Don’t Underestimate The Power Of An “Attaboy”–Recognize Employee Contributions

Contributed by Elaine Landau

We’ve all seen them. The picture of the employee of the month takes up most of the Grocery Store bulletin board so you can’t post your own sign. Grrrr. When we are searching for a parking space in an overcrowded lot, the only one available always seems to be reserved for the Employee of the Month. Double-Grrrr. Well, what may seem like an inconvenience to the rest of us is actually an example of a company motivating its employees with recognition. Like all employees, we understand that it feels great to be recognized for our contributions. Not only is recognition a great motivator, it doesn’t have a hefty price tag.

Pats on the back don’t cost money.
Even in today’s overcrowded job market, excellent employees are at a premium. Employers need honest workers to man cash registers; conscientious workers to fill late-night, early-morning shifts; positive people to represent their companies on the phone or in person with customers. Many in Human Resources and upper management have felt that promising an annual raise or bonus is incentive enough to keep the employee loyal. That could be a costly assumption.

So many times, middle management does not have the signature power to okay a hefty raise for a great employee. That kind of decision has to go through the ranks and many times the effort is slow and not very satisfying. But a smart manager does not depend on money incentives to keep his team of employees motivated and productive.

Money isn’t everything.
Many recent psychological studies indicate that salary is not a primary motivator for wage earners. One of the highest-ranking motivators is recognition. When superiors recognize an employee for his/her contributions, that employee is more likely to remain loyal to that company than a higher paid employee who never enjoys such recognition.

Can Small Companies Compete with the Big Guys?
Employees put a premium on knowing that their contributions are being recognized and appreciated. Small companies can take the initiative to energize their employees. Being small, management can enjoy one-on-one moments with employees. After a hard week, a walk-through-the-cubicles by the president wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Shaking hands and calling employees by their first name when thanking them for their hard work will go a long way. Those kinds of encounters boost morale and energize the employee pool.

A good manager who wants to motivate his team will work with individual employees to help ensure his/her goals are met. For example, if an employee has a basic computer education, but would like to become more comfortable using a computer, a good manager will encourage the employee to take basic Internet training. Free Internet lessons and free Internet tutorials will cost the company nothing, but the encouragement and bond created between the employee and manager is priceless. If the employee continues and becomes more computer proficient by taking advanced tutorials in Excel, Word, Photoshop, and PowerPoint, she has bettered herself as an individual and will be able to contribute more to the company.

And yes, the employee of the month club has proven to be an effective mechanism in recognizing an employee’s specific contributions. Some cost-effective ideas include a plaque, a parking space, a free lunch once a month and recognizing that special employee in front of his/her peers. Pleased clients may also wish to reward excellent employees with gift certificates or tickets to sporting events.

Employees appreciate employers who recognize and remember birthdays with cards or other small remembrances. If the employee’s child is sick, flowers sent to the home is a gracious gesture. If an employee receives a phone call from a loved one deployed overseas, nobody, including the boss, disturbs that employee. That kind of quiet support speaks volumes. If a big account becomes bigger or a new client has signed on because of the efforts of one employee, tickets to the local theatre house are an inexpensive way to say “thank you for your efforts.”

Try to remember that all efforts, small or large, will help strengthen the employee/employer bond.

Acts of goodwill toward the employees are talked about at home and with employees outside the company. Word travels fast when employees are actually appreciated by upper management.

About the Author:
Elaine Landau is a freelance writer, publicist, web site editor, and television writer with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and publicity.

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