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There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to recognition. Understanding your people and offering flexibility is key.

Monetary vs non-monetary rewards (and when to use each)

Monetary rewards can be super impactful when done well. They work well for:

  • Exceptional performance
  • Performance milestones
  • Company-wide awards
  •  Living company values 

Bear in mind that monetary rewards require budget and careful governance. If overused or delivered without meaningful recognition, these can feel transactional rather than rewarding.

Non-monetary rewards deliver similar impact without the financial investment. For example:

  • Public praise in team meetings or via a platform
  • Development opportunities 
  • Additional time off 
  • Personal thank you messages from leadership

Non-monetary reward and recognition reinforce belonging and purpose, and strategies that use a blend of both are set to be sustainable by covering both high-impact moments and everyday appreciation. 

Peer-to-peer recognition ideas that scale

Peer-to-peer recognition is key for building a strong culture of celebration. 46% of employees find colleague recognition very meaningful, which is no surprise when their peers see hard work and behaviours that managers sometimes miss. 

Encourage peer-to-peer recognition with:

  • Digital thank-you messages tied to values
  • Peer nominations for awards
  • A virtual team wall of fame
  • Peer shout-outs during team calls or in company-wide channels

Manager and leadership-led recognition best practices

47% employees find manager recognition very meaningful. It should be: 

  • Timely, given close to the achievement
  • Specific to the behaviour or outcome
  • Linked to company values or team goals
  • Personalised to the individual 

Recognition from leadership reinforces the culture and values of the organisation. For example, leadership shout-outs in companywide updates are a visible way to set the example for recognition.

One risk is potential experience gaps: a quarter of employees say receiving reward and recognition depends on their manager. Create consistency across different teams with manager tools and resources.

 

Recognition for hybrid, remote and frontline workers

It can be challenging to create consistent recognition programmes for hybrid, remote or deskless teams.

Here are ideas for recognising dispersed teams:

  • Mobile-based recognition accessible anywhere
  • Multi-currency or local reward catalogues for different countries
  • Automated milestone celebrations 
  • Recognition champions in different locations
  • Team recognition moments during virtual meetings

Low-cost and no-cost employee recognition ideas

Recognition does not need to be expensive to be effective - after all, two of the most powerful words in the English language are “well done”. Authenticity and frequency are what matters.

Here are some ideas:

  •  A handwritten thank you 
  • Peer-to-peer shout outs
  • A personalised message from a senior leader
  • Flexible hours
  • Development opportunities 
  • Spotlighting employees in meetings or internal newsletter
  • Shouting out achievements outside of work, like volunteering