Hey! I really appreciate the work you did on our latest project. Thanks!

Did you know that despite a simple message like this being able to raise business productivity by almost 31%, nearly 65% of employees do not receive any form of recognition for their good work? Acknowledging your employees and giving praise where praise is due is arguably one of the most important ways to maintain employee happiness in the workplace.

There is a myriad of ways employers can go about introducing employee recognition strategies into their daily routine. However, how does one maintain such strategies throughout this period of self-isolation and working from home? The global pandemic of coronavirus has upset the day-to-day lives of millions across the globe. During these difficult times, it is more important than ever to ensure your employees feel valued and respected. As Harvard Business school behavioral science specialist Dr. Ashley Whillans puts it, “what really matters in the workplace is helping employees feel appreciated”. To help you achieve this goal, we have put forward four methods for you to bolster your employee recognition techniques whilst everyone transitions to remote working.

1. Simply drop them a message.

When an employee sends in the final draft of a project that they had to spend a long time on or that you feel they did a good job in, acknowledge this hard work through a message or an email. One like the example at the start is perfect, but add a personal touch to it by addressing them by name and including a difficulty they might have faced along the way. If you have a smaller company, consider using a platform like Slack to create group-threads and make the acknowledgment public. This is said to create a social experience that makes the recognition more eventful and memorable.

2. Encourage peer-to-peer recognition.

Group-threads or conference calls within project teams can also serve as a platform for colleagues to congratulate one another on a job well done. Creating a supportive workplace reduces undue competition and increases collaboration between colleagues, ultimately benefiting their teamwork and the overall culture of the company. Furthermore, a supervisor may not be able to fully grasp the hidden difficulties of some projects. In these cases, acknowledgment from someone who has gone through the same experience may be more beneficial towards employee satisfaction.

3. Keep special occasions in mind.

It is still possible to host remote celebrations through video-calls and e-gifts! Don’t let working in different locations stop you from remembering to celebrate birthdays and holidays online. Small occasions like this are vital for company morale and for employees to feel valued by their team.

4. Use online feedback tools to keep track of company morale.

Short surveys can be significant in looking after your employees. They can get an anonymous look into how employees are feeling such as their motivation level and mindset. They can also give you a proper picture on which areas of the company to focus on and develop in order to better serve your employees. Pulse surveys, such as this one by Perkbox, can help your employees stay engaged and improve the relationship between employee and employer.

Happyer is the first and one of the only HR-in-a-box solutions in Asia. Find out how we can help you improve your company’s morale and efficiency throughout these unprecedented times and beyond.