What Employees Want to be Recognized for in 2024

Gone are the days when a simple “Employee of the Month” plaque sufficed. Modern employees now crave meaningful and personalized acknowledgment that not only celebrates their achievements but also aligns with their individual preferences and aspirations.

The secret to building a thriving and motivated workforce? Implementing a well-rounded recognition strategy that rewards important moments and celebrates success.

Why Employee Recognition is Important

A key component of every human being’s need is to feel like they belong and have a purpose – and that applies to every employee’s job. Building a culture of appreciation that recognizes each employee's success and achievements is an effective way to ensure your skilled employees feel a sense of belonging and purpose within your organization. And when employees feel a strong sense of belonging and purpose in the workplace, it can fuel business performance and success, as reported by Deloitte. 

What Employees Want to be Recognized For

Understanding what employees truly value in recognition can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your recognition program. Employees don’t want to be recognized just once a year. They want recognition for the effort, achievements, and contributions they bring to their roles throughout the entire year.

Recognizing the right aspects of an employee’s performance can fuel their motivation and commitment. According to a Gallup survey, employees prefer six specific methods of recognition. 

• public recognition or acknowledgment via an award, certificate, or commendation
• private recognition from a boss, peer, or customer
• receiving or obtaining a high level of achievement through evaluations or reviews
• promotion or increase in scope of work or responsibility to show trust
• monetary award such as a trip, prize, or pay increase
• personal satisfaction or pride in work

These methods reflect a deeper understanding of what employees find meaningful. When planning or reevaluating your recognition programs, consider ways to implement and incorporate the above six methods to ensure they have a lasting impact on your team.

How to Tailor Recognition Efforts for Employees

Your recognition programs should be about one thing: your employees. As you outline them, it’s important to ensure they are centered around your staff’s needs and preferences.

Employee recognition initiatives come in many shapes and sizes. To help guide your program, follow the below best practices to ensure you can make the most of your programs.

Offer a Gift of Choice

Allowing employees the freedom to choose their rewards ensures each team member can receive a reward that's meaningful to them, enhancing the impact of your recognition efforts. Offering a wide array of options, from gift cards and merchandise to experiences and charitable donations, caters to diverse preferences. 

The Incentive Research Foundation recently conducted a survey to understand each generation's reward preferences. One takeaway from the research is that gift cards are a top reward option across all the generations. For more information, click here to learn more and view the full results.

Provide a Personalized Recognition Experience

Personalized recognition experiences tailored to individual preferences show employees that their unique contributions are valued. 

Digital recognition tools like Inspirus Connects make it easy to provide your employees with personalized experiences. These platforms often allow you to send employees a personalized, branded digital card along with a budget-aligned gift of choice on their most important days to show gratitude for their efforts and hard work.

Recognize Small and Big Contributions

When recognizing employees, it can be easy to overlook the small wins in an employees day-to-day lives. But, the small moments in an employee’s journey can be just as important as the big milestones. In your recognition programs, consider finding ways to incorporate both employees’ big and small contributions. Acknowledging your employees’ everyday efforts and minor successes can help reinforce that every contribution matters. 

Get Feedback on Employees’ Preferences

As you implement and evaluate your programs, it’s important to understand what your employees’ preferences are. Gathering insights about these preferences makes it easier to deliver meaningful and significant recognition. Consider conducting employee surveys to get real-time feedback on your staff’s preferences and desires. You can use this feedback to shape your strategy and adjust your programs.

Types of Recognition to Incorporate

To maximize the impact of your recognition program, incorporating a variety of recognition types is essential. Different forms of recognition cater to different needs and preferences, ensuring that every employee feels valued in a way that resonates with them. Here are a few types of recognition to consider:

#1 Public Recognition

Public recognition is a powerful way to acknowledge employees in front of their peers. This can include shout-outs during team meetings, highlighting achievements in company newsletters, or posting about accomplishments on internal communication platforms. Public recognition not only boosts the morale of the individual being recognized but also fosters a culture of appreciation within the organization.

#2 Private Recognition

Some employees prefer a more personal touch. Private recognition can include a handwritten thank-you note, a personalized email from a manager, or a one-on-one meeting to express gratitude. This form of recognition shows a deep level of appreciation and can be incredibly meaningful to those who value more intimate acknowledgments.

#3 Peer-to-Peer Recognition

Encouraging peer-to-peer recognition allows employees to recognize each other's contributions. This can be facilitated through programs where colleagues can nominate each other for awards or simply through an easy-to-use platform where peers can send kudos. Peer-to-peer recognition programs can help build camaraderie and a supportive team environment.

#4 Manager-to-Employee Recognition

Recognition from a manager can be particularly impactful. Research from Gallup shows that managers can influence their teams' employee engagement by up to 70%. Likewise, Zippia reveals that 37% of employees feel the best way to improve their engagement is through recognition from their superiors.

Regular check-ins where managers acknowledge hard work, provide constructive feedback, and set aside time specifically to commend achievements can strengthen the relationship between managers and their team members. This type of recognition is crucial for employee engagement, development, and retention.

#5 Milestone Recognition

Celebrating milestones such as work anniversaries, project completions, or personal achievements (like obtaining a new certification) is essential. Recognizing these key moments shows employees that their long-term commitment and continuous growth are appreciated.

#6 Spontaneous Recognition

Sometimes, the best recognition is unexpected. Spontaneous recognition can occur whenever an employee goes above and beyond. This could be in the form of a surprise gift, an unexpected day off, or a spontaneous team celebration. The element of surprise adds an extra layer of appreciation.

#7 Performance-based Recognition

Performance-based recognition involves rewarding employees for specific achievements and contributions. This approach centers around acknowledging individual efforts that have an impact on the company. 

For example, performance-based recognition can take the form of bonuses or acknowledgment for reaching key performance indicators (KPIs), completing significant projects, or driving innovation. By aligning rewards with clear, quantifiable outcomes, this approach not only motivates employees to excel but also reinforces behaviors and achievements that contribute directly to organizational goals.

For other examples of recognition programs, check out 15 best examples of recognition programs or discover 35 important dates to recognize your team on. 

Deliver Meaningful Recognition with Inspirus

Looking for a way to streamline employee rewards, boost engagement, and foster a culture of appreciation? Inspirus, a leader in employee recognition and engagement solutions, offers an all-in-one digital recognition platform that can transform your employee recognition program.

With 130+ years of experience in the recognition and rewards space, our team of specialists can create a recognition programs tailored to your employees' and organization's needs. Let us help you streamline your recognition efforts to create comprehensive programs that leave a lasting impact.

Connect with an Inspirus specialist today  to see how we can help!