Employee Recognition Ideas: Creative Ways to Reward Top Performers

Employee recognition, or giving your employees positive feedback when they do something well or accomplish a task, is an important part of creating a culture where your employees feel valued and that they are making a contribution to your organization. Recognition can come in many forms, from a simple thank-you note to a formal award or raise in pay. Your employees will value different forms of recognition with different weights. For example, praise means something different coming from a peer than coming from a leader.  

Building a robust employee recognition program means understanding what makes your employees feel appreciated and providing ample opportunities to give positive feedback to each member of your staff.

Use this guide to explore some of the reasons why employee recognition is important and some research about what forms of employee recognition are impactful in the workplace. Plus, discover a list of creative employee recognition ideas that you can use for your staff.  

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Why is employee recognition important?

Employee recognition is important because it can help you engage your employees, improve retention, and position your company as an attractive place to work for potential new hires. When employees feel like their employers appreciate them, they contribute to better overall company culture, feel less workplace stress, and enjoy work more. By implementing an employee recognition program, you can find ways to prioritize employee recognition throughout the year and develop the reputation of a company that values its workforce. 

What kind of employee recognition is effective? 

People usually appreciate being recognized for their hard work, but not everyone agrees on the most effective way to give or receive praise and recognition. One way to determine the most effective forms of employee recognition is to ask employees themselves. Joblist regularly surveys job seekers on issues that are important to them. In its Q1 2023 United States Job Market Report, 71 percent of the 29,000 employees say they value what contributes to work-life balance over salary [1]. 

Employee recognition ideas that can contribute to work-life balance could include family day passes, movie tickets, flexible work hours, extra days off, remote work opportunities, fitness classes or gym passes, and experience days such as a cooking class or guided outdoor adventure.

A study by Glassdoor asked participants what forms of recognition at work make them feel the most valued, and some of the top forms of appreciation include [2]: 

• Unexpected treats: 46 percent 

• Involving employees in decision-making: 40 percent

• Career development: 37 percent

• Company-wide recognition: 35 percent

• Interesting work: 34 percent 

Another common factor that employees agree makes recognition effective is when it comes from the organization's leadership. A Gallup workplace survey asked participants who in their company gave them the recognition that was most memorable in their career. The most common answer was the employee’s manager, with 28 percent of participants selecting that option, followed by the CEO at 24 percent [3].

Types of employee recognition

You can think about employee recognition in a few different ways, including whether it is formal or informal, offered by leadership or peers, and offered to individuals or teams.

• Formal or informal: A formal recognition often comes with a tangible benefit or reward, such as a raise, a parking spot, or a gift card. Informal recognition is still impactful, but it can be as simple as telling someone they did a good job. 

• Offered by leadership or peers: Employees place a different value on the recognition given to them by their manager or company CEO and the recognition they get from their peers or the people who are on the same organizational level as they are. Both are important, based on the recipient's perspective. 

• Individual or teams: You can recognize an individual for the work they completed or a team of people. Both are valuable, but recognizing individuals may feel more personal and, therefore, be more impactful since you can recognize a larger group of people with one effort when extending appreciation to teams. 

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Employee recognition ideas

To develop an effective employee recognition program, talk to your employees and get a sense of how they want to be recognized for their hard work. Consider the different types of recognition to build a program that includes both informal and formal recognition and reaches each employee in a way that speaks to them. Here are some employee recognition ideas to help you plan your program: 

• Annual recognition events and awards: An annual recognition event is an occasion your employees can look forward to every year. You could make this an off-site event, invite your employees' families, or simply create a tradition for birthdays or employee appreciation days.  

• Long-term service awards: Give a plaque, trophy, or other type of tangible award to employees who have worked for your company for a set number of years. You could combine these awards with your annual recognition event or present the award in front of the top leadership of the company.

• Spot awards for immediate recognition: A spot award, or an award given “on the spot,” is a way to recognize employees immediately when they accomplish a task or do an excellent job. Depending on the impact you'd like to achieve with your recognition, this could range from a gift card for a nice cup of coffee to a cash prize.

• Social media shoutouts: Try saying thank you to your employees publically on social media as a no-cost way to give them recognition they can share with people outside of the organization. On company social media profiles, your employees will be able to show their friends and family their accolades. If you give your employees a shoutout on social media, you can help them increase their professional profile as well.  

• Surprise treats: A surprise treat is a way to show your employees that you value them and are thinking of them for no particular reason. It’s wonderful to get recognition for a job well done, but a surprise treat can show your team that you care about their needs and value their work all the time. 

• Thank you cards: A simple gesture like a thank you note can be an effective way to recognize an employee. You could choose to write a handwritten note or send a card on branded company stationery. A thank you note is easy and inexpensive, but it provides a tangible reward your employee might hold on to or hang in their workspace. 

• Peer recognition board: You can encourage your employees to recognize each other with a peer recognition board. This could be a virtual space or a physical board where employees can leave positive notes and thanks to their coworkers. Employees often value recognition from their peers, and placing a peer recognition board is a low-cost way to encourage a culture of peer appreciation. 

• Catered meals: A catered meal is a great way to show appreciation to your staff, as long as you take the time to understand their dietary needs and give them a meal they will enjoy. A catered lunch can also provide an opportunity for your staff to eat at the same time and get to know each other a little better.

• Paid time off: Paid time off is a classic way to show your employees you appreciate them. You could offer additional vacation or personal days to your employees as an incentive or let your staff take a half day on Friday as an unexpected bonus. Another way to give employees paid time off is to let them take an extended break or lunchtime.

• VIP parking: Offering a VIP parking spot is another way to recognize your employees for a job well done. You can use a parking spot for a specific reward, such as employee of the quarter, or you can offer a parking spot as the prize in a workplace competition. 

• Company swag: Company swag, or merchandise branded with company logos, can be a thoughtful gift for your employees. A company sweatshirt or coffee mug can help provide a sense of community with your employees while giving them the chance to spread your branding into the community.

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These employee recognition ideas can help you begin an employee recognition program, but you should check in with your employees from time to time to make sure they feel valued at work. When you can personalize your employee recognition program to the tastes and preferences of your staff, you can create a more impactful program. 

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