Building Belonging Through an Employee Recognition Program

Employees who feel like they belong are a key ingredient in your organization’s success. Employees with a sense of belonging at work are 3.5 times more likely to be productive, motivated, and engaged, according to research by the Center for Talent Innovation, an NYC-based think tank. One of the most simple and effective ways of creating a greater sense of satisfaction and belonging in the workplace is through employee recognition programs creating retention through employee recognition programs.

When rating contributing factors for job satisfaction, respondents to a Society for Human Resource Management survey said recognition from management (45%) and the respectful treatment of employees at all levels within an organization (65%) are very important.

Here are additional reasons why recognition is a necessity for building a greater sense of belonging within your organization.  

Managing Employee Retention

Organizations that prioritize recognition and engagement within the workplace, decrease employee turnover by 59%, according to Gallup.

When an effective employee recognition program is implemented, practiced throughout the company and backed by leadership, it sets a standard that shows how employees are valued within the organization. When employees see this in action and know that their contributions are appreciated by their coworkers and managers, they may be less inclined to look for a new role.

Find out more about the role recognition plays in keeping talented employees on board, read How Recognition Boosts Employee Retention.

Creating Generational Common Ground 

There are now five generations in the workplace. With this comes a variety of experiences, perspectives, and opinions. Showing appreciation to one another through an employee recognition platform can be a catalyst in bringing multi-generational teams together, giving them a platform to get to know one another, and allowing everyone to see how much they have in common.

Learn everything you need to know about recognition strategies for a multi-generational team in The Ultimate Guide to Managing a Multigenerational Workforce.

Creating a Cohesive Workplace Environment 

Recognition also builds a collaborative culture throughout your organization and helps remote workers feel more included and tied to your organization. While there are many perks to working remotely, there are drawbacks too, such as feeling disconnected from coworkers. To remedy this, companies can utilize communication platforms, like Slack or Teams, to keep everyone up to date and allow employees to chat with one another. Employee recognition platforms also boost the morale of remote workers because they can easily receive and send personalized recognition, which makes them feel included and appreciated.  

To find out more about recognition’s ROI in the workplace, check out What's the True ROI of Your Organization's Recognition Program.  

A strong recognition program can set a standard and let all of your employees know that the organization values recognition and creating an engaged, inclusive environment where all employees can do their best work.