Giving employees kudos where they're due.

Long gone are the days when organizations could expect employees to go beyond the call of duty and merely settle for collecting a paycheck. In today's workplace, employees want to feel appreciated and recognized for a job well done. They are, after all, the key to keeping any successful operation in business.

According to a joint survey conducted by WorldatWork and the National Association for Employee Recognition, those organizations with the most productive, happy and loyal employees all seem to have something in common: formal and informal recognition programs that foster a positive work environment. The survey indicated that a manager's simple "pat on a back" gesture still means a lot to employees on the receiving end.

For 89% of survey respondents, employee recognition programs are considered "an integral part of human resources strategy." The good news is implementing a recognition program does not require a lot of research and should be easy to do. Most programs are designed to reward the following:

* length of service                   (89%)
* "above and beyond" performance      (87%)
* sales performance                   (51%)
* retirement                          (51%)
* useful employee suggestions         (41%)
* employees of the year, month, etc.  (35%)
* safety                              (32%)
* attendance                          (22%)

Note: Table made from bar graph.

While recognizing employees for these achievements and milestones will make them feel valued, these types of programs also help an organization achieve many of its human resources objectives including: fostering high performance (75%); reinforcing desired behavior (71%); creating a culture of recognition (70%); improving morale (65%); and supporting organizational mission or values (62%).

Clearly, employee recognition programs are not just for employees. They create a win-win situation for all parties involved. [www.worldatwork.org and www.recognition.org]