No business has achieved success and sustainability without the hard work and dedication of its employees. As Phil Haussler, Vice President of Product at Quantum Workplace said, recognition is like telling employees, “I see you. I see what you did there. I get it. It matters.”

There are plenty of reasons why organizations should focus on offering their employees recognition. It creates a domino effect. Employee recognition leads to greater morale and happiness at work. In turn, happier employees stick around longer. Also, this higher retention rate often leads to more satisfied clients and a healthier bottom-line. Here are three tips your organization can use to incorporate more recognition in the workplace.

1. Encourage employees to encourage one another

Recognition should not only happen from the top-down in an organization. Peer-to-peer recognition is also extremely valuable. To encourage this, businesses should consider using tools such as Quantum Workplace, which includes an employee recognition feature where co-workers can offer praise to their teammates. In addition, organizations can use company announcements or newsletters to feature a recognition piece.

Next, consider starting meetings with a simple question, such as “Who deserves a high five this week?” Not only is this a great opportunity to recognize employees, but it also starts meetings off on a positive note.

Co-workers see the day-to-day efforts that are put forth by their colleagues and are in the best position to highlight their actions. Get everyone involved to maximize recognition in your organization.

2. Incentivize With More Than  Words

Words matter, but they are not the only thing that employees appreciate. Adding rewards for a job well done is another way to show appreciation and incentivize awesome work.

• Gift Cards- The classic option is a gift card. Whether it is for a specific store or restaurant, people like this reward because it gives them permission to spend a little money on themselves without seeing it come out of their own pocket.
• Lunch – Show employees that the phrase “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” is wrong! Face-to-face time away from distractions allows employees to feel heard and respected.
• Favorite Coffee Beverage- A smaller-scale incentive for employees is to bring them their favorite coffee or beverage. This simple act lets your team member know you acknowledge them and their efforts and brings a smile to their face (and caffeine to their bloodstream!).
• A hand-written note – Never underestimate the power of a simple hand-written note.  In today’s technology-saturated world, it feels good to know that someone took the extra time to put pen to paper to express their appreciation.

3. Above all, be a good human

Employee recognition boils down to being a good person. As Dale Carnegie said in his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People, “give honest and sincere appreciation.” Listen actively, tell people what you value about them, and check in to show how you care for them as a person, as well as the work they do. If you would like to learn more, check out our related blog, “11 Ways to Increase Employee Job Satisfaction.”