Mary Kay Ash was tired of getting passed over. She’d spent 25 years in direct selling but had been overlooked again as a man who she’d trained got a promotion that paid twice her salary.
So in 1963, she quit her job and started writing a book — one that became a foundation of Beauty By Mary Kay, where other women could find their own success. Although her company specializes in enhancing outer beauty, Ash knew that the really important stuff was underneath the skin. “There are two things people want more than sex and money: … recognition and praise,” she said.
Clearly, her philosophy has worked: Ash has been recognized among the past quarter-century’s most influential business figures, and more than 2 million people sell Mary Kay Cosmetics worldwide. She understood magic happens when people are recognized. How else could the Mary Kay pink Cadillac have become so identified with success?
It’s magic because the response to heart-felt, genuine recognition can’t be seen most of the time. And yet it may be the most powerful element of psychological sustenance on earth.
Today, top workplaces provide employee recognition well beyond good job performance and years of service. Many organizations acknowledge employees in a variety of ways for life events, effort, community service, customer service, risk taking, new ideas, extended business travel and even failure. How employees are recognized goes well beyond the traditional performance review, pay raise, promotion or gifts.
Once in a while it might make sense to step back and take a look at the elements of your organization’s employee recognition efforts. Here are a couple items you might want to consider adding to the mix while you assess your staff’s workplace experience:
Celebrate 11 years. Why do we only seem to celebrate employment anniversaries every five years? Shouldn’t we make a bigger deal out of six years than five and 11 years over 10? Each year is a big deal, and it is worth enhanced celebration, especially for your top people who keep hanging out with you.
Surprise! Unexpected positive recognition is a great way to wow your employees. The message is loud and clear that you do not take employees for granted. I guarantee that you will make their day.
Family affairs. The families behind your employees are an essential part of your organization. They provide a critical support system for your staff and at times make sacrifices when your employees work long hours, travel or are working on a particularly challenging project. Don’t forget them; employees’ families are your extended team.
The baggage is full. Everyone has personal baggage. Although corporate America mandates that staff “leave it at the door,” it is impossible to shed. Most people keep their personal pain under wraps at the workplace, but it’s there — make no mistake. Acknowledge that this is reality, and recognize that some people just have bad days for reasons outside of work. Appreciate it, and support them when you can.
Thump, thump. Employee recognition should be done for all the right reasons. It should be fun and from the heart. If you can’t genuinely recognize employees, don’t fake it. That’s worse than not acknowledging them at all.
Daily exercise. At the beginning of 2009, I asked our employees to make a commitment to making a difference in someone’s life every day. We knew a tough year was unraveling for our customers, and I wanted to ensure that our staff focused on job No. 1. That challenge continues today, and I expect will be with our employees for a long time.
Large or small, daily acts of kindness, acknowledgement and recognition can be game changers for recipients. From simply and genuinely asking a customer, “How are you?” to co-chairing the Race for the Cure walk, our employees identify ways to make a difference, one person at a time.
We even have an employee considered our recognition czar, who focuses on sending great gifts to employees for their birthdays, anniversaries and new arrivals.
There are a million ways to recognize employees. Be creative, have fun and remember that we pay these great people to show up every day and work hard.
They do not owe us, we owe them. We also know that the no-cost, easiest and least-used form of recognition is looking someone in the eyes and saying “thank you.” Start there and watch the magic unfold.