If you think employee recognition programs are just a fad, think again.
In a 2018 survey, prominent employee assessment and development firm Psychometrics asked, “What could the leaders in your organization do to improve your engagement?” The top answer, given by nearly 60% of respondents, was simple: more recognition. Employees not only want good pay and benefits, they also want to be valued and appreciated for their work. If you really want to keep your staff happy—and sticking around—then motivate them through recognition. Companies with a solid plan in place to recognize their team members enjoy a host of important benefits in return for their efforts, including stronger employee engagement, increased morale, better customer service, and lower turnover. In fact, according to research from Deloitte, acknowledging workers’ achievements can have serious ROI in the way of as much as 50% higher productivity and up to a 20% increase in business outcomes. With numbers like these, it clearly pays to excel at employee recognition.
So where should you start? The first step is to gain an understanding of employee recognition and how it works. We all know that receiving recognition for our efforts feels good. Employee appreciation is all about acknowledging the hard work and accomplishments of the individuals and teams within your organization. It’s also about creating an emotional connection with your employees while supporting their contributions and staying authentic to your company’s values. From sharing praise on social media to encouraging peer to peer recognition, there are many ways to get an employee appreciation program going. But at the end of the day, it needs to be authentic and infused into your culture in such a way that recognizing and rewarding exceptional performance becomes the norm.
The next step is to find the best ways to recognize the employees in your organization. While there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to say thank you, some tactics pay off more handsomely than others. For example, cash is a popular reward, but it often falls flat. Employees tend to quickly put it towards something less than memorable like their bills, or they forget how they even spent it. Gift cards suffer a similar fate. While the thought may be there, if you don’t choose a card from a retailer that the recipient frequents, it may well wind up sitting unused in a wallet for eons. That’s not going to stir up the kind of excitement you want from your valued employees. Employee recognition awards are another option that enjoyed its heyday a few decades ago. While trophies and plaques are nice, many ultimately end up gathering dust on a shelf in the basement.
For our highly visual world, recognition walls are the perfect choice. Your employees and staff keep your organization ticking. What greater way to show appreciation for all that they do than by putting their names and photos up to share their stories with the world? These highly public recognition displays can also be used to communicate the history of your corporation, its founders, and recognize those key individuals who helped you get to where you are today. Having an entire wall of the office dedicated to appreciation of employees is not only a great way to add energy to an otherwise uninspiring space, but it’s also one of the best ways to recognize exceptional effort, tenure and/or performance.
A striking recognition wall is sure to motivate employees throughout your organization to put in 110% so they can get their chance in the spotlight too. And you can bet that your well-designed display will impress your clients, vendors and visitors, as well.
Best of all, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to design.
- Wall of Fame: Go big and bold and gain happy employees with a unique employee wall of fame. Whether it’s as complex as a lobby display of engraved plaques surrounding a dimensional logo, or as simple as a bulletin board in the break room, find a way to laud your top performers.
- Employee Success Stories: While announcing a special achievement in the company newsletter is nice, consider the dramatic impact that a entire wall featuring over-sized high-resolution photos of your employees can have.
- Commemorative Banners: Looking for something inexpensive and for shorter-term use? Why not consider colorful employee banners that mark years of service or other important achievements?
- Multimedia Displays: There’s simply no easier way to honor your superstars. Acknowledge leaders, innovators and exceptional employees with easy-to-update electronic displays that highlight your company’s history as they pay homage to the key contributors to your success.
Enhance your environment, too. While providing an inspiring reflection of your organization’s mission, culture and message, your employee appreciation display can also bring your entire workplace to life. They make a great addition to many places in the commercial environment, including :
- Reception spaces and lobbies
- Entryways, hallways or other high traffic areas
- Break rooms and cafeteria
- Conference rooms
- Board rooms
Your employees are the face of your business. The more appreciated they feel, the more gracious and professional they’re likely to be when serving your customers. These are just a few of many great visual employee recognition ideas.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to great ways to show your gratitude and support to your hard-working staff. If you’re seeking guidance in planning your employee recognition display, Adler Display is here to help! Our seasoned experts will work with you to determine the perfect placement in your organization, the best style for your project, and the level of complexity that works for your audience. Please contact our team of experienced professionals today to get started.
About Adler Display: Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Adler Display brings more than 80 years of experience to its clients in need of recognition displays, lobby and corporate interiors, custom exhibits, historical timelines, trade show displays, and signage and graphics. For more information about Adler Display, please visit the website at https://adlerdisplay.com/ or call 855-552-3537.