Definition
What is employee recognition?
First, recognition is constructive, genuine feedback based on acknowledging people as sincere, worthy of respect, having needs, and equipped with their own personal expertise (Brun & Dugas, 2002). It is a consideration of the human being as a whole.
Employee recognition is a judgment on a worker's contribution, in terms of the work process as well as dedication and motivation. It also involves evaluating and acknowledging the results of this work. In short, it looks at the unique contribution of each worker and stresses the value of his or her professional expertise and experience.
Recognition is expressed in human relationships and is practiced on a daily, regular, or ad hoc basis. It is more effective when personalized and specific. It must be adapted and meaningful to the recipient. Employee recognition can take various forms: spoken, written, material, or symbolic (Bourcier & Palobart, 1997).
In light of this broad definition that draws on the main theoretical approaches, we can identify four forms of employee recognition.
| Marie-Claire Carpentier-Roy, Université de Montréal |
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| “Employee recognition has been defined in different ways, but one commonality seems to emerge despite differences in the literature regarding this topic: Recognition is a judgment. It is a judgment that is expressed (not just issued), felt, and experienced by the various actor-subjects in the workplace. This judgment should consider actual work accomplished and what it involves (knowledge, theoretical and |
| Jean-Pierre Brun, Université Laval |
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| To find out more about employee recognition, we invite you to view a talk by Mr. Jean-Pierre Brun, a full professor in the Management Department of Université Laval’s Faculty of Administrative Sciences and director of the Chair in Occupational Health and Safety Management at Université Laval. In his presentation, Mr. Brun discusses the main concepts in employee recognition (in french only). |
| Natacha Laprise, CSN |
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| "La reconnaissance est une façon de démontrer au gens qu’ils sont précieux, qu’ils comptent à mes yeux, que leur travail me supporte ou me simplifie la vie. C’est un élément essentiel dans nos milieux de travail sans quoi il y a un vide au niveau des relations humaines. C’est aussi une façon de rendre nos milieux de travail plus humains, de motiver les gens." |
Important distinctions
Recognition is highly akin to the concepts of consideration and reward. We must therefore draw a distinction among these concepts in order to clearly identify what qualifies as recognition. To this end, we will use the indifference/compensation continuum.
Levels
Indifference: A contractual tie between an individual and an organization.
Consideration: A social tie between a human being and an organization. Employees are perceived as thinking and dignified human beings.
Recognition: A relationship between two or more people. Recognition is a return on an employee's effort and dedication at work, as well as his or her results.
Reward: A formal, impartial, and equitable exchange. A material or financial expression of appreciation that is conditional on results.
Compensation: The most formal expression of interest: a regular monetary reward.
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