What are the best ways to recognize high-performing employees?
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High-performing employees are the backbone of any successful organization. They deliver exceptional results, exceed expectations, and contribute to the growth and innovation of their teams and departments. However, recognizing and rewarding their achievements is not always easy or straightforward. How can you show your appreciation and motivate them to keep up their excellent work? Here are some of the best ways to recognize high-performing employees in the context of performance management.
One of the most effective ways to recognize high-performing employees is to give them timely and specific feedback on their accomplishments and areas of improvement. Feedback should be delivered as soon as possible after the performance, and should focus on the behaviors and outcomes that made a difference. For example, instead of saying "You did a great job on the project", you could say "You demonstrated excellent leadership and communication skills by coordinating the project team and delivering the report on time and within budget". This way, you acknowledge the specific skills and actions that led to the success, and encourage the employee to repeat them in the future.
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Imran Riaz
Strategic HR Professional | Talent Management | HR Technology | OD & Culture| HR Business Partnering | Driving Business Success through Effective HR Strategies and Solutions | Career Coach
Regular manager-employee Feedback conversation builds trust and helps focus on building a healthier relationship which is at the center of Performance Management. The truth is, that managers are rarely in a position to cultivate a psychologically safe working environment because they can’t or don’t know how. They are often swept off their feet and don’t have the time to focus on the ‘people’ aspect of their role. They also may not have received any formal training to do crucial performance feedback sessions, and therefore aren’t equipped with the skills to have an impact. And lastly, they don’t know where to start and therefore never do, or at best dabble.
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Aditya Sharma
Leader of BioProcess business in India region
It’s important to recognise high performing employees. However the employee should also know what impact S/he has created apart from bringing revenue/profit growth or developing a new breakthrough technology etc. S/he must be told as to how the organisation, customers and overall society benefits from the contribution made by her/him. This brings a sense of fulfilment and realisation to reach for the higher purpose. This uplifts the overall morale of not only the high performer but the employees around her/him.
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Reza Mokhtarpour
Talent Acquisition & Development
Implementing an agile and feedback-oriented performance management system is crucial. Feedback should be timely and adhere to established principles to be impactful. Additionally, utilizing engagement systems that promote peer-to-peer recognition creates deeper connections and strengthens organizational culture. Providing employees with the option to collect points and earn rewards can be a powerful motivator. By integrating these strategies, organizations can create a positive work environment where high-performing employees feel appreciated and motivated.
Another way to recognize high-performing employees is to offer them opportunities for growth and development that match their interests and goals. This could include providing them with challenging assignments, mentoring or coaching, training or education, or exposure to different roles or departments. By doing so, you show that you value their potential and want to help them advance their career. You also foster a culture of learning and innovation, where employees are encouraged to acquire new skills and knowledge, and apply them to their work.
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Rida Chohan
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner-TI&I-RBSS, US Technologies- |The Positive Influencer| CIBC Ambassador| Author| Blogger| Success Coach| Motivational Speaker|Changemaker|Relationship Builder|
Top performing employees who are intrinsic motivated need to be appreciated and recognized for their efforts and passionate style of working. -Offer them challenging situations -Develop a success plan for them with long term career development -Mentor and coach them with new market trends - Give them the opportunity of public speaking, corporate event invites -Showcase their abilities in an effective manner. A top performer will always go beyond their abilities to make their, team, company and brand shine. Distinguish the top performers and help them grow to their best versions, making them thoughtful leaders and people managers.
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Imran Riaz
Strategic HR Professional | Talent Management | HR Technology | OD & Culture| HR Business Partnering | Driving Business Success through Effective HR Strategies and Solutions | Career Coach
High performance on assigned objectives is one aspect, and the potential for growth is another. Organizations need to conduct talent mapping exercises (using the 9-Box model) based on both performance and potential, in conjunction with talent council discussions. Individuals identified as having high potential and high performance should be rewarded with fast-track career growth. Furthermore, organizations should develop career paths for employees with high potential and medium performance, as well as those with medium potential and high performance. Providing structured development opportunities will help create a talent pipeline for sustainable leadership, ensuring individuals are ready to excel in critical business roles.
