How to Encourage Everyone to Do Their Best Work

By Marcia Zidle on May 17, 2011

Managers often forget that praising employees, telling someone they are doing good work, brings a smile, good cheer and greater commitment to their job.

Employee recognition for good performance is one of the simplest and easiest ways to encourage people to do their best work. Don’t underestimate the need people have for recognition. It provides these three major benefits:

  • It lets people know that their performance is valued, and increases the likelihood that they will continue to perform well.
  • It builds confidence so that people are willing to try new things, and develop further in their jobs.
  • It costs nothing and the payoff can be enormous -highly motivated employees who go the extra mile for the customer.

Here are three quick and easy ways to praise.

1. Direct Recognition:
Give a subordinate a direct compliment for good performance. Example: “John, you did a great job of dealing with Mary this morning. She was being difficult, but you stayed very calm.”
2. Third-Party Recognition:
Encourage someone else to offer recognition for good performance. Example: “Sheila, it was Tony who made sure we completed our agenda yesterday. Why don’t you tell him how well he did?”
3. Formal Recognition:
Respond to good performance by doing something official. Example: Memos to other (colleagues, your manager, upper management, personnel file) or mention at a staff meeting or management meeting.

Management Success Tip

Giving direct praise is probably the most commonly used form of employee recognition. However, third-party, and formal recognition are also effective to encourage people to do their best work. Remember, most people feel they get too little recognition for what they do; very few feel over-recognized.

How have you recognized others? How have you been recognized?  What do you think is the best way to encourage people to do their best work?

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?