Positive employee recognition has the ability to transform a workplace. In fact, 58 percent of employees say that giving recognition is how leaders can improve engagement. Improved employee engagement is often the first step in increased productivity, a respected workplace culture, as well as a healthier bottom line. However, the first step in providing effective recognition is spotting an exceptional employee. Employees display a variety of character traits and often executives choose to focus on the basics of hard work and a positive attitude. While these are important traits to have, they are often shared by the majority of the workforce. What characteristics should executives look for when picking out an exceptional employee? Let’s take a closer look.
No negative ego
While it’s important for employees to feel confident in themselves and their work, there’s a major difference between confidence and arrogance. Exceptional employees allow for their ego to drive their motivation, but never give their ego more power than what is actually deserved. One character trait often associated with a controlled ego is the ability to admit when they’re wrong and also a willingness to improve. For example, if an employee creates a report template for the entire organization to use, but their colleagues express share feedback and alternatives to the metrics being measured. If the employee who created the report is willing to take the feedback and try out the different metrics, then they likely don’t possess a negative ego.
Accountability
Currently, 11 percent of managers claim that 50 percent of their employees avoid taking responsibility for their actions. One of the most irritating phrases for a manager to hear is, “it’s not my fault.” Exceptional employees own their work and decisions and take accountability of outcomes whether the outcome is good, or bad. Spotting employees who frequently hold themselves and others accountable and providing them with positive recognition, will not only make these specific employees feel valued, but also lead them to be more engaged with their work. In fact, 91 percent of employees who feel valued are more likely to perform their best compared to 37 percent who don’t feel valued.
Focus on organizational goals
Teams and employees who are engaged in reaching pre-set goals see a 28 percent higher same-year operating margin than those who are not focused on reaching specific goals. Exceptional employees care about helping the organization be the best it can be and are willing to put the work in to get there. These employees also differentiate between real problems standing in the way and any background noise attempting to defer their path. This keen focus on organizational goals and what really matters should be frequently recognized in order to keep them engaged and also motivate the entire workforce to adopt the same attitude.
Recognizing the characteristics of an exceptional employee is important for managers to keep in mind as they work to make their workforce feel valued and improve overall engagement. By recognizing employees who are willing to take accountability, control their ego, and have a keen focus on organizational goals, managers can help build a positive culture with exceptional employees at the center.
To learn more about employee recognition check out our blog 6 ways to reward employees without a pay raise!
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