As a project manager, your duties go above and beyond the boundaries of a project. Not only are you responsible for successfully completing tasks but also for keeping an eye on the team’s well-being.
One way of taking care of your team is by recognizing their efforts. Recognition implies appreciating them for their work, providing timely feedback, and working with them together to develop their skills.
Before we move ahead, we would like to make it clear that team recognition is not limited to yearly or biyearly increments, incentives, or promotions.
Team recognition means acknowledging your employees’ hard work and complimenting them, whether you do that with your words, your gestures, rewards or something else is totally up to you. The purpose is to assure your team members that you recognize and acknowledge their work.
Your appreciation will boost the morale of your team and motivate them to improve their work for the better. In addition, it will strengthen your bond with the team.
What Are the Benefits of Team Recognition?
Team recognition has a three-fold effect. It impacts team members, team leaders, and the company:
- Motivates the team members
- Strengthens the bond between the team leader and the members
- Adds to the profitability of the company
Research states that 37% of employees consider employee recognition the most critical part of their work. Let us take a look at the benefits of team member recognition:
- Lower turnover rate: Regularly appreciating employees lead to higher levels of satisfaction and lower turnover rates. A survey reports that 63% of employees who were ‘recognized’ were less likely to look for other jobs.
- Better profitability: Happy teams mean better work and more profitability.
- Strengthens employee-management relationship: Consistent feedback improves and strengthens the relationship between team members and the top management. A survey showed that 50% of employees believed that recognition helped improve their relationship with the manager as well as the top management.
- Employee satisfaction: Appreciation from a team leader or a colleague can boost an employee’s confidence in the organization and the management.
- Promote a culture of improvement: With your feedback, you can guide your employees to improve their performance and develop their skills.
- Boost morale: No feedback from a supervisor or team lead results in lower motivation to improve work performance. In opposition, acknowledgment can lead to higher levels of motivation and better work performance.
- Higher productivity: Consistent feedback can prompt a team to work more efficiently, leading to higher productivity. Employee satisfaction can lead to a 31% of the increase in productivity rates.
Key Points to Keep in Mind:
Keep the following points in mind for team recognition:
- Be consistent in acknowledging and appreciating the efforts of your team. As we mentioned earlier, yearly or bi-yearly monetary benefits are not the only way of recognition. Make sure that you regularly engage with your team members to assure them that you recognize their work.
- Your feedback should be immediate. Late feedback loses its spark, the employee will have forgotten the work and it would have no effect at all.
- Your feedback should be specific. You must show your appreciation by properly addressing the specific task they performed and the thing you appreciate them for.
- Once more, we would like to reiterate that recognition comes in different ways. It can be in the form of monetary benefits, verbal appreciation, or small acts that show your gratitude.
Who Is Responsible for Giving Recognition?
If you think that recognition is limited to top management or leaders then you are wrong. Recognition can come from a colleague, a senior, a team leader, or top management.
Remember, recognition is valued, no matter who it comes from. So, whether you are a manager or a team member, do not forget to appreciate the people around you for the hard work they put in their work.
A small gesture or a few words of appreciation can encourage the employee and make him happy.
Best Practices for Team Recognition
So far, we have explained different aspects of team recognition. But the main question is, how exactly can you appreciate your team members ? What methods can you use to recognize their efforts?
If you are running out of team recognition ideas then worry no more, we have compiled some of the best practices when it comes to employee recognition. Incorporate these team recognition ideas in your work culture and see the changes yourself.
1. Team Recognition Days/Events
If you find it difficult to randomly appreciate your employees, you can make it a formal event. Dedicate a specific day to the cause, gather all your employees, and publicly praise them for their work. You can create different categories for different areas of work and make a whole award show. Not only will it be exciting but also relaxing and fun for the employees.
You can also set up an award for ‘employee of the month’ with a special trophy or incentive. The award will encourage employees to work harder so that they can receive kudos from you and their peers as well as a reward.
2. Incentives/ Bonuses/ Treats/ Goods
Well, everyone is aware of monetary rewards be it in the form of a bonus, an increment, or an incentive. Additionally, you can also employ other means to reward your employees . These can include awarding them goods such as a T-shirt, perfume, tie, etc.
We all know Joey loves food but so does everyone else so why not treat them to a sumptuous meal? We are sure your employees will love the free treat more than anything else.
3. Appreciation Wall
If verbal recognition is not your cup of tea, you can reserve a part of your office for the job. Make a wall of appreciation where you write the name or hang a picture of the best employee of the month, quarter, or year.
To make it more interesting, you can nominate a few employees on the wall, to keep everyone excited about the results. Also, you can cast votes on the wall or invite others to write words of appreciation for each other.
The wall can become a means of exchanging feedback and encouraging one another for better work.
4. Regularly Share Feedback
If you do not want to make staff recognition a big deal, you can share your feedback via email or text. You can also verbally thank them for their work in person.
Consistency in exchanging feedback can promote improvement in work productivity and better efficiency so consider making it a regular practice.
5. Vacation
Another mode of team recognition that can produce efficient results is arranging vacations for the employees. You can arrange a paid vacation of a week or less to a foreign country or the wilderness for relaxation.
The vacation will be a reward for their countless efforts and will surely be appreciated by the employee.
6. Small Gestures
The next idea for team recognition is showing your appreciation through small, kind gestures. A pat on the back, a sticky note with a word of appreciation, or a small gift. These small gestures will play a big role in strengthening your relationship with the team.
7. Social Media Post
Who does not love a social media shout-out ? We believe everyone does. Team recognition via a public platform will present a soft image of your company to the public and will certainly contribute to your business.
In addition, it will be a good way of publicly praising the employee, it will certainly add to their confidence and make them happier.
8. Include Everyone
Team recognition does not mean that you limit your words of praise for a few individuals. Everyone must be included, be it a senior or a junior, a lesser-known one or a popular one, an experienced employee or a newbie, everyone deserves to be included.
Excluding an individual or a group will portray your company in a negative light and might also result in backlash from the team itself.
Conclusion
Team recognition is the best way of spreading positive energy in your work environment. The exercise should be practiced in every business, no matter how small or big it is or what industry it belongs to.
Employees are always open to and expect acknowledgment from their supervisors and peers. Take help from the above-mentioned project team recognition ideas and transform the work culture at your workplace.
Best of luck!
The post Understanding Team Recognition In 2023 – Benefits and Best Practices appeared first on Productivity Land .