Praise Goes A Long Way: Let Your Employees Know When They Do Something Positive

Successful leaders understand the power of praise and the benefits it has in the workplace.  Recognizing employees for their achievements and performance is a vital part of building a strong organization.  Sincere praise lets employees know they are valued and that you appreciate their hard work. With praise and positive reinforcement, you can boost your employees’ confidence and motivate them to produce winning results.

The Impact of Praise

Praising your employees costs nothing but it can be as effective as a financial reward.  People want to feel respected and valued for their contributions and appreciation is a fundamental human need.  There are many benefits to praising employees that include the following:

* Greater employee satisfaction and enjoyment with the job

*Increased productivity because employees are motivated to work harder in order to meet performance expectations

*Higher retention rates within the office

*Stronger teamwork between employees

*Willingness to “go the extra mile”

*Greater sense of pride in their work

*It promotes a positive atmosphere

Examples of Praise and Recognition

Employees are motivated by a variety of acknowledgement that includes both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.  Each of these rewards should be used at different times in order to motivate employees to achieve peak performance.

*Give sticky notes as a way to say thanks.

*Have a bulletin board that displays great work and showcases employees

*Write an article about a staff member in the company newsletter

*Verbal recognition in a meeting

*Provide a more challenging assignment to let the employee know you trust them to complete the task.

*Send them on a special conference or professional growth opportunity.

*Present them with an award or certificate of achievement

Tips to Remember When Giving Praise

  • Make it specific. Let the employee know exactly what they have done well and what specific achievements they are being recognized for.
  • Talk about their achievement. Take the time to talk to the individual about why their efforts were so positive.  This is important because it reinforces how their contributions have helped the department.
  • Keep a record of achievements. Any time you are recognizing an employee for their work make sure and document it.  This will be important when it comes time for performance reviews.
  • Make it public. Give your employees an opportunity to shine by publicly thanking them or posting their achievement on a bulletin board or newsletter. You can also take it a step further by encouraging employees to praise one another for hard work.

Praise and recognition should become a regular part of leading your team.  The effect praise has on employees is significant and leads to greater employee satisfaction and work performance. When we give praise and recognition to employees, we make them feel valued and confident in their abilities.