top performer on stage

Eight Ways to Recognize Your Top Performers

Employers

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 good 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

It doesn’t need to be fancy, you can simply say thank you. Or take the time to write a personal note to let an employee know they’re appreciated. If nothing else, you can brighten their day.

Unique award

Personalize an award for something an employee accomplishes and dole it out in front of the rest of the team. It can be in the form of a $15 plaque or even a gift card—something inexpensive and simple that your employee can be proud of.

Public acknowledgement

Use a staff meeting to spotlight something your employee just achieved. It can be very motivating to be recognized in front of peers.

Write about them

Publish a blog post or company-wide press release that recognizes your employee’s accomplishments. Highlight how their production contributes to the overall well-being of the company. This is a great way to document their stellar performance and provides him something he can share with his friends and family.

Educational opportunity

Top performers are usually driven and motivated already, so reward them by allowing them to pursue education courses or conferences and workshops that can help to develop their skills.

Increased responsibility

Delegate some new, more challenging tasks to the star employee. You’re showing them that you see their efforts and you trust them, at the same time you’re beginning to groom them for future leadership or even management.

Flex schedule

Top performers have already proven they have the intrinsic motivation and self-discipline to get the job done, so reward them with the ability to choose some flexibility in their schedules. Perhaps an occasional day off or the opportunity to work remotely. This alone might serve as an incentive for your other employees.

Bonus

Employees who are exceeding expectations should likewise receive pay that exceeds the average. As you plan to distribute raises, link them to performance appraisals. This way, workers will be compensated in proportion to their efforts and output.

For more tips on how to manage and incentivize your team, contact us today.

Ty Culver headshot
Written by

Ty Culver is the Client Development Director of CulverCareers focusing on talent acquisition and workforce solutions with a wide variety of local, national and global clients.

Ty has been working in various aspects of the industry for over 10 years and developed deep expertise in Executive Search, Executive Benefit and Talent Acquisition Programs along the way. He has a range of experience from SMB to Enterprise clients and hyper specific executive searches to high volume recruiting with companies in a dynamic state of flux.

Today, Ty leads a talented team of Talent Acquisition Specialists, Executive Recruiters and Client Success Managers at one of the most respected Recruiting Firms in the Nation, CulverCareers. While leadership is a key aspect of his role, Ty still enjoys working with clients on recruiting strategies, executive benefit solutions and workforce solutions to help clients build a holistic approach to talent acquisition and talent retention.

Ready to build a winning team?

When you’re looking for executive strategic partners to help build your team, you couldn’t ask for a better partner than CulverCareers.

Start Hiring