Never dilute standards for recognition at workplace

Never dilute standards for recognition at workplace

By Prabir Jha

01.12.2021

At Diwali, we all received numerous messages. Many were the usual forwarded types, some were mass messages on egroups, some clear visual re-pastes, and still fewer were typed or customised for you, mentioning your name.

How did your response vary? Did some mean more to you than the others. Not that getting a cut-paste greeting had an indifferent intent, but it just did not connect. Worse, we were both recipients and transmitters, and responders. And we did also respond differently.

This is the issue with much of the recognition efforts in organisations. They either become de rigueur, a ritual that just stayed a checkbox. The Diwali moments got me to cull some learnings from experience for most firms and their leaders…

Clarity over intent: Corporations often get their intent muddled. What do you want to recognise? Outcome? Behaviour? Then, who do you want to recognise? Individuals or cross-functional teams? When do you want to recognise? Now or later? Who should recognise? Someone really big or someone closer to the awardee? The simple answer would be a medley. But think well on these questions. All of these will make or break your recognition culture.

Think of effect, not ease: Very often, firms adopt cookie-cutter thinking while designing their recognition programmes. What is easy to do? What can be scaled up? What can get system-generated? And they kill the spirit of recognition. If you do recognise, do it well. How will this be experienced by the recipient? Work backwards from there.

Harmonise but differentiate: Much of recognition can be a timely thank you, but an authentic one. Different levels of impact or behaviour must be expected across the hierarchy. Don’t dilute your recognition standards. Differentiate. You may have a broad framework that enables recognition at various levels of business. This helps interconnect but always differentiate, otherwise it will become another misplaced example of tokenism.

Heart over mind: While one makes a thoughtful judgment on what to recognise, the recognition philosophy is essentially a heart exercise. It must make the person feel appreciated, recognised and wanted. It must trigger a sense of pride and inspiration, after seeing the recognition to that person. It must make lunch table conversations positive, not toxic. So, think well about your recognition . Don’t distribute recognition like alms. You thought you bought peace? You just trivialised your recognition. Recognition does not breed complacency.

Period: I have had this conversation with many CEOs. Many are hesitant in appreciating, as they believe recipients will become lazy. And those upset will drag their feet. To me, both are untenable arguments. As I told one CEO once, “If you are waiting for them to reach Mount Everest before you appreciate, they won’t go beyond the first base camp.” Every recognition does not have to be an Oscar. But every positive word allows you to raise the bar.

The writer is the founder & CEO of Prabir Jha People Advisory