Would I like public recognition? An award? A quiet thank you? A raise, promotion, or gift?
The truth is, that question really misses the mark. Recognition isn’t about the leader’s preferences — it’s about the employee’s. The “golden rule” of treating others how you want to be treated doesn’t fully apply in this context. Instead, it’s about taking the time to understand how they want to be treated and truly getting to know what makes your team tick.
As tools like DISC show us, recognizing employees shouldn’t be a one size fits all approach. Did your employee do something special or go above and beyond? For you, recognition at an awards banquet might feel exciting and motivating; a moment to bask in the limelight. But for someone else, the thought of standing on a stage in front of their peers might be anxiety-inducing. What if they’d much rather enjoy a one-on-one lunch with you, where they can feel appreciated in a quieter, more personal way? Or, would they love to have a specific day off to be with family and friends?
This raises an important question: do you know how each of your employees wants to be recognized? Do you have systems in place to reward and acknowledge them in ways that truly matter? Employees want to be seen as individuals, not just as numbers. They want to feel valued and important.
One simple, but powerful tool is to simply ask. In our organization, we have employees fill out preference forms: their favorite candy or chocolate, favorite colour, hobbies and weekend activities, even their go-to coffee, tea, or bubble tea order. While some may appreciate receiving a handwritten note or card, others may prefer a public shout-out on a team channel like a Facebook group, Sling, Slack, or WhatsApp.
The bigger question is: what effort are you putting into your employees to increase their retention, loyalty, and longevity with your organization? How are you increasing their job satisfaction? Perhaps most importantly: what are you doing that the small business across the street isn’t? And, this type of recognition doesn’t have to cost a lot of money (if any, in some cases).
Employee retention isn’t just about wages or schedules. It’s about creating a culture where people feel seen, heard, and appreciated — in a way that is meaningful to them. Recognition, when personalized, isn’t just a nice gesture. It’s a business strategy that builds loyalty, strengthens culture, and keeps your best people with you for the long run.
Recognition doesn’t have to cost much — sometimes it’s as simple as remembering a birthday or writing a handwritten note.
But, it’s, also, something that can take time to learn. When starting up our business, I dreamt about offering extended benefit plans and RESP and RRSP programs, when in fact something as simple as recognizing a birthday or employment anniversary spoke volumes and showed we cared. As we grew, we had the time and resources to put other programs in place. Our employees love getting their anniversary pins!
And while you may have amazing leaders in place, they will never replace you. Your team wants (and needs) to hear from you directly. We can’t be in multiple places at one time, but we can send a personalized video over text, utilize Facetime, or send a handwritten note in the mail. When was the last time you received something positive in your mailbox? If you can stop by, do so. Bring coffee or flowers on occasion.
Taking the time to acknowledge small, positive changes and successes can elicit ongoing better results. People want to do well. People generally want to please. What can we as leaders do to bring out the best in our employees? Happy employees make for happy customers.
Who deserves five minutes of your time today?
