Employee recognition is a critical element in performance management and fostering positive and productive work environments. Recognition can be given in many ways, whether a verbal “thank you”, or a hand written note of appreciation, to giving gifts and awards.The simplest and most popular method of giving recognition is to do it informally. Informal recognition can be used every day to acknowledge contributions of individuals, teams and work groups. As with all recognition, it should be tied to a specific behavior or activity that you want to reinforce.

You must first be clear on what your department’s mission, values and goals are. With this information you’ll be able to recognize employee behaviors that are in alignment with your department values and are propelling your team forward. Here are a few examples of behaviors that are often recognized:

• Taking the initiative to lead a special project
• Going out of your way to boost the morale and sense of team in the department
• Offering to help lighten the load of a coworker or covering for someone when they’re out of the office
• Staying late to meet an important deadline