How to create an employee recognition culture when you work remotely?

Introduction

As an HR Manager working with a remote team, are you wondering what to do to make your remote employees feel engaged? Do you notice that your virtual team does not feel fully attached to the company, and employee retention increases, and they don’t engage in both their tasks and the development of the company? You're probably wondering what else you can do to improve this situation. One of the better solutions is to create an employee recognition culture. Of course, we all know that nothing improves the well-being of employees so quickly as simply a cash reward, e.g. salary increases because you know... we all work for money. But you also need to remember that when salaries are at the right level, other things become important to remote employees, such as interesting projects, friendly co-workers, and sometimes just a simple recognition of their hard work. It's not a big deal, but it can be a real game-changer in corporate culture.

What can you do for proper employee appreciation?

Build a positive remote work culture of employee recognition

Sounds simple right? And yet in many companies, it’s not so simple. When employers are asked, most of them say that they recognize their employees. However, when you ask their employees…they say that they can't remember the last time anyone appreciated them for anything. It is common to hear that employees' successes are ignored, and only failures and mistakes are loudly discussed. How can you fix it? Just start appreciating and recognizing people. Start with small steps. Show your employees that as an employer you are open to it and from now on you will appreciate your team. Let employees know that their boss will not only be interested in them when they do something wrong, but also when they do something great. Start by praising great successes, and over time it will be easier for you to notice even the smallest successes that build your company.

Promote employees

This had to be on this list as one of the most important things. After all, it’s obvious that when an employee does a great job and engages in work, then he should be promoted. There is no better motivation for employees than when someone recognizes their hard work and offers them new career opportunities. However, it doesn't have to be a salary increase... unless you want it, and you have the budget for it. Sometimes it is enough to offer the remote employee a higher position, leadership, or a move to another department and a new professional role. In addition to showing the employee that you appreciate him, you will also help him in his development. There is no better combo for an employee than appreciation through promotion, higher pay, and development. Also, remember that you have plenty of opportunities to suggest any of these options and praise the employee. You can do it, for example, during performance reviews, or quarterly evaluations. This is the perfect moment, because you collect and provide comprehensive information about all employees, so it will be easier for you to have details to share.

Show off your employees in public

Of course, you probably brag about your projects and business successes, but also show off the people who were responsible for it. Even if their contribution to the success of a given project was small. Believe me, everyone will be happy and will want to do more. Show off employees on the Slack/Teams channel, and write a post about them on social media. Tell more about them, and show what they are interested in. This will not only be nice for employees but will show your employer branding from the best side. Future candidates will see that you are a company open to the recognition and development of employees, and this will result in more people wanting to work for you. However, remember to focus the most on employees, because a satisfied employee is the best showcase of your company.

Celebrate successes within the company

In addition to bragging about employees and successes in public, it’s also worth remembering to celebrate successes with employees inside the company. After all, everything that also happens in the area of employees' tasks ultimately affects the development of the company, so you should be happy about it all the more. Organize some virtual coffee or another online meeting as a social interaction where you will be able to loudly boast about the success of your employee or even celebrate a work anniversary. If you have the opportunity to meet f2f once in a while (for example, on the occasion of a team building activity), then also use it as an opportunity to summarize your successes, praise your employees, and maybe as an occasion to organize an employee appreciation day. 

Peer-to-peer recognition

Let the culture of recognition work not only on your side but also so that the employee can recognize you as an employer and also as a teammate. What for? For example, for good cooperation or doing a task quickly. Sometimes employees will appreciate more recognition from someone who works with them on a project than from the CEO of an international company with whom they never had the opportunity to talk. Openly allow everyone to recognize everyone, even just by sending NFT Reality kudos on a Slack channel or other employee engagement app, as an employee reward. Believe me, the little things like a peer-to-peer employee appreciation make the difference.

Recognize everyone equally

As you probably know, recognition is important for every employee, but managers and leaders often need to be remembered. After all, they are responsible for ensuring that employee morale and employees are satisfied with their work. However, no one is interested in whether they themselves feel good in this job. Many people may think it doesn't matter because they have that responsibility, and it's their job, but if no one appreciates the manager's work then why should they recognize the work of their employees? A manager is also a human being and like every human being he needs support and appreciation. Let the best example of employee recognition come from the top of the company structure, and let everyone know that this is standard in your company.

Maybe something else?

Simple things are the best. If you have already implemented all of the above, you can also consider implementing other rewards that will easily appreciate your employees' work. If not the previously mentioned NFT Reality kudos on Slack, maybe some gift cards, small work life balance trips for an employee with his family, or just an extra day off? Do not be afraid of the simplest and most popular solutions. Even if everyone on the market is bored with this type of gift, believe me - I don't know anyone who wouldn't be happy to receive any gift as a thank you for their hard work.

Conclusion

A recognized employee is a satisfied employee. If you take care of the basic things, such as good pay, a normal environment, and working conditions, you can go ahead and build a culture of employee recognition and an employee recognition program in your company. Try to implement everything in this article one by one, in small steps. Sometimes, just saying a simple "thank you" to your remote team members can make a big difference. Appreciate your remote employees. After all, these are the best people who build your company together with you. Create a good workplace full of gratitude and good company culture, and employees will repay you with loyalty and working together for many years.