Recognition and Reward

Involves appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation of workers’ efforts in a fair and timely manner.

What is recognition and reward?

Recognition and reward can be found in a work environment where there is appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation of workers’ efforts in a fair and timely manner. This includes appropriate and regular acknowledgements such as worker or team celebrations, recognition of good performance and/or years served and milestones reached.

An organization with a good recognition and reward program would be able to state that:

• Immediate supervisors demonstrate appreciation of workers’ contributions.

• Workers are paid fairly for the work they do.

• The organization appreciates efforts made by workers.

• The organization celebrates shared accomplishments.

• The organization values workers’ commitment and passion for their work.

This video was developed by The Mental Health Commission of Canada, in partnership with Ottawa Public Health with content adapted from The Mindful Employer. 

Why is recognition and reward important?

Recognizing and rewarding workers can assist with motivation, their desire to excel, build their self-esteem, encourage them to exceed expectations and can enhance team success. This, in turn, provides employees with more energy and enthusiasm and a greater sense of pride and engagement in their work. In addition, workers who receive recognition are more likely to treat coworkers and customers with courtesy, respect and understanding.

When workers believe that their efforts are not appreciated, it can damage their confidence in their work and trust in the organization. They may feel discouraged and could leave the organization. An imbalance between effort and reward is a significant contributor to burnout and emotional distress, which can lead to a range of psychological and physical disorders.

FAQs

• Where can we start if we want to improve recognition and reward?

  • Demonstrate appreciation for employees who “go the extra mile” at work.

  • When workers achieve personal and professional goals, recognize, and celebrate with them.

  • Recognize effort as well as outcomes.

  • Ensure recognition and reward opportunities and activities are applied equally across the organization.

• How do we train our team and leaders to provide recognition and reward?

  • Train leaders on the importance of providing regular and appropriate recognition to team members.

  • Train leaders in providing respectful, constructive, and effective feedback.

  • Acknowledge workers for their willingness to participate in ongoing training and development.

• How can our team improve communication around recognition and reward?

  • Openly acknowledge individual or team successes and accomplishments (e.g. at employee meetings, on posters or plaques, in e-newsletters).

  • Create a transparent system for informing senior management about positive feedback employees receives, for example from customers and clients.

  • Create regular recognition events (e.g. employee meetings, breakfasts, worker-of-the-month programs).

• How can we embed recognition and reward into policies and procedures?

  Develop policy guidance to ensure equitable application of recognition and rewards for the following activities across the organization:

  • When particular tasks and milestones are achieved, provide individual and group-level recognition and incentives.

  • Regularly review salaries and provide adjustments when appropriate.

  • Provide performance-based incentives and bonuses, which may include non-monetary awards (e.g. time off, better shifts, preferred task selection).

  • Provide recognition in a timely manner.

Next Steps

Committing to implementing adequate recognition and reward in the workplace

• Objective

  A work environment where there is appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation of employees’ efforts in a fair and timely manner.

• Benefits

  • Enhanced employee satisfaction, motivation and loyalty.

  • Improved teamwork and positive employee morale.

  • Increased retention and enhanced recruitment of skilled employees.

  • Enhanced employee/labour relations.

• Reflection questions

  • Are opportunities for recognition and reward equally/equitably provided to particular groups of employees?

  • What are the strengths in your workplace in terms of recognition and reward (e.g. what do you do well and what should you continue doing)?

  • What could your workplace do to improve in this area (e.g. what could you do more of and what could you do less of)?

Downloads

View example action plan

Complete the action plan worksheet

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