Employers strive to engage employees so they will thrive and remain committed to achieving company goals. An engaged and successful culture takes constant monitoring, continual support and employer recognition.

When done correctly, recognition offers a useful tool to align employees to company values, attract talent, build a positive culture, improve production, retain top employees and strengthen the bottom line. Inherently, employees want to connect to a company’s purpose, accomplishments, values, and objectives. Most important, they also must be aligned with each other and function as a team. Employees have raised their expectations for purpose-driven workplaces that support their work behaviors and meet their expectations for their desired work experiences. Look at the organizational environment as a whole to ensure employees are comfortable in their work roles.

Consider an employee workplace rewards and recognition program to provide purpose and goals. Looking at the whole picture as well as individual performance, providing positive support can be very powerful.

According to research published by Achievers Workforce Institute: “Recognition is a protective factor against many of the business challenges being navigated in the face of the recession, including layoffs, salary freezes and heavier workloads. Weekly social recognition is just as impactful as weekly monetary recognition on outcomes such as engagement, belonging, productivity.”

What are the differences between rewards and recognition? In developing a program, consider the differences between these two incentives.

A reward is a transactional and usually tangible gift given by employer to an employee to celebrate a specific accomplishment. Rewards are extrinsic motivators and always goal-driven, targeting the human ego with the primary intention to inspire employees to perform at a higher level, driving desired behaviors and outcomes.  Examples of rewards include tickets to a sporting event or dinner at a favorite restaurant for meeting a goal —  a sales goal, for example. If a company makes its yearly goals, it might give everyone a bonus.

Recognition is relational and constitutes personal praise or gratitude for good work, given at any time, by anyone. This is accomplished through many different ways — a shout-out during a meeting, social media post, telephone call, round of applause or even a simple email or note. Recognition is given to appreciate an individual and offers an excellent way to foster joy in the workplace. Since you don’t need to — but want to — provide recognition, it can seem more genuine and heartfelt. The prize in employee recognition is the action itself, appealing to an employee’s emotions and pride in being noticed, wanted and needed. Recognition should come from multiple directions.

All good reward and recognition programs require that victories have a purposeful foundation connecting employees’ work to a larger goal that makes a difference in life. Consider rewards and recognition for such accomplishments as personal victories, large or small; big wins; going above and beyond expectations; admirable work habits; team leadership; and such company milestones as longevity. It’s important to reinforce your confidence in and appreciation of employees by celebrating multiple types of achievement through both rewards and recognition. This must be continual and inspiring, with the caveat employees earn this recognition.

In implementing a formal records and recognition program for your organization, create clear written policies and guidelines to include:

Identification of what to recognize, using objective criteria and providing equal opportunities to all employees.

Communication to all employees with details of the program presented in an understandable manner.

Assurance recognition is provided immediately.

Timeline of rewards if tied to goal achievement.

Collaboration to encourage a more productive and positive culture.

Remote workers.

Creative rewards and recognition.

Separation between recognition and criticism.

While employees who are dissatisfied with their pay or feel their needs aren’t met might not buy into a program, benefits abound nonetheless. Rewards and recognition go further than a mere thank you for a job well done. Leadership should emphasize the value in showing appreciation even if there’s no monetary association and enlist all employees in the process.