From the very first moments of our childhood we have looked to others to praise and recognise what we do.
A child taking their first steps looks for encouragement and acknowledgement from those around, building confidence in their ability to continue. As human beings this need is built into our psychology, it is how we are made.
If we are valued and most importantly ‘FEEL’ valued our spirits are lifted, productivity in everything we do rises and motivation is easy. The very best leaders acknowledge the power of praise and how support and recognition can drive an individual within an organisation. They are able to apply the principles of recognition effectively while also encouraging others within the organisation to initiate it in their own working relationships.
Recognition is not about monetary rewards; whilst a thank you gift is nice; recognition is about noticing an individual and making sure they are aware that you have genuinely noticed their good work or achievement and the positive effect it has had on your organisation. A genuine acknowledgement of someone’s good work or achievement or even their best effort regarding a project has a far lasting effect on that individual person than anything money can buy.
Receiving that ‘pat on the back’ triggers a feel good emotion. It leaves a lasting feeling of being valued within the organisation which helps to encourage volunteers to engage in future projects.
Here are a few words that can be used to help trigger such an emotion:
• Acknowledge
• Celebrate
• Support
• Appreciate
• Recognise
• Validate
• Honour
Praise and recognition are essential to an outstanding organisation, volunteers want to be respected and to feel valued. The contribution of a Volunteer matters, therefore it is important to recognise a Volunteer for work well done and goals reached. Recognition has a huge effect on communication between team members, it is a highly potent communication technique and therefore when training management, volunteer recognition should be at the top of the agenda.
Remember, Volunteers that enjoy what they are doing generally tend to stay with an organisation. Therefore, in organisations where Volunteers are recognised for their work well done, there are usually better volunteer retention rates leading to increased return on investments like training.
How to give Verbal Recognition
It is not difficult to offer recognition and it need not be costly either, for example, being spontaneous in praise is highly effective. Volunteers don’t usually expect anything materialistic in return for their efforts, yet receiving a sincere thank you is a basic yet effective way of acknowledging a volunteer’s effort. It reflects respect and appreciation.
A few points of reference when providing verbal recognition;
• Be in the Moment; timely acknowledgement of their efforts, being specific, descriptive and measured as you catch them working well.
• Be in Context; don’t be random, recognition is most effective when given in context.
• Be Appropriate; don’t overdo it, recognition needs to match effort otherwise it becomes meaningless.
• Be Authentic; it has to be meant not just fall off the tongue in an automatic fashion.
Volunteers need to be seen as individuals and in doing this, management can build a culture that encourages peer to peer recognition rather like throwing a stone in the river, the ripple effect on everything around is noticeable. A Volunteer that feels good about his or her effort is going to pass on that good feeling to everyone around them creating a much more efficient productive and enjoyable environment to work in.
Feeling appreciated and recognised is vital for long term happiness and success. Management staying close to their volunteers, asking questions and noticing behaviour and motivation help volunteers become most connected to the mission of the organisation and fully engaged in the promotion of the organisation.
Written by Wendy Brosnahan
