Work Environment

culture of recognition

A number of myths exist concerning the importance of rewards and recognition. Organizations that fail to give serious consideration to the importance of rewards and recognition do so at their own peril. Performance excellence is rarely achieved without an effective rewards and recognition program that clearly defines the behaviors the organization values and demonstrates how valuable the behaviors are by the rewards and recognition offered in return.

Research shows that an effective rewards and recognition program can improve productivity and reduce turnover. Consider the following myths and see how your organization measures up.

MYTH - Rewards and recognition is just a frill.

REALITY - A recent study conducted by PFEFFER looked at 1000 companies in the United States and Canada and found that even minor behavioral adjustments in management recognition leads to a decrease in turnover and an increase in performance. Employees who feel valued by their organizations are more likely to value their customers. Consider how your employees would respond to the following question. Do you feel valued by the organization?

MYTH - Money is the only motivator.

REALITY - Since the 1950s, performance and motivation experts have studied the relationship between compensation and performance. They have discovered that while compensation is an important incentive, especially in the hiring process, a key strategy for attracting and retaining high-performers is to create a culture that values employees by recognizing and rewarding their contributions in meaningful ways. Consider how your employees would respond to the following questions. What motivates you the most? How much does money motivate you?

MYTH - Work is its own reward

REALITY - While some professionals derive their work satisfaction from results alone, the vast majority of employees perform better when they receive recognition for a job well done. Without feedback, there are no standards to guide employees as to how they should be doing their jobs. Simply put, employees need tangible feedback in order to know when they are doing a good job. Consider how your employees would respond to the following question. Do you receive tangible feedback about your work?

MYTH - Recognition is easy

REALITY -There are three challenges to an effective rewards and recognition program: time, care and resources. When it comes to building a culture of recognition, policy is not enough. To create a true culture of recognition, management must be committed to the effort, not only by providing the resources, but also by playing an active role in recognizing the efforts of employees. Consider how your employees would respond to the following question. Do you take rewards and recognition within your agency seriously?

A culture of recognition is not just a frill. It is a vital component of a performance-driven organization. State government is no different than any other organization. Creating a culture of recognition will attract high-performing employees to public service and will help to support all state employees in continuing to serve North Carolina's citizens with excellent service.

If you would like to cultivate a culture of recognition in your organization, read on. Our tools, techniques and tips will help you develop and implement a strategically driven recognition program.