Why Your Organization Needs Peer to Peer Recognition

Recognition

September 12, 2019

Kudos

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X min

5 min

In today’s modern workplace, top-down recognition efforts and long-standing service awards just don’t cut it. Peer recognition is crucial for organizational success.

Colleagues high-five each other on great teamwork leading to a great accomplishment. Now, they can show pride for their team on the Kudos platform.

Table of Contents

In today’s modern workplace, top-down recognition efforts and long-standing service awards just don’t cut it. Peer recognition is crucial for organizational success.

Traditionally, peer recognition programs have been viewed as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘need to have,’ but recognition plays an increasingly vital role in helping employees thrive at work.

Without consistent and frequent employee recognition, an organization’s health is jeopardized. From poor onboarding experiences and high turnover to employee disengagement and more, a company is only as strong as its teams. Including a peer recognition program in your engagement plan fosters a culture in which your teams contribute their best work every day.

What is Peer Recognition, Exactly?

Peer recognition (also known as, peer-to-peer recognition) is the expression of gratitude or praise among employees for their contributions and accomplishments.

The key benefit of peer recognition is the motivation and engagement that results from employees giving one another positive feedback and recognizing each other’s hard work.

Contrary to popular belief, peer recognition is not always formal. In fact, peer recognition takes many forms, and employees practice peer recognition every day when they do something as simple as saying ‘thank you’ to a fellow colleague or ‘good job’ to a teammate.

However, many organizations are recognizing the benefits of providing official channels for employees to socially recognize their peers. It’s one of the key ways in which innovative organizations drive their businesses forward and retain their top talent.

Do I Need a Peer Recognition Program?

The short answer is yes, you absolutely need a peer recognition program.

Studies show that peer recognition has a significant impact on the health and success of organizations. More C-suite executives are focusing on recognition strategies and programs to motivate, engage, and retain their high-performing team members.

Employees crave daily affirmation for their efforts and contributions. If you’re not recognizing your people and providing them with opportunities to pat one another on the back every day, you’re at higher risk of losing them to organizations that will.  

Why do I Need a Peer Recognition Program?

It empowers all team members in your organization, regardless of title or hierarchy

By practicing peer recognition, employees and leaders alike can share genuine feedback and positive praise with one another, regardless of their standing in an organization. This not only improves and nurtures peer relationships, but creates trust in leadership and showcases an inclusive culture of people who work as a team to benefit the whole.

It’s organic, inherent, and breaks down barriers

What was once a formal and cumbersome process of praise is now an approachable, organic, and easy way to recognize your colleague’s contributions. Peer recognition breaks down the barriers associated with nomination-based recognition processes, and provides opportunities for real-time appreciation and communication.

It’s effortless for everyone, especially admins

A peer recognition program makes it easy for all employees at every level of an organization, especially admins, to practice recognition. Dedicated programs for recognition save the time usually wasted on approval flows and recognition tasks.

It nurtures a confident, transparent, and engaged work culture

Supporting peer recognition signals a belief in transparency and visibility across an entire organization, whereby employees can give recognition and acknowledge other acts of praise, too. This establishes a framework through which every employee feels confident and comfortable giving recognition, while everyone else can participate and support one another.

It fosters a more authentic employee experience

With peer recognition comes the opportunity to build better relationships with your employees and top talent. Not only does it work to effectively promote company values and behaviours, but it also nurtures connections between coworkers. All together, peer recognition fosters a collaborative organizational culture.

What does this Mean for Your Organization?

Thanks to peer recognition programs, organizations stand out to job seekers and top talent. Peer recognition programs are a seriously effective tool for showcasing their thriving culture and engaged teams to potential candidates. By implementing a simple peer recognition program like Kudos, organizations nurture employee engagement, improve turnover, retain their top talent, and foster a happier work culture.

Your Employees will LOVE Kudos!

Your Employees will LOVE Kudos!

Give your team the recognition they deserve. See what all the hype is about and book a demo.

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About Kudos

Kudos is an employee engagement, culture, and analytics platform, that harnesses the power of peer-to-peer recognition, values reinforcement, and open communication to help organizations boost employee engagement, reduce turnover, improve culture, and drive productivity and performance. Kudos uses unique proprietary methodologies to deliver essential people analytics on culture, performance, equity, and inclusion, providing organizations with deep insights and a clear understanding of their workforce.

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