What this is

Encouragement and recognition are how you reward and recognise the work of your team.

The wellbeing of your staff is linked to how you recognise and reward their work.

After all, most of us enjoy being recognised for good work. And most of us also like it if there’s a reward to go with it.

Why you need to focus on this

If you give your staff the right recognition and reward for their efforts, you help:

  • build team morale
  • build their self-esteem
  • give them pride in their work
  • increase productivity
  • increase the quality of their work
  • motivate them

What happens if you don’t focus on this

If you don’t recognise and reward the efforts of your staff, they may:

  • feel demoralised
  • start looking for a new job
  • stop doing their work
  • undermine the work of the rest of the team

Tips to use

Think about who is in your team, what your organisation is like and what impact you can have on reward and recognition as a people manager.

Each person you manage is unique and will respond differently to how you recognise and reward their work.

It’s best to match rewards and recognition to what you know would have a positive impact on each team member.

A good first step is to survey your team on what they’d like.

Recognition

Here are some ideas for recognition:

  • celebrate a person or team’s wins in a public forum, such as a meeting
  • encourage people in your team to praise the work of others
  • give positive feedback every time it is earned, no matter how big or small

Reward

Here are some ideas for rewards:

  • document wins in your team members’ professional development plans
  • hold an event to showcase the work of individuals or your team’s work, such as a morning tea
  • hold your own team values awards ceremony