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Mincho Donev
Director, People & Culture @Chaos
Creating opportunities and paving more than one path for their growth. Through the HR lens, I've seen success in recognizing top performers by tailoring growth opportunities. For instance, assigning a standout employee a challenging cross-departmental project not only refines their skills but also exposes them to different facets of the organization. This targeted approach, coupled with personalized mentoring and relevant training, showcases the commitment to their development and promotes a culture of continuous learning. Building transferrable skills and looking for opportunities to capitalize on them is key.
A third way to recognize high-performing employees is to celebrate their achievements publicly and privately. Public recognition could involve highlighting their accomplishments in team meetings, newsletters, social media, or awards ceremonies. Private recognition could involve sending a personal note, email, or card, or having a one-on-one conversation with them. Both types of recognition have their benefits and drawbacks, depending on the employee's preferences and personality. Some employees may enjoy the spotlight and the social recognition, while others may prefer a more discreet and personal approach. The key is to know your employees and tailor your recognition accordingly.
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Paul Dimaculangan
People & Culture Business Partner - Fitness & Lifestyle Group
Everybody wants and longs to be recognized and appreciated for their efforts. Fostering a team environment, where achievement is celebrated by your colleagues vs. envied by them, creates a winning culture of support and admiration.
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Jessica Bendel
Talent Management / Leadership Development / Business Strategy / Global Transformation & Organization Development
Celebrating success is a fantastic way to recognise talent and smart work. I recommend to not only celebrate final success, rather to celebrate milestones throughout the project or work. This makes high-performing employees feel heard and helps them keep up the engagement during the tough as well as the good times.
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Michael A. Davis CLC
Author | Advocate | Blogger | Certified Coach |
Celebrating high-performing employees publicly and privately is a powerful way to recognize their dedication and contributions. Public recognition fosters team morale and motivation, while private appreciation shows the depth of our gratitude. Both approaches create a culture of appreciation and inspire continued excellence.
A fourth way to recognize high-performing employees is to provide rewards and incentives that are meaningful and relevant to them. Rewards and incentives could be monetary, such as bonuses, raises, or gift cards, or non-monetary, such as extra time off, flexible work arrangements, or recognition items. The important thing is to align the rewards and incentives with the performance and the employee's values and needs. For example, if an employee has been working long hours and sacrificing their personal time, a reward that allows them to spend more time with their family or friends may be more appreciated than a monetary reward.
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Tural Dadashov
Strategic Management and Organizational Innovation Lecturer at Azerbaijan State University of Economics • UNEC, HR ANA, OD Practitioner, Winner of "HR FUTURE LEADER" nomination, MCT, 🌟 LinkedIn Top HR Voice 2023
Recognize high-performing employees through: 1. Merit-based rewards. 2. Non-monetary perks. 3. Public acknowledgment. 4. Peer recognition. 5. Personalized rewards. 6. Regular reviews. 7. Goal-linked incentives. 8. Open communication. 9. Skill development. 10. Long-term benefits. This motivates and retains top talent effectively.
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Carla Harper
NZQA Lvl 5 Financial Services (General Insurance) | South Port - Intern Director 2023 | AWDT Escalator Cohort Graduate - 2022 | MInstD | FMG CEO Leadership - Finalist 2022 | FMG Prof Development - Winner 2023 | Age 42
The key here is ensuring you know how your high performers like to be rewarded … some just need praise to know they are on the right track and contributing well, others like to be rewarded with incentives or gifts. Spend time understanding what’s important to your employees and how you can ensure you are rewarding them in a way that they value.
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IDRIS BASHIR
at
One of the best ways to create a positive company culture where employees are engaged and like coming to work is to recognize and reward high performance. It’s always frustrating to work diligently, well beyond the efforts of colleagues, and go unnoticed. Employees want to stay with organizations that appreciate their hard work and if you don’t, they’ll start looking for a company that does. Here are eight ways to recognize your top performers. * Thank you * Unique award *Public acknowledgement * Write about them * Educational opportunity * Increased responsibility * Flex work schedule * Bonus
A fifth way to recognize high-performing employees is to solicit and act on their feedback. Feedback is a two-way street, and high-performing employees often have valuable insights and suggestions on how to improve the work processes, systems, or culture. By asking for their feedback, you show that you respect their opinions and expertise, and that you are open to learning from them. By acting on their feedback, you show that you are committed to implementing their ideas and making positive changes. This way, you create a feedback loop that enhances the performance and satisfaction of both the employee and the organization.
