What are the best ways to recognize high-performing employees?

Regular manager-employee Feedback conversation builds trust and helps focus on building a healthier relationship which is at the center of Performance Management. The truth is, that managers are rarely in a position to cultivate a psychologically safe working environment because they can’t or don’t know how. They are often swept off their feet and don’t have the time to focus on the ‘people’ aspect of their role. They also may not have received any formal training to do crucial performance feedback sessions, and therefore aren’t equipped with the skills to have an impact. And lastly, they don’t know where to start and therefore never do, or at best dabble.

It’s important to recognise high performing employees. However the employee should also know what impact S/he has created apart from bringing revenue/profit growth or developing a new breakthrough technology etc. S/he must be told as to how the organisation, customers and overall society benefits from the contribution made by her/him. This brings a sense of fulfilment and realisation to reach for the higher purpose. This uplifts the overall morale of not only the high performer but the employees around her/him.

Implementing an agile and feedback-oriented performance management system is crucial. Feedback should be timely and adhere to established principles to be impactful. Additionally, utilizing engagement systems that promote peer-to-peer recognition creates deeper connections and strengthens organizational culture. Providing employees with the option to collect points and earn rewards can be a powerful motivator. By integrating these strategies, organizations can create a positive work environment where high-performing employees feel appreciated and motivated.

Feedback should be a two way communication.... One aspect is to recognise them ... Another aspect is to know what they need more to do better .....

I've learned that genuinely recognizing high-performing employees means creating a culture that celebrates achievements meaningfully. It's about more than just bonuses; it's understanding their unique preferences, be it a public shout-out or a quiet 'thanks'. I also see the value in non-cash rewards, like travel or memorable experiences, often leaving a lasting impression. I'm a big believer in fostering growth through professional development, which keeps our talent engaged and committed. Acknowledging efforts regularly, offering more responsibility, allowing flexible work options, and encouraging peer recognition are all part of the mix. It's about strategic, values-aligned recognition that drives collective success forward.

Top performing employees who are intrinsic motivated need to be appreciated and recognized for their efforts and passionate style of working. -Offer them challenging situations -Develop a success plan for them with long term career development -Mentor and coach them with new market trends - Give them the opportunity of public speaking, corporate event invites -Showcase their abilities in an effective manner. A top performer will always go beyond their abilities to make their, team, company and brand shine. Distinguish the top performers and help them grow to their best versions, making them thoughtful leaders and people managers.

Creating opportunities and paving more than one path for their growth. Through the HR lens, I've seen success in recognizing top performers by tailoring growth opportunities. For instance, assigning a standout employee a challenging cross-departmental project not only refines their skills but also exposes them to different facets of the organization. This targeted approach, coupled with personalized mentoring and relevant training, showcases the commitment to their development and promotes a culture of continuous learning. Building transferrable skills and looking for opportunities to capitalize on them is key.

High performance on assigned objectives is one aspect, and the potential for growth is another. Organizations need to conduct talent mapping exercises (using the 9-Box model) based on both performance and potential, in conjunction with talent council discussions. Individuals identified as having high potential and high performance should be rewarded with fast-track career growth. Furthermore, organizations should develop career paths for employees with high potential and medium performance, as well as those with medium potential and high performance. Providing structured development opportunities will help create a talent pipeline for sustainable leadership, ensuring individuals are ready to excel in critical business roles.

Give them a better Career. Create more opportunities for them, support them and most importantly, involve them in strategy & decision making. Rewarding them without involving them in strategy formation is not good

Top performing employees simply cannot be treated the same as other employees. Their passion towards work and urge to grow quickly needs to be matched by providing them with equally challenging tasks along with adequate training opportunities. Top Performing employees demand a fast track growth system hence the organization shall be eager to facilitate them with opportunities to grow faster while helping them equip with the required skillset and knowledge for the next level. Involvement in decision making and strategic matters are also key to retaining high performers.

Everybody wants and longs to be recognized and appreciated for their efforts. Fostering a team environment, where achievement is celebrated by your colleagues vs. envied by them, creates a winning culture of support and admiration.

Celebrating success is a fantastic way to recognise talent and smart work. I recommend to not only celebrate final success, rather to celebrate milestones throughout the project or work. This makes high-performing employees feel heard and helps them keep up the engagement during the tough as well as the good times.

Celebrating achievements publicly or privately do matter .. If the concerned person is appreciated for his work positively. His complete journey must be presented to the others as a part of inspiration. Because both type of appreciation has its positive and negative side effects.

It's important for managers to ask their reports how they like to be recognized and to keep track of that. For some individuals, a public shout-out may feel more embarrassing than celebratory, or a private note could feel inadequate compared to a big announcement. Knowing your team's preferences and using that approach to deliver positive feedback not only ensures the message will be received well, but also demonstrates to that person that you listen to and care about their individual work style.

Celebrating high-performing employees publicly and privately is a powerful way to recognize their dedication and contributions. Public recognition fosters team morale and motivation, while private appreciation shows the depth of our gratitude. Both approaches create a culture of appreciation and inspire continued excellence.

Recognize high-performing employees through: 1. Merit-based rewards. 2. Non-monetary perks. 3. Public acknowledgment. 4. Peer recognition. 5. Personalized rewards. 6. Regular reviews. 7. Goal-linked incentives. 8. Open communication. 9. Skill development. 10. Long-term benefits. This motivates and retains top talent effectively.

The key here is ensuring you know how your high performers like to be rewarded … some just need praise to know they are on the right track and contributing well, others like to be rewarded with incentives or gifts. Spend time understanding what’s important to your employees and how you can ensure you are rewarding them in a way that they value.

