As the workplace continues to evolve rapidly, to find, attract and keep talent, leaders must also focus on planning for an unknown future

Some organisations believe an employee-of-the-month notice and a year-end pat on the back constitute employee recognition program best practices. The truth is recognition is much more than that. If it doesn't make the connection to great work, even a cash bonus can't compare to the recognition that elevates feelings of accomplishment and belonging.

As the workplace continues to evolve rapidly, to find, attract and keep talent, leaders must also focus on planning for an unknown future.

In an exclusive interaction, Zubin Zack, Managing Director – IMEA Region at O.C. Tanner shared insights on how recognition programs can help build a thriving workplace culture and how O.C. Tanner helps other companies create employee recognition experiences that help drive business success.

1. Employee recognition has long been a cornerstone of effective management. Elucidate upon this statement, please.
"Appreciation is the most underutilised leadership tool," I learned this a long time ago. It is also the most cost-effective. I say appreciation because recognition is the act or process of communication of a reward, appreciation, or award of any kind. In contrast, appreciation is the feeling felt by the receiver.

During recognition, the giver of recognition not only creates a positive experience for the receiver but also for the overall audience. The word "appreciate", just like in the dictionary, means "increase in value", and this is precisely how an employee feels when they are appreciated in the right way with the right message at the right time and with the right intent. The employee feels elevated in their value to do better, belong to the organisation, be a part of the team and come back again to perform better. The other employees observing this also see the values for which the employees are recognised. They notice that the company is "walking the talk", and it's not just about displaying their "corporate values" on a poster.

2. How have you built your culture of recognition for your employees in order to boost their morale to continue doing better?
The culture is built by following a few steps –

1) Creating and building a relevant framework. Give specific rewards for each recognition area, personalised reasons for award nominations and attach a company value to an award to make it relevant.

2) Plan and set aside budgets for communication, education, measurement, and program analytics.

3) Launch, sustain and plan to build and execute step 2 – build frequency of recognition, push reasons to recognise etc.

4) Lead with an example, build recognition champions, and make it a way of being at the company.

3. What in your opinion, should be the ideal way for employee recognition?
While there is no one ideal way, the perfect way would be to make it personal, relevant, timely, and frequent for every employee. The most critical point is that recognition should be "genuine" to make it ideal.

4. How should the strategies be built around employee recognition, so the employees aim to achieve the same?
Employee recognition contributes to a great workplace culture, impacts a company's bottom line and improves business results in some very specific ways. Any employee-growth strategy should be linked to a range of employee recognition benefits, from employee satisfaction all the way to company performance.

Even though employee recognition may evolve, the ways to keep it fresh will always stay the same. Things like flexible systems, employee surveys, and recognition technology are great starting points. When you recognise your people for their great work and effort, you'll build a workplace culture where employees feel appreciated and connected to one another.

O.C. Tanner's Global Culture Report 2022 studies show that when employees feel a strong connection to the team, leaders, and the organisation, they are 30x more likely to do great work and 3x more likely to stay with the organisation.

HR leaders can lead the charge to rebuild culture by strengthening employee connection to purpose, accomplishment, and one another.

5. To 'manage' recognition instead of 'enabling it' goes right back to the problem of top-down relationships. How can you justify the same?
Recognition needs to be enabled. It is best learned by analysing the past frequency of recognition, quality of communication etc. Once this is done, it's important to focus on parameters that need improvement versus industry benchmarks and nudge people to beat the standards and help create a culture of appreciation.

Learn more about how recognition programs can help build a thriving workplace culture in O.C. Tanner’s Global Culture Report 2022.