7 Ways Successful and Strong Leaders Rally and Recognize Employees

From promoting from within to acknowledging individual and team efforts through leaderboards, here are 7 ways leaders and executives recognize employees, the accomplishments of their stellar performers and star players.

1. Rally the Troops

Harvard Business Review states that business leaders are under constant scrutiny. To energize talent, successful leaders and executives need to rally their employees.

To Rally Staff:

• Ask for help, explain your expectations, and get everyone onboard.
• Let staff see you work through problems. It shows transparency, allowing them to step up and offer solutions.
• Consult key staff members to help with problem-solving. It builds their confidence.

2. Recognize Your Top Leaders, and Motivate Staff

Andrew Cravenho with Fast Company states that leaders are change agents. When you recognize employee accomplishments, focus on their future potential, not just their current performance. By building leaders within your organization and recognizing staff accomplishments, you can push your workforce to accomplish their goals.

To Motivate Staff:

• Outline your expectations and praise staff when they meet those goals.
• Cross-train employees and give them feedback.
• Troubleshoot problems that employees encounter, explain what they should do differently, and offer support.
• Recognize the accomplishments of future leaders by promoting from within your organization.

3. Encourage Your Employees

Balance Careers suggests leaders use encouraging words to inspire staff and show support. This can increase workflows, boost morale and build strong leaders from within the organization.

To Encourage Staff:

• When delegating assignments, check in, listen to staff, and offer support.
• Let people know they’re doing a good job. Treat them to coffee or lunch.
• Mention the progress of an employee or team at the next meeting. Thank them and encourage better business results.

4. Have Friendly Individual and Group Competitions

Just Works states that friendly competitions boost morale, increase productivity and help coworkers collaborate better. Encourage individual and group performance to keep staff motivated and proactive.

To Organize Competitions:

• Set up sales contests, channel incentive programs and sales incentive programs. Mention any monetary rewards or list total rewards for star performers and groups.
• Work on fitness activities together, host holiday and sporting events, or organize team potlucks.
• See which groups can raise the most money for charity.
• In meetings, use team-building exercises, skill-driving activities or ice-breakers.

5. Honor Employee Achievements

Cleverism stresses the importance of having a proper employee recognition program, and at a minimum, an employee service award program in place. From global recognition programs to individual employee incentive programs, recognizing employee achievements boosts morale, improves self-worth and increases confidence.

To Honor Employees:

• Ensure varied recognition that’s day-to-day, informal and formal.
• Have quarterly or annual employee recognition awards banquets.
• Give out plaques for your star performers.
• Ask staff for employee incentives ideas.

6. Acknowledge Staff Accomplishments

Balance Careers suggests giving employee service awards to acknowledge employee accomplishments. Public praise encourages proactive behaviors.

To Acknowledge Staff Accomplishments:

• Use leaderboards for staff accomplishments. You can display these boards in common areas like the lunchroom or kitchen.
• Give out service awards at your next banquet or holiday event.
• With small accomplishments, let employees know they performed well when you see them.
• Don’t overlook the achievements of your introvert staff.

7. Promote From Within

Business.com found that promoting from within has several advantages. It can improve workflows, increase cohesion and improve efficiencies.

To Promote From Within:

• Let staff know about openings. Explain the necessary skill sets required.
• Include openings and promotions in internal newsletters.
• When choosing to hire externally, let employees know which particular skill sets may have been required. They may pursue advanced education for future opportunities.

Conclusion

By recognizing individual and group performance, you can boost employee morale across your entire company. Recognize star performers and team accomplishments with employee recognition programs. It lets employees know their hard work is recognized, and it encourages better workflows and future performance.