How to Recognize Your Employees, 5 Days a Week Why wait until Friday for happy hour? Give your team a boost every day.

By Cord Himelstein

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The president of our company has a recognition ritual that I'm sure happens in a lot of smaller offices -- on Friday afternoons, she visits and chats with employees. It's casual and brief, and usually gets everyone feeling good before the weekend. Solid recognition near closing time on a Friday can make the work week seem far behind you. Many of our internal departments also have a weekly ritual of some kind. Not always on Friday, but it's a regular recognition opportunity nonetheless.

Related: Employee Engagement Is More Important Than the Customer

Ideally, we want recognition to occur every day. A disengaged employee is four times more likely to say they received too little recognition at work, so every day is an opportunity to change that perception. Weekly recognition rituals can be fun things for employees to look forward to, and consistency is great for building trust.

I use a Recognition Days of the Week calendar I've pieced together from my experiences here to make sure I have at least five recognition touch points per week. It's easy to remember, and anyone can use it:

1. Happy Monday

You can mitigate the Monday blues with small gestures that spread happiness. In our office, Happy Monday means buying donuts and coffee for everyone, or sending out awards for the previous week's accomplishments through our recognition system.

2. Super Tuesday

Tuesdays can become a slogging day as the week ramps up. Try your best to give employees a peaceful environment, offer support on any projects they may be working on, buy snacks in the middle of the day or treat them to lunch. Generally, be a super boss.

Related: How to Motivate Millennials in the Workplace

3. Win Wednesday

Our customer experience team has had great success with Win Wednesdays, a short group meeting each week where recent wins -- i.e. customer interactions; professional and personal achievements -- are called out and given proper recognition. This is an excellent camaraderie builder.

4. Thank You Thursday

Remember to give a colleague a thank you for something they've helped out on that week, big or small. If for some reason you can't think of anything, just thank them for being around. Do it in person, leave a handwritten note or send an email. However you do it, be sincere.

5. Friendly Friday

This one's easy -- just be friendly. At the end of the day, make the rounds, thank everyone for the week's work, ask about weekend plans, take an interest and give a hoot. If someone's got big plans, send them home early if it's an option.

Whether you do all or some of these company-wide or departmentally, all that matters is that you've given yourself an easy way to make recognition a feature of your culture. If you are having trouble finding the time to thank all the people you should thank, a weekly ritual can lend structure and keep you on track.

Related: 5 Ways to Survey Employees About Company Culture

Wavy Line
Cord Himelstein

Vice president of Marketing and Communications at HALO Recognition

Cord Himelstein is the vice president of marketing and communications at HALO Recognition, a provider of global employee recognition and incentive programs headquartered in Long Island City, New York. Contact him at cord.himelstein@halo.com and follow @HALORecognition.

Editor's Pick

A Leader's Most Powerful Tool Is Executive Capital. Here's What It Is — and How to Earn It.
Lock
One Man's Casual Side Hustle Became an International Phenomenon — And It's on Track to See $15 Million in Revenue This Year
Lock
3 Reasons to Keep Posting on LinkedIn, Even If Nobody Is Engaging With You
Why a Strong Chief Financial Officer Is Crucial for Your Franchise — and What to Look for When Hiring One

Related Topics

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Growing a Business

My Startup Scored a Multimillion-Dollar Contract With a Fortune 100 Client in Just 3 Years. Here's What We Learned.

There's no perfect litmus test to gauge if you're ready to go after big business or not — but if you don't take the risk, you'll never realize the reward.

Marketing

5 Questions to Ask a PR Pro Before Hiring Them

You probably haven't considered asking these questions, but they're a great way to find the right PR firm for your business.

Growing a Business

The Inevitable Challenges You'll Face as Your Business Grows — and How to Handle Them

There's going to be some discomfort as your business expands, but it doesn't have to stop you from achieving massive success.

Marketing

This Location-Based Marketing Technique Is the Key to Boosting Retail Sales

Let's take an in-depth look at geofencing marketing and how it's helping retail locations drive foot traffic and boost sales.