See the Big Picture -- and the Little details -- When Appreciating an Employee

05/05/11

A raise, bonus or even a “thank you” in front of the entire company still may not convey how much you appreciate an employee. The problem? Many companies reward their people based on the end result and forget to acknowledge the entire effort it takes to achieve that solution. If you aren’t taking the time to recognize the obstacles, you may be sending a message that you don’t understand what the employee’s overall experience has entailed.

Stop and think about what an employee experiences to achieve a great result. Is it all smooth sailing in reaching that solution? Probably not. Surely they faced many challenges, from delays, to stress, to personal sacrifices at home.

Now, when you step back and appreciate the journey that employee took to deliver the desired goal, you can provide the individual with an appreciative speech, e-mail or other act that shows you’ve comprehended their effort completely. The key: be specific. There’s a difference between recognizing someone for "hard work," and recognizing that "Jim delivered a terrific product in the face of 17 changes to the project. He worked every Sunday in May and until 10 p.m. on several weekdays. He even had to postpone his family vacation by a week. Jim, thank you for all the effort you put into this project in meeting its tight 30-day schedule." See the difference? Chances are, your employees will too.

Tools and tips to get from once a year to right now

Okay, so how do you move from the mindset of rewarding employees once a year with a raise to rewarding employees all year round?

Here are some ideas to get you going.

• Every day, write something down. If you pay attention, you will see something good in your employees every day. Whether it's Juan's great idea during the IT meeting, or when Judy stayed an extra hour to help the new employee learn the ropes, not only should you pay attention, you should make a note of it. Use a supervisor's journal or just an ongoing date book (paper and pen seems to work better for these notes, as you never have to login to make your notes.)
• Let them know As soon as possible after you notice the good action, let the employee know you noticed. Whether you just say thank you in the hall, or write a note of appreciation, that timely expression will do wonders for employee motivation and morale.
• Consider an employee of the month program As old-fashioned as it sounds, employee of the month programs do wonders for making employees feel appreciated and noticed. Whether you make it a formal program with a traditional employee of the month plaque, or opt for a "paper certificates and gift cards" kind of event, make sure the actions of your monthly winners are described in detail.
• Use your notes to make annual rewards more meaningful Why face the annual reward banquet or annual review meeting with dread, because you can't remember what each employee did throughout the year? With your daily notes, you'll be able to tailor the rewards, and the message, for each and every employee