9 Effective Employee Rewards and Recognition Strategies for 2023

Employee recognition is the act of noticing employees’ efforts and recognizing them for what they bring to the table. Recognition can be as simple as a handwritten note or as involved as a promotion or raise. Recognition should be foundational for your business in 2023— Here are some easy ways to either start or improve your recognition efforts.

The key for this year is recognizing that all of your employees are different—not only does this mean that DEI initiatives are important, it also means employees all have different preferences when it comes to being recognized. According to Deloitte, most employees want recognition that is delivered privately, not shared with others. However, others appreciate social shoutouts and more public praise.

Another consideration is cash. Cash isn’t always the best way to recognize. Many employees want things like more growth opportunities, more responsibility, or more trust.

Try to introduce different ways to show recognition to employees. Here are just some of the program ideas you can implement:

Reach your employees in the way that means the most to them with varied recognition.

People spend 40 hours a week doing tasks at work, and they want to know they’re helping the team and the company succeed. In fact, nowadays, employees want constant feedback to know what they’re doing matters.

Constant feedback may sound intimidating, but recognition doesn’t have to be a big resource pit—it only has to be genuine, based on things like attitude or performance, to really mean something to your employees.

The key to remember here is that recognition should be given for both the small stuff and the big stuff. Birthdays, holidays, end-of-quarter accomplishments, etc., should all be recognized—but so should a good idea during brainstorming, a positive attitude, and a willingness to help. Use your varied recognition programs to make gratitude and appreciation more frequent for all.

When you think milestones at work, your first thought is probably employee service awards for work anniversaries. And you’re right, celebrating each year with your employees is a big deal! However, one of the main priorities for many employees is greater work-life balance, so why not contribute to that by recognizing milestones in your employees’ personal lives?

Birthdays are the logical next step; don’t ignore them! Make sure employees get something for their birthdays, whether it’s points on the recognition platform, a favorite snack, or a day of PTO. On top of that, celebrate things like getting married, buying a home, or having a baby. These life events are a big deal to your employees, and if you celebrate with the employees, they’ll appreciate you even more.

Employee levels of stress and burnout are higher than ever before. A great way to combat that trend is through employee wellness programs, including:

These types of programs are great at helping employees improve their all-around wellness, which helps them stay focused and happy at work and in life. When you recognize employees who participate in these wellness programs, you encourage these healthy behaviors, as well.

Developed, effective wellness programs aren’t a simple luxury—they improve retention and engagement, and they make your workplace more attractive to potential talent, too.

Digital tools are phenomenal ways to reach all of your employees, especially if you have remote, hybrid, or dispersed people. And employee recognition platforms make it easier than ever to manage, automate, and budget digitally.

However, don’t forget about physical expressions of gratitude. A genuine in-person compliment, a handwritten note in the mailbox, or even just a snack can be the most meaningful recognition of all. For example, Awardco uses AwardCodes, physical recognition cards that allow leaders to print and hand out personalized messages and reward points.