Here are some creative and low-cost ways to recognize your high-performers and encourage a positive and supportive organizational culture.

1) Just say thank you

How important is it to regularly and consistently recognize and encourage your employees?

The statistics tell us it’s extremely important and we all know the numbers don’t have an agenda here. The good news is that employee engagement seems to be on the rise in the US, as companies begin to take more seriously the need to regularly appreciate and reward their employees.  If we look at sources like Forbes.com, Gallup polls, and articles, and the Harvard Business review-- the numbers all say the same things: employee recognition affects your bottom line and companies who don’t put a high priority on employee recognition are going to miss out on the benefits to job performance, job satisfaction, and recruitment/retention.

If you are looking for the One Best Way to recognize your employees, may I gently suggest that you are missing the point? There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach that meets the needs of every organization. Nor should there be! Individualization and a custom approach is vitally important, and a personal touch proves the sincerity of the initiator. I’m not just talking about the name on the plaque or the color of the car, either. You want quality, you want meaningful and significant. Right? But how to provide that personal touch?  Let’s take a few moments and examine the basics of great recognition. Spoiler alert: there’s more than one!

There’s a natural ebb and flow to human motivation-- no matter how contented your employees are, and no matter how fulfilling they generally find their work to be, there will be lackluster days when key people feel a little down and the general mood of the office suffers. Knowing this ahead of time is half the battle won, though! A forward-thinking approach to compensating for the inevitable motivational lulls can keep your team from completely succumbing to the doldrums.

The dust of the Christmas season has barely settled, but it’s already time to start thinking about gift-giving again! Administrative Professionals Day (once known as Secretary Day) is moving in fast. This year’s date is Wednesday, April 22nd-- right around the corner! Are you ready for it? Do you have a list of gift ideas, or plans for otherwise recognizing the people that keep the gears moving smoothly in your organization? Let’s assume that you don’t need to be convinced that your secretaries, assistants, clerks, aides, and all-around office miracle workers deserve to be recognized and feted royally, and just jump right in with some ideas!