One of the best ways to create a positive company culture where employees are engaged and like coming to work is to recognize and reward high performance. It’s always frustrating to work diligently, well beyond the efforts of colleagues, and go unnoticed. Employees want to stay with organizations that appreciate their hard work and if you don’t, they’ll start looking for a company that does. Here are eight ways to recognize your top performers. * Thank you * Unique award *Public acknowledgement * Write about them * Educational opportunity * Increased responsibility * Flex work schedule * Bonus

Offering a promotion or incentive system that can be tailored to individuals' motivations and drivers is of paramount importance for several reasons. In today's diverse and dynamic workforce, a one-size-fits-all approach to motivation and rewards may not be effective in maximizing employee engagement and performance. Maximize Motivation: People are motivated by various factors such as career advancement, financial rewards, recognition, personal growth, or a sense of purpose. Improve Performance: When employees are motivated and engaged, they tend to perform at their best. A customized promotion and incentive system allows organizations to align rewards with individual performance goals and milestones.

One of the worst ways to demotivate your high-performing employees is to pay a lower performer just as much in salary or bonuses, or worse, to see that lower performer paid more than the higher performer. Rewards and incentives need to be distributed fairly.

Don't ask for feedback from your employees unless you are willing to listen and act on that feedback, and high-performing employees will be a rich source for ideas on how to improve work processes, systems and culture.

Receiving feedback requires as much skill as giving one. So it's essential to put conscious effort and practice into truly listening and acting appropriately on those feedback. This commitment would be valuable as it signifies respectful, nurturing, and supportive environment for them to create, grow, and perform even better.

Seek feedback from a high performer, and you'll be astonished by the insights they can provide on processes, decisions, common practices within the organization, and the upcoming business strategy. This instills in them a sense of ownership and a deeper appreciation for their role & their presence in the organization.

A high performer will be transparent about their progress in competing a goal or task. When facing a challenge with goal completion, they will often bring a solution along with whatever issue they are up against. My favorite way to recognize a high performer is through Appreciative Discovery. During these discussions it is key to help them confirm their own talents and strengths, create new options for action and then generate the excitement about positive possibilities.

In my experience the key here is being curious … When you are having 1:1’s ask some simple questions to get the conversation flowing … What do you think we are doing well? What could we be doing better? Is there anything we should change that we are doing right now that you dont think brings value to our team?

Trust, a key factor in employee engagement, is also built on a personal relationship. You have to know your team to lead your team. We are all humans first, and employees second, at the end of the day. Taking the time and energy to know your team will make them feel appreciated and valued when leaders have the foresight to ask about the personal stuff, when appropriate. It also helps to set up some of the other topics like personalizing recognition and knowing what people appreciate.

Recognizing high-performing employees is essential. It keeps them motivated and engaged. Timely, specific feedback is key. It shows I value their efforts and encourages them to excel further. Offering growth opportunities and learning experiences is crucial. It demonstrates that I'm invested in their development. Public and private celebrations acknowledge their achievements. It's important to tailor recognition to individual preferences. Meaningful rewards, both monetary and non-monetary, show appreciation. Seeking and acting on their feedback builds a collaborative environment. Trust and respect form the foundation of a strong relationship. Consistency in recognition is vital. It reinforces the value of high performance.

I beleive that this aspect of building trust is the key to long term retention. There should be mutual trust and transparency between employer and employee, which will facilitate a safe environment to open up and voice out aspects bothering/affecting both. A culture of true openness is the success mantra for long term retention and employee loyalty.

There is documented research that shows Trust as one of the top contributors to employee engagement. We have all heard the saying “people do not leave their jobs they leave their managers” which can mitigated by building that relationship of mutual respect and trust. This means your employee knows that whether it’s positive or constructive feedback, you have their best interests at heart and they can rely on you.

TRUST is utmost important for any employee in the organization. The belief of stating "I am certain you can do it" is more than enough for an employee to hear from his immediate manager without any micromanaging or overseeing his deliverables. Involvement in decision making, planning and execution develops a sense of ownership and self confidence amongst the employees and they feel wanted. This certainly helps in strengthening the psychological contract between the two.

The best ways to recognize high-performing talent include regular feedback by the line managers with having ability to do the crucial conversations during the entire performance year, public acknowledgment, high monetary rewards, career development opportunities, and a supportive work environment to take drive for breakthrough results. A combination of these approaches can motivate and retain top talent while fostering a positive workplace culture.

"Recognition, feedback, and personalized appreciation are essential components. However, taking it a step further by implementing a professional development plan to continuously enhance the skills of high-performing employees ensures they remain engaged and motivated, facing new challenges head-on. This approach not only sustains their consistency but also fosters their long-term growth within the organization."

In as much as we're excited to reward high performance, we also need to be capable of identifying altruistic staff who constantly help others to succeed, but whose crucial support most times goes unnoticed (especially by the top management).

Recognize the power of the Law of Individual Differences. If you really want to know the best way to reward high-performing employees (and all employees in general), ASK them what rewards they want to receive that are meaningful to them. People are motivated by different things so instead of second-guessing what they want, ask them directly. Reward is not a one-size fits all thing. The more customized and personal it is, the better. It is then up to the organization to meet the employees’ preferences.

1. Imagine you are a high performing employee & one day your spouse recieves a letter of appreciation signed by the CEO. The letter would talk about how as a spouse he/she has been supportive in thick and thin. This August 2023 two companies implemented this idea in India, one from aluminum industry and another from a reputed hopsital. 2. What actually motivates a high performing employee on daily basis and its not money. High performing employees value AUTONOMY: a space where they can take decisions without waiting for approval for every small thing. Because they hate micro-management. 3. Dont promote low performers rather bring them PIP. Because, by doing so you put a dent on the competence & commitment of high performing employees.