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A case in point became very evident to me when I assessed a particular company wanting to improve their recognition specific engagement scores. After looking at the formal quantifiable data I requested to interview a sampling of both managers and employees to gain an insight on the human perceptions.
Like many companies this one had focused on delivery of cash based awards through an on-line approval based system. Recognition practices, however, were inconsistent in occurrence and were typically associated with stronger interpersonal skilled leaders versus technical skilled managers.
So I asked a simple question of each manager and employee I met with, “Does your company give and focus more on “rewards” or on “recognition”?” Besides coming out with an overwhelming consensus that their company followed a rewards paradigm, there was one employee I could not even shift in his thinking that “recognition” and “rewards” were two separate things. Scary isn’t it?
This is my take on defining the two terms:
Recognition: is a tangible or intangible expression of acknowledging an individual’s contribution, achievements or observed behaviours.
- You’ll find recognition works on the intrinsic motivation of a person
- Because recognition affects the self-esteem of an individual it positively influences future performance
- Recognition impacts long-term focus of a person and retains them and keeps them engaged
Rewards: are something given or done in return for meeting pre-determined goals, or as merits for some service or achievement and can often be financial in nature.
- Rewards are an extrinsic motivation tool so are externally focused
- Rewards are contractual in nature – you do this and you get that. It has little or no effect on self-esteem
- They are always short-term focused so they don’t last long in their effect and have far less retention or engagement value.
So before you begin to give recognition, make sure you know what it is you’re really giving.
What is “recognition” to you?
I applaud the attempt to provide some direction to this discussion. It is truly needed. But as you mentioned, as long as practitioners don't make the distinction the client/user won't.
ReplyDeleteI'll even muddy it up some more. I can have a reward within a recognition program - plaque, etc.
Here's how I define it:
recognition is an action - pretty much as you have outlined.
reward is a tangible thing given for a reason - could be a recognition memento or as part of an ongoing incentive program
an incentive is a program that is contractual in nature based on achieving predetermined goals and objectives.
We need to define "program types" and "award types" we keep mixing the words up and use one to describe the other (and vice versa)
I'm sure that cleared everything up.
I don't discount what you are saying here, Paul.
ReplyDeleteThere are recognition practices, recognition programs, reward programs and award programs.
It all comes back to clearly defining our Recognition Strategy - what is our philosophy and purpose for recognition and then what are our plans and objectives.
I think as we build upon these dialogs with one another and others we can help define things they way they really are and thereby benefit both receivers and the givers of recognition.
Take care,
Roy