Improve Workplace Culture with Verbal Recognition

For employees to thrive, your workplace culture must be positive. To build such a culture, employees need to feel appreciated. Giving recognition when it is deserved is an important part of developing a great workplace culture. Recognition does not have to be complicated. It can be as simple as a verbal or written communication that shows employees that they are an appreciated part of your organization.

It's easy for employees to feel unappreciated if they spend week after week toiling away with no words of encouragement from colleagues. As a manager, business owner or even co-worker, you can help pick up an employee's spirits by verbally recognizing his efforts. By providing encouragement with a thoughtful and well-timed compliment, you can boost employee morale and help to build a positive workplace culture.

Giving praise is something that should take place in a timely manner and as often as possible. Recognition loses its impact if you wait too long to give it. Recognize employees when their accomplishments are still fresh on the mind.

Giving verbal recognition can be challenging. There are many employees who may not want the public praise. Most employees enjoy being singled out for their accomplishments in front of others, as long as you don't go way over the top and potentially embarrass the employee and alienate his colleagues. As a manager, you should take time to get to know your employees enough to know how they would like to be recognized. If you are unsure, simply ask them. If the employee has done something truly exemplary, recognize him it at a large gathering. If your praise is of the everyday variety, approach him when he is gathered with colleagues and make your statement loud enough so everyone in the proximity can hear it. If the employee does not want to be recognized publically, simply give them praise in private or provide some type of written recognition to just them.

Recognition should be specific. Not only does the recognition make your employees feel good, it also increases the likelihood that they will repeat the same positive behaviors. If your employee has done something that you would like them to repeat, be specific about what they did well. A simple, “Nice work today,” might be enough for the moment, but giving a specific reason is more likely to leave a lasting impression. Telling an employee they did a really good job of resolving a specific issue or thanking them for their help on a certain project can lift their spirits and motivate them to become more involved in future projects. When giving any type of recognition, remember to keep it positive. This is especially important when giving verbal recognition. Avoid giving praise then discussing weaknesses at the same time. Never let verbal recognition trail into criticism. Making statements such as “Hey, amazing job on the project, but next time...” are only going to make your employees focus on the criticism and not the compliment. Mention only the positives when verbally recognizing the employee. Save any critiques you might have for another time.

Using daily, verbal recognition is a great way to boost workplace morale. It can improve the workplace culture and inspire employees. We want to help you create and engaging workplace.

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