Employee Recognition In the Workplace Influences Performance
Employee recognition is important to your organization. Employees who are recognized for their work effort are more likely to be productive and stable contributors. Recognizing employees’ contributions is integral to sustaining high team morale.
Almost 80 years ago Maslow proposed that human beings have a “hierarchy of needs” that influence their behavior. One of these needs is for esteem and the respect from others that is shown through recognition. This recognition can be exhibited in the workplace by: giving awards plaques, for achievements and by publicly presenting them. Awards and Plaques are an invaluable element in influencing behavior.
What does Maslow say about employee recognition?
In Maslow’s pyramid he defines five large groups of needs: psychological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization. The last two are likely the reason you are interested in awards and plaques.
People have basic needs, such as food, safety, health, sleep and feeling love around them. However, since we are social beings, it is not enough to receive love only from loved ones. The need to be recognized by society will always be present. Being recognized is something that everyone wishes for.
According to Maslow, as we mature we may realize that many dreams of glory and wealth are unreal projections of success, which can be found in the need for love, depending on personal aspirations.
What is success?
Success is a subjective concept. A person can feel successful knowing that s/he is meeting the needs of their family. There are people who discover success by finding the job of their dreams or by starting that business they had envisioned since childhood. And success can be defined as giving your best at your work and striving for better.
You, as a business leader or entrepreneur, have the success of your employees in your hands. But how do they know that you value their effort?
It’s not always enough for you to just be there and provide a clap on the back. Think about how you would like to be recognized. Recognize contributions publicly or privately based on the employees’ needs. Just acknowledge their efforts and provide motivation!
Benefits of being recognized
Work is something most do to meet basic needs. But, as indicated in Maslow’s pyramid, these needs are the base, and the higher one looks, the more aspirational are the needs that cry to be fulfilled. Oftentimes these are referred to as one’s self-fulfillment needs.
Some of the reasons why it is good to give your employees the recognition they deserve are:
Happiness
As we said at the beginning: happy employees are more productive. When you recognize your employees, you give them a sense of mastery and of being experts in their area. This helps them to have a greater motivation to excel.
It also helps your business because, as brand ambassadors, they are able to spread that happiness to your customers and suppliers – all of whom also want to be associated with successful enterprises.
Positive reinforcement
By recognizing your outstanding employees, you are sending positive reinforcement to other employees. That is to say: if you recognize a few, all will strive to become part of that select group.
The culture of self-improvement
This is the most important benefit of giving and presenting employee awards. Recognition gives positive reinforcement which influences behaviour and provides the motivation to aspire to personal improvement.
Offer your employees the necessary motivation to participate in the learning and improvement opportunities that you offer them.
Find the right recognition awards for your team at Trophy & Plaque Shack. Visit our catalog and find the ideal trophy or personalized gift for your team-improvement activities. We have a wide variety of shapes and materials which are custom engraved and hand assembled to your precise requirements.
You can even design your own trophy! Or we can offer recommendations. Contact us for more information.
