Rewards and Recognition
Part of effective staff development is remembering to recognize a job well done. Reward and recognition need not always be monetary (compensation is discussed in a separate section). Studies show that the benefits of recognition are numerous. A study by the National Association for Employee Recognition showed the benefits of developing and maintaining a rewards and recognition program can serve to:
- create a positive work environment;
- create a culture of recognition;
- motivate high performance;
- reinforce desired behaviors;
- increase employee morale;
- support organization's mission;
- increase retention;
- encourage loyalty; and
- support culture change.
Best practices in employee reward and recognition programs include:
- Ensuring the recognition is tangible and related to the employee’s position.
- Going beyond a general thank you and making sure the recognition includes why the performance made a difference to the organization, to a client, to the mission, etc.
- Practicing consistent recognition among employees to ensure that multiple staff members are recognized.
- Publicly recognizing strong performance, such as at a staff meeting or in an internal newsletter.
- Thinking creatively to recognize employees. The State of Michigan has a fun list of 50 No-Low Cost Recognition Ideas.
- Encouraging employees to recognize their colleagues
- Creating recognition programs based on employees’ values.
- Considering educational opportunities as a form of employee recognition.