Peer recognition has been proven to positively affect workplaces, create a more positive work atmosphere, and increase productivity. It is one of the most important strategies that any organization can implement because peer recognition allows you to tap into your employees' natural desire for appreciation.
Remember, peer recognition is not about rewarding someone for doing their job correctly. It's about recognizing employees for going above and beyond what they are required to do. If the majority of your employees associate peer recognition with incentives and bonuses, it will be much less effective than if peer recognition were awarded as a way of acknowledging an employee's contribution to their team or company.
What is peer recognition?
Peer recognition is the act of empowering employees to recognize the great work of their colleagues who have performed well at work. P2PR is like an internal pat on the back, giving appreciation within your work team for something that does not warrant external attention.
Sometimes peer-to-peer recognition involves some sort of payout or incentive; however, it is often more about building relationships among team members.
Why is peer-to-peer recognition important?
Peer-to-peer recognition is very important as it serves as a way for peers to offer meaningful recognition to one another, while also raising employee engagement. Employees perform better when they are recognized for their achievements within their teams, rather than receiving praise from management only. Studies have also suggested that peer-to-peer praise can be up to ten times more effective than manager-driven awards in improving employee performance.
Benefits of peer to peer recognition
In a peer-to-peer recognition program, employees are motivated to take personal accountability for the culture and performance of their company. Employees can improve their morale, which leads to increased discretionary effort from team members.
When people feel better about themselves and their work environment, they feel more committed to their jobs. Ultimately peer-to-peer recognition can also benefit a company by improving employee retention and lowering employee turnover rates and can improve overall employee performance at a job. Additionally, peer-to-peer recognition promotes personal growth and development as well as individual pride in a job well done.
Peer recognition ideas
One idea for implementing peer-to-peer recognition at your organization is by creating an employee of the month award: a type of peer-to-peer recognition. You can save time and money by choosing an employee of the month award, as opposed to a peer recognition program that includes many different activities.
Another way that you can work peer recognition into your company is through a peer recognition awards ceremony. You can conduct these ceremonies on a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly basis; whatever works best for your business. Employees are more productive when they know what the standard of performance is for their organization and at which level they are performing. It allows them to feel recognized for doing well and encourages peer-to-peer compliments from other employees because they understand where their performance should be relative to others in their team.
Peer recognition awards
There are many different peer-to-peer recognition rewards that your company can implement as a form of peer recognition. Just like any other type of reward, there must be some sort of balance between the benefits for the employee receiving the award(s) and the cost to give those awards. The main reason a business implements a peer-to-peer program is to increase collaboration within teams.
Peer recognition examples
The peer-to-peer reward of the employee of the month is one example of peer recognition. As mentioned above, you can conduct peer-to-peer recognition on a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly basis and this specific level of peer recognition awards is very effective in increasing productivity.
Another great example is peer recognition software. This type of program allows everyone within an organization to get feedback from their peers, which helps increase accountability and collaboration among employees. It also allows managers to get input from other team members about who they should promote or hand out raises to while saving them time and money by eliminating performance reviews.
This kind of peer recognition program is especially useful for small businesses where team members are often too busy to participate in peer-to-peer recognition activities. The peer-to-peer software program is an effective way for small businesses to implement peer-to-peer rewards without a lot of effort.
Peer to peer recognition template
Instead of simply writing out a peer recognition note from scratch, you also have the option of using peer recognition templates. You can use the following peer recognition template when you want to engage your employees in a peer-to-peer program:
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{First name} has been selected as {month} {peer award type} at company name!
They will be recognized during a ceremony on {date}. {First name} received this award because he or she demonstrated behavior(s) such as {reason} and {reason}.
Additionally, the employee shows great potential in areas including {area} and {area}.
Sincerely,
Name | Title
Peer recognition program
After you choose peer-to-peer rewards for your company, the next step is to create a peer-to-peer recognition program. With this kind of peer recognition, you can allow employees to get feedback from their peers on how they are performing within their position. This type of peer recognition allows managers to see what other people in the organization think about each team member's performance and whether or not someone should be rewarded for his or her efforts. It also allows employees who receive peer-to-peer awards to feel valued by their peers.
Peer to peer recognition software
Another peer-to-peer reward that is worth implementing in your organization is peer-to-peer recognition software. This kind of peer recognition program allows employees to give and receive peer feedback throughout the year, all electronically and remotely, which can help to boost employee morale. Additionally, managers can use the valuable information gathered from recognition software to make decisions about promotions and raises, while team members may be able to improve their performance through this valuable feedback.
Quotes about peer to peer recognition
There are many great quotes about peer-to-peer recognition and its success. Steve Browne, senior vice president at Great Place To Work, an organization that has conducted more than four million peer-to-peer assessments since 1988 states that "people want a pat on the back or a thank you for a job well done. They don't just want it at holiday time or during annual reviews." Browne gives peer-to-peer recognition examples that include peer-to-peer software and peer awards.
"Peer pressure can be a good thing," says Browne. "It is often better for someone to give you peer recognition than your boss." When employees feel they are being recognized by colleagues who are at the same level or have similar experiences, it also encourages equality.
Whether you want to use peer awards, employee recognition software, or a peer recognition program, implementing some sort of peer-to-peer rewards system can help your organization achieve its goals. Additionally, it is important not to underestimate the benefits of peer appreciation and how much it can positively impact your workplace culture.
Companies that have been consistently found to be top employers by Fortune Magazine include Walmart, Procter & Gamble, and Google. Each of these organizations has a strong employee recognition program that helps create a positive company culture and workplace environment which features high employee happiness. When you implement a peer recognition platform in your company, you will likely see similar results as well as increased productivity from employees who feel they are being recognized for their hard work.
If you found this content helpful in any way, then consider trying out Matter, a free Slack app. Matter encourages peer-to-peer recognition, with the ability to reward Kudos to other coworkers and offer constructive feedback. It’s completely free and can help with boosting productivity and employee engagement in your business today.
