Introduction
Some people are better at their jobs than others. To make sure that recognition shows appreciation and builds engagement, without pitting fabulous employees against those who are generally ... less fabulous, consider these tips:
- Recognize more frequently. If you only recognize once a quarter, the most deserving actions may often fall to the same people. High visibility employees may feel the most worthy of quarterly recognition, but if you make recognition a weekly habit, others are more likely to rise to the top for recognition.
- Vary recognition for a job well done and for above and beyond actions. Perhaps certain employees are less likely to stand out for their actions, but what do they have to teach others? Perhaps they are diligent and rarely make errors, or great at finding information? Don’t overlook important attributes that make for a good employee in favor of flashier, once-in-a-while actions.
- Finally, make sure that the recognition you share is as much about the actions as the person. Share specifically what the person did when you highlight the story. Just saying, “Great job to Stella!” can be more easily seen as favoritism than, “Thank you to Stella for staying late and rescheduling a personal commitment in order to support getting the project done in time.” (See also: How to write powerful (and sustainable) recognition)
Looking for more? Check out this blog post: How to award employees and avoid favoritism