I was recognized as the Badass of the quarter in Marketing. I was thrilled and it also made me reflect on the importance of employee recognition. There is a competing train of thought, that believes on their own, employees will simply be motivated to work hard to keep their job and to get a raise. According to the article Employee Recognition: What It Is, Why it Matters, and how to use it effectively.”
“ There’s some truth to that – employees should take pride in their work and be motivated for reasons other than praise. But spotlighting strong performance is the frosting on the cake. It transforms a satisfied employee into one who actively pushes for greater things”.
Employee recognition motivates, by spotlighting success within the organization. Employees are more motivated to go above and beyond. Yes, more money is great, but being recognized for one’s achievements creates a sense of validation.
My journey so far.
After my tenure at IBM, as a designer, I was yearning for a change. For a chance to feel more empowered in the workplace. I began at Khoros with hopes of doing that. They were in a great place and with a Marketing org that was still small enough for me to make an impact. I was brought on a visual designer and for the opportunity to add some of my design chops to the website refresh. There is always something magical about working on a new brand, especially when it’s new to you. I got to dive headfirst into my interpretation of the brand and how it could evolve digitally. You can see some of my work on the newly designed homepage and with more to come.
What’s next
After less than a year at the semi-annual marketing meeting, I was presented with my award. Was I working hard? Absolutely, but with the recognition, I feel empowered to keep pushing even further. My award will now proudly sit next to the ones I have collected over the years and next to my participation trophies from high school which I still hold in high esteem. So where do you go from here?
It’s business as usual for me with a little extra passion mixed into whatever I am lucky enough to touch. As it pertains to your organization, what steps are you taking to empower your employees? Are you providing recognition when it is due? If you are already doing so, have you seen the benefits to your organization? I am interested to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment below and share this with your peers.
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