Three ways to celebrate employee success – and build team spirit
A business’ success relies on the strength of its team. And when employees are working hard, it’s important to recognise both their personal achievements and the wider contributions they make to the company.
Employee recognition – the timely acknowledgement of an employee’s great work, either publicly or in a one to one setting – will encourage and reinforce behaviour that helps an organisation reach its goals, but it also helps to build confidence and fulfilment in employees.
The importance of celebrating employee success
According to a recent study by Wildgoose, around three in four UK employees feel they deserve more recognition for their work. And one-fifth of UK workers feel they get less recognition as a direct result of working remotely.
When employees feel overlooked, it comes at a significant cost – both for them personally and for their employer. Employees that don’t feel appreciated are more likely to lose faith in their company’s core values and are twice as likely to experience a decline in their mental health. This, when experienced for prolonged periods, can result in disengagement and employee burnout – increasing the likelihood of resignation.
However, with careful strategic planning and partnership, it’s possible to deliver a good reward and recognition programme. This can help boost staff retention, improve employee engagement and generate higher levels of productivity.
How to decide what to celebrate
A successful recognition programme will recognise that it’s important to celebrate big and small wins, from project completions to work anniversaries – or simply going above and beyond to make a colleague’s life easier.
The key is to make sure there are plenty of opportunities for all team members to be recognised for their achievements, even if they’re not working on critical projects. A celebration-worthy contribution might look like any of the following:
- A first win for a new employee
- An action that aligns with company values
- An exceptional piece of work
- A period of consistently good work
Every company does employee recognition differently – and the type of celebration will depend on the achievement and the team or individual involved. However you choose to celebrate, it’s important that the right communication technique is used.
Here are three creative approaches to showing your appreciation:
1. Create a culture of recognition
Recognition doesn’t always need to come from management. Many companies benefit from building a culture of regular and timely feedback that encourages peer-to-peer recognition, with shout-outs in meetings or via an internal communications channel like Slack.
These microcelebrations help boost team morale and can shine a spotlight on an organisation’s unsung heroes.
2. Use an achievement as a springboard for career growth
More than half of employees in the survey – 53.4% - said they preferred to receive work recognition in-person. And 45.8% listed further opportunities for career growth.
There’s a time and a place for celebratory drinks and gift vouchers, but the research shows that more often, employees are looking for their accomplishments to count towards something bigger.
Consider inviting an employee for an in-depth discussion about their achievement, or rewarding them with a training course, certification or potential promotion.
3. Give the gift of shared celebration
As the Havard Business Review says: “Celebration is an important opportunity to cement the lessons learned on the path to achievement.” And yet it’s all-too-easy to rush past accomplishments as we move onto the next looming deadline. Recognising this, and encouraging employees to spend quality time celebrating their successes, will ensure that the reward goes deeper.
Employers could book a dinner or activity with their team or offer vouchers for a weekend away. Being able to share their success, either with colleagues or loved ones, is a great way to honour the achievement and contribute to employee wellbeing.
Clearly communicating your intentions to celebrate employee success will empower others to do the same within your team. And be consistent: the only thing worse than no recognition is an initiative that fizzles out after one week.
In partnership with Personal Group
Personal Group provides the latest employee benefits and wellbeing products.
