Motivation is essential to the performance, development and success of any employee, and while there are several methods of motivating employees, one that reaps huge benefits is recognition. Motivating an employee through recognition is a skill that any Supervisor can use as long as the Supervisor understands the correct method of using recognition. As a manager, each employee I help to achieve success also contributes to my own success. Therefore, it is essential that I understand how and when to use recognition to ensure that it is beneficial and meaningful. The research that I have done for this paper has taught me how to apply these skills daily in my own career.
There were many sources that I read during the research for this paper. Some were eJournals and eBooks in BCIT’s Electronic Resource Library, while others were internet resources containing personal assertions of people who have used motivation daily in their own careers, and summaries of corporate research. Either way the topics that I focused on were why recognition motivates, how to give recognition, and how to recognize different people.
There are many different reasons why recognition is such a large motivator, but in any organization the end result is that constant motivation is what causes superior performance. Marcia Zidle, a ‘people smarts’ coach concentrates on three major benefits of motivating employees through recognition;
~It lets people know that their performance was valued, and increases the likelihood that they will continue to perform well.
~It builds confidence so that people are willing to try new things, and develop further in their jobs.
~It leads to greater job satisfaction, which in turn builds commitment to the manager and the employer. (http://ezinearticles.com/recognition)
However, the key for a Supervisor is to realize that by recognizing your employees you are giving them a reason to be interested in their job and enthusiastic. Therefore, one of the most important tasks of a Supervisor is to motivate employees daily, and although learning to motivate different people can take time, it will be time well spent because it will develop an employee who will want to excel in their job.
It is necessary as a Supervisor that you understand how to give recognition so it can be viewed as motivation. There is a specific phrase that Motivational Keynote Speaker, Alan Zimmerman, focuses on when using recognition as a motivator, “Never let good work go unnoticed. When you see it, say it” (http://www.drzimmerman.com). If the Supervisor doesn’t mention it the moment they notice the employees efforts there are consequences, such as forgetting what happened, or understandably the employee feeling like it wasn’t noticed or appreciated (Zimmerman, http://www.drzimmerman.com). It is too easy as a Supervisor to wait for the employee to do something wrong before saying something instead of recognizing all the tasks the employee may do right. However, it is important that the Supervisor knows how to qualify performance and recognition. If every employee is recognized for every task they do it becomes meaningless and can no longer be used as a motivator. Terry McKenna describes the 4-Step Approach to ensure that recognition is used correctly. Recognition must be;
Deserved: if the results or efforts are not worthy of recognition, then don’t, as it will only create cynicism among all employees.”
Specific: To be meaningful, it must be specific. The result: more of it.
Individualized: You must understand your employee’s hot buttons. We’re all different and like to be treated as such.
Continuous: Recognize and reward those behaviors of which you want to see more. Managers should make it as part of their daily routine to catch employees in the act of doing something right, then recognizing them for it (McKenna, 16).
People respond to personalized recognition because it means that their Supervisor took the time to thank them personally and recognize them for doing a task. It isn’t general but instead it is directed at a specific employee, and to the employee that is one of the greatest motivators they can ever receive. There are several different ways to recognize an employee for doing a good job. A simple thank you when you see it or even a written appreciation note takes little time, but it can mean a lot to an employee because it means their Supervisor took the time out of a busy day to thank them and appreciate the work that they are doing. The payoff that this appreciation will bring to the employee and their performance will be well worth the effort it took for the Supervisor to express their gratitude.
Although recognition is a huge motivator for employees it is also important to remember that not all employees are the same, and that some people like to be recognized in different ways. While one person might enjoy a big public thank you, another employee might not. It is important that a Supervisor understands this concept. Bob Nelson focuses on the simple fact that to understand what motivates different people all you need to do is ask them. “Start with employees’ preferences for recognition. Ask them to jot down ways they like to be thanked” (www.nelson-motivation.com’s a simple method, but it will give the Supervisor a solid understanding of how different employees respond to different recognition tactics. Recognition that is not meaningful to an employee will not be successful in motivating them, thus it is critical the Supervisor knows his or her employees. It is too easy to assume that what motivates you will motivate other people, which is why it is essential to talk to your employees and observe them. When you take the time to observe people you will notice when they are working “at peak performance, radiating powerful energy and showing total engagement” (Harrington, Take a look inside). When an employee exudes this, you will be able to recognize what it is that is causing this and how you can work with them to ensure that they are given these opportunities more often.). It
This research came at the perfect time in my career. It has taught me the correct way to give recognition and when to give recognition. As a manager, I of course want to motivate and recognize my employees for their hard work, but I also never knew of the 4-step approach described above. The 4-step approach to recognition is something that every new manager should know because not only will it provide guidelines as to when to give recognition and how, but prior to using it, the manager can involve the employees by asking them what motivates them. Everyone wants to be involved, and by involving your employees you are taking the first step to motivating them and keeping them enthusiastic about their jobs.
However, before I use the 4-step approach my first step will be to discover what motivates each of my employees. The 4-step approach will be of no use until I can individualize how to recognize each person on my team in ways that will be meaningful and beneficial to them. Therefore, my first step in motivating my employees will be to sit down with each of them and have them write down the top five things that motivate them. This will give me the information that I need to ensure that I am recognizing them in ways that will motivate them so they can excel in their jobs. This will make my employees aware of the importance that I stake in their development and how important they are to the success of the organization. The research that I have done on this paper hasn’t changed how I view my role as Manager, but it has further rooted what I already know, the importance of motivating my employees so they are given the chance to develop and succeed in their own roles. It has made me excited to apply and practice the techniques I have learned at work. As I was reading during my research I would think about how I would apply these techniques in my own role, and the success that it could bring to my own team in their jobs. It is a truly good manager who is excited about the part they play in the development of their employees, and recognition and motivation are essential pieces to the success of this.
Works Cited
1. Harrington, Jill “Take a look inside.” EBSCO HOST Research Databases., Business Source Premier. 2003 November. Vol. 177, Issue 11. < http://0-web24.epnet.com.innopac.lib.bcit.ca/citation.asp>
2. McKenna, Terry. “How to recognize good job performance: Avoiding the pitfalls.” From February 2005 issue of National Petroleum News. Page.16. < www.npnweb.com>
3. Nelson, Bob. “One-on-One Employee Recognition.” From October 2005 issue of Healthcare Registration. < www.nelson-motivation.com>
4. Zidle, Marcia. “Recognition: A Quick, Low-cost Way to Motivate Employees.” From May 2005 issue of Ezine Articles. < www.ezinearticles.com>
5. Zimmerman, Alan. “Compensation Is A Right, But Praise Is A Gift.” Training for Peak Performance, Minneapolis. Ed. Alan Zimmerman. Home page. 2004. www.drzimmerman.com>
