Introduction
Please enjoy the first in this series from Infotechtion as part of the Project Management Toolkit. This new series breaks down the essential components of how Project Managers can take their leadership to the next level. First up, the incredibly important concept of Employee Recognition!
In the world of project management and team leadership, success often hinges on collaboration, motivation, and productivity. Here at Infotechtion, we recognise that while all of these elements are important, one crucial factor that can significantly impact all of these aspects is recognising the power of employee recognition and feedback.
As such, as project manager or team lead, acknowledging your team’s efforts and accomplishments is not just a nice gesture; it’s a powerful tool that can drive performance and foster a positive work environment. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of providing positive feedback and recognition to your team and shed light on the key risks of neglecting this essential aspect of leadership.
Benefits of Positive Team Feedback and Employee Recognition
Morale, Motivation and Productivity:
When team members receive recognition for their hard work, it boosts their morale and motivates them to continue putting in their best efforts. Employees feeling more invested in their work, knowing that their contributions are valued and acknowledged by their project manager.
Accordingly, more invested employees directly correlates to successful project outcomes. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to go the extra mile, take initiative, and strive for excellence in their tasks. This heightened sense of responsibility can lead to higher quality work and faster project progress.
Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention:
Regularly recognizing individual and team achievements helps foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among team members. When people feel that their efforts are contributing to project success, they are more likely to collaborate effectively and support one another. In turn, fostering this level of team cohesion can increase job satisfaction among team members.
Satisfied employees are less likely to seek new opportunities elsewhere. As a project manager or team lead, this can reduce the risk of employee turnover, providing you more stable project resources. This ensures you maintain the invaluable retention of your team’s developed knowledge and skills.
There’s no excuse not to do it:
Sharing a note of recognition is not a complicated process. We’re not talking about performance reviews, 360 feedback sessions or even a phone call. All it takes is a single message on Teams, Slack or Zoom (Teams even has a built in ‘Praise’ button!). A quick “hey that was really good work on X!”. “Really good work this week, have a fantastic weekend and see you all on Monday!”. “I really appreciate the effort today, thank you!”.
That’s it. It took under 30 seconds of your day and in return your team member feels good for the next 24 hours, feeling and performing all the benefits described above. Thank someone in your team right now, the benefits start here!
Risks of Not Providing Enough Employee Recognition
Decreased Morale, Demotivation and Workplace Apathy
While we’ve discussed how recognition boosts morale, it’s important to note that the lack of recognition can have a profoundly negative impact on team morale.
Team members may feel undervalued and unappreciated, leading to dissatisfaction and a decline in overall team cohesion. The absence of recognition can lead to team members becoming demotivated and apathetic about their work. This state of mind can result in a lack of enthusiasm and creativity, a reduction in the desire to work and in the worst case, loss of employee retention.
Without regular feedback and recognition, team members may not fully realize their potential. Untapped skills and ideas can go unnoticed, leading to missed opportunities for innovation and growth.
Finally, communication may become strained as team members may hesitate to voice concerns or share valuable insights. This can lead to unaddressed issues, delayed decision-making, and, ultimately, project setbacks.
Conclusion
To conclude, we at Infotechtion instill the employee recognition concept in all its Programme, Project Managers and Team Leads. It’s the ‘special sauce’ that makes every Infotechtion Project a success. We ensure every team member is valued, cared for and of course, recognised for their contributions.
Chiefly, positive feedback and recognition are essential tools in the toolkit of project managers and team leads. They have the power to boost morale, motivation, and productivity while creating a positive work environment that fosters collaboration and job satisfaction.
However, neglecting to provide employee recognition carries unique risks, including demotivation, unutilized potential, disengagement, communication breakdowns, and negative impacts on team morale. As a project manager or team lead, it’s crucial to prioritize feedback and employee recognition as part of your leadership strategy. This ensures the success of your projects and the well-being of your team members.
Finally, Infotechtion’s Solutions and Services are delivered and driven by our Infotechtion people. Our people are infused with the recognition philosophy which inspired this article. We care and recognise each other, our colleagues and our clients; a philosophy that feeds into our work, solutions and services, making them the very best they can be.
For more on project management at Infotechtion, see our post Project Management – Lessons from the Field!
Contact the author at Alex.V@infotechtion.com or via contact@infotechtion.com. Find us at https://infotechtion.com/ !
The benefits described in this article have been reviewed and validated via the following study: Harter, James & Schmidt, Frank & Hayes, Theodore. (2002). Business-Unit-Level Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis. The Journal of applied psychology. 87. 268-79. 10.1037//0021-9010.87.2.268.
