders to get to know their people as individuals and think about each employee’s recognition preferences as they plan their recognition moments. This will ensure recognition is as meaningful and impactful as possible.

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2. Provide a flexible recognition solution

Recognition should, of course, align with and connect employee contributions to the organization’s values and its overall success, but how programs do this should be flexible to ensure employees will use them more often and, ultimately, feel more connected to each other.

Offer a variety of methods, messages, awards, etc., so that people can appropriately personalize recognition when they give it. And be sure to include an option for monetary recognition (eCards with redeemable points, for example) as it has the highest effect on connection for all employee segments.

A recognition software platform that’s immediate, simple to use, and easy to access dramatically helps integrate recognition into workplace culture. Also, it’s a good idea to have a clear process and provide resources so employees know how to create a meaningful recognition experience—in part by knowing what elements to personalize.

“The everyday thank-you is just as important as recognition for big achievements. You need to offer this type of flexibility so your recognition continues to be meaningful and individualized.”
—LYNDA NEWCOMB, HEAD OF HR, KRUGER

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3. Train people to create meaningful recognition moments

Many organizations assume that leaders and employees know how to show appreciation, but not everyone knows the best ways to create meaningful recognition experiences. Nearly three-fourths (70%) of employees of employees say recognition is most meaningful to them when it’s personalized,⁵ yet only 54% of employees say their leaders know what they do in their role.⁶

Because any giver is obliged to understand any recipient’s recognition preferences, it’s crucial to equip all employees with training and best practices for presenting recognition. Provide resources so employees giving recognition can find examples and tips on how to personalize it. Embed training and reminders into your recognition tools to help givers in real time. Encourage senior leaders to publicly model giving recognition in personal ways so employees can see how it should be done. Most importantly, remind givers how to connect employees to purpose, accomplishment, and one another in the recognition experience.

RECOGNITION— KEY TAKEAWAYS

Research demonstrates a causal link between recognition and connection.

Integrated recognition shows employees they are valued and builds connection.

A personalized recognition approach is the most effective.

Employees respond differently to recognition and have distinct preferences.

Organizations must have flexible recognition solutions to be successful.

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