The three key ingredients to successful recognition include:

Frequent recognition: Recognition must be consistent. Every employee should receive recognition from their managers at least monthly. Organizations should also encourage individual contributors to frequently recognize each other, as peer recognition can accelerate manager recognition's impact.
Personalization and the "why": To be effective, recognition can't be generic. A quick and simple "great job" isn't enough to shape behavior. Recognition that clearly explains why an employee was successful, such as how they supported a teammate or advanced a specific project, reinforces learning and builds an employee's connection to that work. The importance of the "why" is science-backed: 92% of employees say that when they're recognized for a specific action, they're more likely to take it again in the future.
Alignment to values: When tied to company values, recognition builds cultural consistency, which contributes to building resilience and adaptability. Further, employees who feel appreciated are 12 times more likely to find work meaningful and 56 times more likely to feel connected to company values.

When these ingredients come together, recognition is not just a moment in time, but rather a larger cultural initiative that fosters adaptable, high-performing teams across an entire organization.

Treating adaptability like a culture, not a standalone skill

Building AQ through recognition is not just a business initiative; every employee must work to build a culture of appreciation and adaptability from the top down.

Instant Insights /

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