How to Recognize & Reward Skills Development Efforts

Skills development is vital to ensure that your employees stay on top of industry trends and best practices. To succeed in your industry, you need an innovative, engaging workforce. As your employees develop and grow, it’s your job to recognize and reward their efforts.

Dale Carnegie says, "People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise, and rewards." Employees should be giving it their all at work, but stress and emotions get in the way sometimes. When you feel unappreciated, it’s hard to stay motivated. Just by recognizing and rewarding your team, you can drive engagement and workplace satisfaction!

The Importance of Recognition & Rewards

Appreciation is a basic human need. Everyone likes to hear “thank you” for their efforts. In the workplace, employees are much more likely to work harder when they feel like their work is not only noticed, but also appreciated. Recognition and rewards demonstrate to employees their value to an organization. Let’s look at a few things that recognition and rewards impact.

• Motivates Performance – Recognizing and rewarding employees when they work hard is an incentive to work even harder. It motivates them to consistently aim for high standards. It could even encourage healthy competition amongst colleagues. This then motivates others to strive for more.

• Boosts Morale – Employee recognition helps employees feel like they’re a part of something. They know that their efforts make a difference. It gives them a purpose in the organization. As such, morale and satisfaction increase. Optimism is contagious, giving overall team morale a boost.

• Attracts & Retains Talent – Companies that implement recognition and reward schemes have better reputations. We all want to feel appreciated. Candidates will be attracted to your company when they know their efforts will be acknowledged. Existing talent will also be less likely to leave when they’re treated well in their role.

• Company Culture – Satisfied employees who feel recognized and rewarded will enjoy coming to work. What’s better than being part of an organization that has your well-being in mind? They’ll tell others about their supportive workplace and, as a result, build a positive image of the company culture.

How to Recognize Skills Development Efforts

Employees with a passion for developing their skills are invaluable. These are the workers who will stay dedicated to your organization and strive to achieve company goals and success. So how do you recognize them and their skills development efforts?

You’re either providing employees with training opportunities, or they’re seeking out their own methods of upskilling. Keeping employee profiles will help you monitor who is utilizing the online courses, webinars, and other learning resources you provide. Conduct regular check-ins and always lead with words of encouragement and congratulation. Involve managers as they know individual team members best.

Sometimes employees will shine because they have creative solutions or can step in when managers or leaders can’t use new technology. These people are likely to spend personal time advancing their skills, monitoring industry trends, and improving their tech knowledge. Celebrate their efforts in front of the rest of the team. Use them as positive examples to motivate them to continue their personal growth.

How to Reward Skills Development Efforts

There are many ways to reward employees who are going above and beyond. It doesn’t always have to be a monetary incentive. Not every company has the budget for this. There are more creative solutions.

• Prizes – One of the keys to good recognition and rewards is noticing the small things. When an employee completes an online module or watches an important webinar, prizes are a good way to say “good work”. This could be a gift card, a bottle of wine, or a free lunch.

• Team Events – Sometimes skills development will be done as a team. Organizing a team event, such as a company party or an early finish on Friday, can get everyone excited for the session. The additional benefit is the team bonding that can take place.

• Promotions – If an employee has achieved major skills development, they may be due a promotion. Monitor those workers who are completing online courses or learning technical skills most relevant to market trends. Show them a career path with an internal promotion.

• Flexibility & Trust – One of the best ways to show your employees that their efforts in skills development are appreciated is with more trust. Rewarding someone for completing a course or completing a stretch assignment with more flexible hours, for example, shows that you trust their performance output.

• Financial Incentives – Money is always a nice way to show gratitude for hard work. Though there are often better benefits that employees would prefer, financial incentives will motivate employees to manage their workload and skills development.

In Conclusion

Consider what you’ve done to make your employees feel valued recently. Did you congratulate the team members who finished the last training course? Have you discussed career progression opportunities with the employee that keeps delivering useful tech knowledge?

Recognition and rewards go a long way in facilitating a motivated and driven workplace. If you expect your employees to care about skills development (which any serious employer should) appreciate their efforts! Basic rewards and promotions cost your company very little, and words of encouragement are totally free.