Recognition Vs. Appreciation – A Workplace Perspective

Employee of the month!

Star performer for the year!

Super Achiever Award!

The High Flyer!

The Mountain Mover!

Awards and public recognitions are said to drive employee engagement and boost camaraderie within teams, all leading to increased productivity and a stronger sense of unity within the organization. Surveys have shown that employee recognition is important to their happiness at work. It is needed for them to rise to their full potential. It raises the bar for others to achieve.

I have wondered what the award winner feels after the euphoria of the win fades. I have also wondered what the rest of the team feels when they have contributed as much, if differently to the team and organizational growth.

An incident from my days as a young parent comes to mind. My daughter, then in Grade 4, came back home from school one day, looking glum and disturbed. After much questioning, she shared “I don’t like being first in class. The other children in my class then feel sad.”

Back then, the message in what she was sharing and saying did not quite penetrate my mind or my heart. As any parent, I just rejoiced in the fact that my daughter had stood first in class. It was a matter of pride and a situation to celebrate.

Recently, though, as I was reading an article on the role employee recognition plays in boosting employee morale and motivating them to consistently perform at their best. It brought back observations from my own experiences in the corporate world. As a recognized individual as well as a leader who went through the pain of nominating one team member for an award when the efforts of the entire team had resulted in project glory.

Matrices and nomination guidelines made the decision possible, but not easy, nor a happy one. But that was a corporate responsibility and had to be fulfilled.

As a leadership coach, I have partnered with super-achievers and awarded clients. Some have shared that while they have a sense of accomplishment when recognized, they also feel the pressure of continuously living up to the expectations set, often leading to burnout in the long run. Some have spoken about their inability to fit in comfortably with the team because subtly, a Best Vs. the Rest environment prevails at the workplace.

In non-work situations too, friends at the receiving end have shared how the “I” of the super achievers often prevents them from building healthy, emotionally stable partnerships and friendships.

“It can be lonely to be an award winner!” – Client Speak

“Recognition in the workplace (does not) always equate to appreciation! Recognition typically involves acknowledging achievements and performance outcomes, while appreciation goes beyond this, recognizing an individual’s intrinsic worth and contributions to the organizational culture. Understanding this difference is crucial as it significantly impacts employee engagement, morale, and overall organizational culture.” – from an article in people matters

This resonated deeply and here were the words I was struggling to put together!

Recognizing that every employee, in their differences and uniqueness, contributes to the organization’s growth and culture, when leaders’ express gratitude for their inherent worth and contributions, then we have engaged and intrinsically motivated employees.

Appreciation is a personal gesture that highlights the value of each employee to the organization. Being valued uplifts the emotional well-being of employees and this increases their job satisfaction and brings in higher levels of engagement and a deep sense of loyalty towards the organization.  

Such an empathic and supportive organizational culture is created when leaders are curious, observing, and listening to their team members. When their priority is on building trust and making workspaces safe for open communication and sharing. When they have hard conversations with empathy and receive feedback with humility. It takes intent and effort to build such a growth-oriented culture.

In the ever-shifting corporate landscape, this move from rooting for the individual to growing the collective toward organizational success is encouraging!

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