In a recent survey, 36% of CXOs and HR leaders had recognition as a top priority for 2021. Here's how organizations can ensure their recognition efforts are front and center and can keep up with what employees need in the fast-changing world of 2021 and beyond.

Embrace social recognition

With more employees working remotely, online communities, chatbots, and social recognition platforms are a great way to make recognition highly visible, easy, and timely. With a platform that can put all your social recognition tools in one place, employees can quickly and easily recognize each other no matter where they are. Employees can send each other e-cards and video messages to thank and encourage one another.

Because many employees will most likely continue working from home even after the majority of employees have returned to the office, a social recognition platform is a great way to keep them in the loop because those tools are always accessible from anywhere. Social platforms are a regular part of most people's day, so mimicking that experience in a professional setting can help bring all employees to recognize each other and share their accomplishments.

Take the time to say "thank you"

It sounds too simple, but a thank you can go a long way with employees. A Deloitte study revealed that 85% of professionals want to hear "thank you" in day-to-day interactions. It's a no-cost, high-reward way of letting your employees know you appreciate their hard work. But it's easy to forget, especially when all or most of your employees are isolated and working from home. If your recognition efforts are lagging or you don't have the budget to implement a new social recognition platform, this is the simplest place to start — and it may be one of the most appreciated by employees.

There are many ways to tell your employees thank you — in person, via email, or during one-on-one meetings are the most obvious choices, but saying thanks more publicly can also make a huge impact on morale. So, don't forget to thank employees for their efforts at company meetings, team meetings, online happy hours, and other public settings.

Measure as you go

Putting in the effort to recognize your employees is one step in the right direction, but it's also important to measure your results to ensure your organization is getting measurable ROI. By tracking and measuring the effectiveness of your recognition strategy, you can determine which areas might benefit from optimization or if something isn't working entirely. You need to make sure what you're doing is having an effect and your company is getting the most from your recognition investment. Analytics will also help to ensure that the behaviors that you want to target are being positively impacted by your programs.

Your workforce may be scattered right now due to the events of 2020, but that's no excuse to put recognition on the sidelines. If your recognition practices have been suffering (or nonexistent), your employees are definitely feeling it — and they may be looking to take their talents elsewhere. Take the time to really put employee recognition front and center. Putting employee recognition into practice can help get your employees back on track after a tough year, make them want to stay with your company for the long haul, and set your organization up for success in the future.

Jeff Gelinas is president of Recognition & Engagement at Engage2Excel Group and leads the business strategy for the Engage2Excel and Rideau brands. He previously held the position of Vice President of People and Product at Engage2Excel (E2E), where he made a significant impact driving the product strategy roadmap and positioning E2E as an industry leader. 

Read more: 

• 8 ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day
• Employees want a company culture that makes them feel connected
• Understanding the complexities of worker recognition