Positive reinforcement may seem like a thing of the past in our cutthroat, always-on society, but as David Arnott mentioned in his recent article on giving praise in the workplace, employees crave this kind of recognition. According to the Harvard Business Review article that Mr. Arnott pulls from, their research suggests that colleagues place a great deal of emphasis on receiving positive feedback — and that it colors their relationship with one another even more so than negative feedback.
Employees want to know they’re doing good work and exceeding expectations in the workplace. So, if employees thrive off positive recognition, why do managers still struggle with giving praise?
I agree in part with Mr. Arnott’s point that the “relative lack of praise in American management draws from managers failing to make the connection between positive feedback and employee engagement.” However, I will take it a step further and say that there is a widespread misunderstanding of how to offer praise in a genuine and authentic way.
Picking up where his article left off, I wanted to offer a few tips on how managers can create an environment of positive reinforcement up and down the chain.
Make it SMT — Specific, meaningful and timely
The saying “there’s no time like the present” definitely applies when giving positive recognition. By giving praise in the moment, you’re not only acknowledging the action, but there’s also a higher likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. When giving recognition, be specific as to why it matters. The more details you can provide, the more you are able to share what works with your employees and they are able to focus on the same goal.
Create a culture of recognition
As leaders within our organizations, we are the ones that can take positive reinforcement to the next level by creating a culture of recognition. A great way to implement meaningful praise is to use an employee recognition tool within your company. I understand as a business owner that purchasing another tool may seem daunting, but these tools have been shown to enable better two-way communication, put employees front and center and have a big payoff when it comes to return on investment.
See from a new perspective
This may seem small, but put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Think about how even a small amount of praise from your boss makes you feel. It’s part of the human condition. We all want to feel wanted and accepted and when you hear you’ve done something good or you’ve exceeded expectations, that can be very powerful. And remember that even though you may think something is not overly significant, that can go a long way for someone on your team or within your organization who has worked hard to deliver for you.
Listen to learn
If you’re new to a company or you want to know what other managers find worthy of praise, stop and listen. From company standups to email shoutouts, your peers have a great way of showing what they, and the company, find valuable. You may not know everything about what’s meaningful to those in your company, but by listening, you can find new ways to offer praise within your organization so you are reinforcing the right behaviors that will drive team success.
There are many ways to offer more meaningful praise within the workplace and no matter what you choose, choose to start. Praise and positive reinforcement have a huge impact on your company, employee longevity and overall engagement at work. Any way we as business leaders and managers can increase these metrics is a great step in the right direction.
Autumn Manning is co-founder and CEO of YouEarnedIt Inc., maker of an employee experience platform. Manning has a background in behavioral psychology, human capital management and building corporate culture; you can follow her on LinkedIn or Twitter.