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Tania Palen
Talent Strategy Leader @ Five9 | Industrial Psychologist, Development Programs
Don't ask for feedback from your employees unless you are willing to listen and act on that feedback, and high-performing employees will be a rich source for ideas on how to improve work processes, systems and culture.
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Rahmandika Herputranto
Organizational Development | Performance Management
Receiving feedback requires as much skill as giving one. So it's essential to put conscious effort and practice into truly listening and acting appropriately on those feedback. This commitment would be valuable as it signifies respectful, nurturing, and supportive environment for them to create, grow, and perform even better.
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Amrapali Dubey
Head of Winery HR and Admin - Sula Vineyards
Seek feedback from a high performer, and you'll be astonished by the insights they can provide on processes, decisions, common practices within the organization, and the upcoming business strategy. This instills in them a sense of ownership and a deeper appreciation for their role & their presence in the organization.
A sixth way to recognize high-performing employees is to build a relationship of trust and respect with them. This means communicating honestly and transparently, listening actively and empathetically, and supporting them in their challenges and successes. It also means giving them autonomy and empowerment, allowing them to make decisions and take risks, and trusting them to deliver results. By building a relationship of trust and respect, you show that you care about them as individuals, not just as workers, and that you appreciate their contributions and value their input.
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Mai Nguyen
Recognizing high-performing employees is essential. It keeps them motivated and engaged. Timely, specific feedback is key. It shows I value their efforts and encourages them to excel further. Offering growth opportunities and learning experiences is crucial. It demonstrates that I'm invested in their development. Public and private celebrations acknowledge their achievements. It's important to tailor recognition to individual preferences. Meaningful rewards, both monetary and non-monetary, show appreciation. Seeking and acting on their feedback builds a collaborative environment. Trust and respect form the foundation of a strong relationship. Consistency in recognition is vital. It reinforces the value of high performance.
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Lauren Herring
CEO | Career and Leadership Expert | Coach | Author | Speaker Works with 200+ Fortune 500 Companies Worldwide
Trust, a key factor in employee engagement, is also built on a personal relationship. You have to know your team to lead your team. We are all humans first, and employees second, at the end of the day. Taking the time and energy to know your team will make them feel appreciated and valued when leaders have the foresight to ask about the personal stuff, when appropriate. It also helps to set up some of the other topics like personalizing recognition and knowing what people appreciate.
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Manjith Mohan
Leadership Team @ Murugappa Group (CIFCL, CHFL, CSec) | Strategic| Analytical| Deliberator l Achiever|Relator
I beleive that this aspect of building trust is the key to long term retention. There should be mutual trust and transparency between employer and employee, which will facilitate a safe environment to open up and voice out aspects bothering/affecting both. A culture of true openness is the success mantra for long term retention and employee loyalty.
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Imran Riaz
Strategic HR Professional | Talent Management | HR Technology | OD & Culture| HR Business Partnering | Driving Business Success through Effective HR Strategies and Solutions | Career Coach
The best ways to recognize high-performing talent include regular feedback by the line managers with having ability to do the crucial conversations during the entire performance year, public acknowledgment, high monetary rewards, career development opportunities, and a supportive work environment to take drive for breakthrough results. A combination of these approaches can motivate and retain top talent while fostering a positive workplace culture.
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ReZina Denis
Program Director at AntWalk -Your Role Readiness Expert | ICF-Certified OD,Life,Business Coach & NLP Practitioner | EdTech|L&D| Top100 CX Leader| Product Manager | Affluent Banking| Author | Council Member@WICCI
"Recognition, feedback, and personalized appreciation are essential components. However, taking it a step further by implementing a professional development plan to continuously enhance the skills of high-performing employees ensures they remain engaged and motivated, facing new challenges head-on. This approach not only sustains their consistency but also fosters their long-term growth within the organization."
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Nura Nasir
Strategic Information/Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist
In as much as we're excited to reward high performance, we also need to be capable of identifying altruistic staff who constantly help others to succeed, but whose crucial support most times goes unnoticed (especially by the top management).