Everyone agrees that employee recognition is a very important part of maintaining a healthy work environment. That simple pat on the back, hearing your name associated with “good job,” or any simple reward or recognition is what we all desire---no matter if you are the janitor or the Chairman of the Board. So if this is so important and it's easy to do, then why doesn’t it happen more often?

Even as children we waited and wanted the approval of our parents. We looked for ways to get their attention and praise. Then when it did come, it was often given without the excitement we thought it deserved or was followed up with the praise killer “but you could have or should have…”

Why Is Recognition So Important In The Workforce?

Studies show that the largest reason for job dissatisfaction is the lack of praise and involvement. For example, in a Rolling Stone article is stated “a survey of job dissatisfaction found that only 7% of the respondents mentioned low pay or insufficient benefits. But 61% felt they weren’t treated like professionals. They wanted more respect.” In a Reward and Recognition Survey conducted by the Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) found “Recognition contributed significantly to employees’ job satisfaction. Most responded that they highly valued day-to-day recognition from their supervisors, peers and team members. Sixty-eight percent of the DNR responders said feeling that their work was appreciated by others was important.”

So Once Again, Why Doesn’t Recognition Occur Freely In The Workplace?

A study published in Recognition Redefined by Roger Hale and Rita Maehling shed some light on the problem. In the study a major U.S. corporation conducted a survey of industrial employees, asking them to rank the 10 “job reward” factors. The questions researchers were attempting to answer were “What do employees want?” and “What factors provide the most job satisfaction?” The rankings were:

1. Interesting work
2. Full appreciation of work done
3. Feeling of being in on things
4. Job security
5. Good Wages
6. Promotion/growth in the organization
7. Good working conditions
8. Personal loyalty to employees
9. Tactful discipline
10. Sympathetic help with personal problems

The researchers gave the same survey to the managers and supervisors but with a twist. Instead of being asked to rank their own preferences, they were asked to rank the job rewards the way they thought their employees would rank them. The results were:

1. Good Wages
2. Job security
3. Promotion/growth in the organization
4. Good working conditions
5. Interesting work
6. Personal loyalty to employees
7. Tactful discipline
8. Full appreciation of work done
9. Sympathetic help with personal problems
10. Feeling of being in on things

As you can see, the management group and the employee group did not agree. This begins to show that the “bosses” really do not see recognition is an important asset to use in employee management and motivation. Yet they will all agree it is a good thing to do. Sounds like a “Catch 22” happening here.

So How Do We Get Recognition Programs Into The Workplace?

Training of all managers, supervisors, and employees in the need and forms of recognition is the first step. The second is to organize a formal employee recognition program at your place of work. The final step is to track your activities and results. But the best way to get started is say “thanks” or “good job” to your employees, fellow workers, or even to your boss.

And by the way, thanks for taking time to read this article. Employee recognition is the easiest and hardest thing you ever will do.