Lack of recognition is one of the major reasons why employees quit. Employee recognition may become even more critical with the rise of teleworking.

According to Statistics Canada, teleworking has changed best practices in the workplace. Ninety-percent of new teleworkers report accomplishing at least as much work per hour at home as they did in the office. Eighty-percent of Canadian employees would prefer to work at least half of their hours from home once the pandemic is over.

Moving forward, employers will need to accommodate the diversity of preferences for telework expressed by their employees. Because workers’ preferences for telework may not fully align with those of the employer, a new form of job mismatch has begun to emerge that might mean your business is at risk of losing top talent.

“It also means that ensuring you have an employee recognition program at your company is more worthwhile than ever,” said Kathryn Doan, Director, Business Development at AgCareers.com.
Why should you have an employee recognition program? It’s important to keep in mind these factors: “recognize and appreciate”, and sometimes “reward.”

“Recognizing employees for their efforts can help with intrinsic motivation and using rewards can be the cherry on top,” said Doan.

Rewards can be given in monetary value, time off or with a small gift.

Some common ways to use recognition programs include:
• Years of service recognition
• Above and beyond performance
• On the spot recognition
• Customer service

The Importance of an Employee Recognition Program

Part of the reward in working a job is seeing the results and success. It is a motivational force and can enhance team efforts. “There are other benefits to employee recognition,” said Doan. “You may see an increase in customer satisfaction which can generate more loyalty towards your organization.”

She continued, “It feels good to be honoured for your hard work. It does not always have to be structured recognition—an authentic thank-you will be memorable for your staff.”
Finally, Doan recommends encouraging peer-to-peer recognition from signing a card or nominating a team member. “This can be challenging with some team members working remotely, but try to think of new ways to encourage this,” Doan concluded.

Aim to create an atmosphere that is inclusive and inspiring to work in—employee recognition can foster this atmosphere.