Mental Health Job Aid for Managers: Psychosocial Factor 7 – Recognition and Reward
Recognition and Reward are present in a workplace where acknowledgement and appreciation of employees' efforts is demonstrated in a fair and timely manner. This includes appropriate compensation, celebrations, recognition of years served, and/or milestones reached.
Recognition and Reward: Where to Start?
Take Action!
Let employees know when they have done a good job, and discuss success stories during team meetings and/or gatherings.
Take time to acknowledge your employees by greeting them by name and with a smile.
Encourage and advocate for training on the importance of providing regular and appropriate recognition to employees, as well as how to provide constructive feedback.
Organizational Awards and Recognition Programs can be used to provide recognition to an employee or group of employees, and continually demonstrate appreciation towards your staff.
Plan team outings or events to celebrate outstanding accomplishments or milestones at work.
Openly acknowledge personal and/or team successes and accomplishments during staff meetings, team outings, on posters or plaques, in newsletters, on the Intranet, and/or during National Public Service Week. Please ask for their consent prior to acknowledging your employee(s) at an event or in front of a group of people.
Inform senior management when employees deserve recognition and maintain a seamless and transparent process for notifying upper management about employee successes by communicating positive feedback that employees receive (i.e. from other team members or customers/clients).
Additional Resources
To assess each psychosocial factor, you may use the Organizational Review Worksheet and Survey Tool provided by Guarding Minds at Work.
Developed in collaboration with the Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace.
