Recognition and appreciation are two factors commonly used in modern workplaces. Both of these are important for creating engagement and keeping employees motivated.

Many companies give importance to recognition; often, they forget about appreciation. Many even consider both recognition and appreciation similar. While recognition and appreciation are identical in a way, there is some difference as well.

In this article, we are going to explain the similarities and differences between recognition and appreciation.

Definitions of Recognition and Appreciation

Employee recognition is an act of acknowledging the excellent work employees are doing. Here companies let employees know that their hard work and expertise are noticed and valued. By recognizing employees, the workplace becomes more inclusive and human.

With employee recognition, workplace engagement and productivity increase. It also reduces employee turnover and keeps the employees motivated.

Employee appreciation is the feeling of gratitude, approval, and admiration provided by the company to its employees. While recognition deals with specific tasks accomplished by employees, appreciation deals with expression and feelings.

Similarities Between Recognition and Appreciation

To state simply, recognition deals with what employees do. When employees accomplish a goal or achieve something exceptional, the company recognizes them. It is one kind of appreciation on its own.

Appreciation works on a personal level. When organizations acknowledge the importance of their employees, this is considered as appreciation.

Both recognition and appreciation help employees feel connected with the organization. The fundamental difference between these two behaviors is, recognition depends upon performance, and appreciation is not.

Difference Between Recognition and Appreciation

Limitation of Top-rated Employees

Most companies acknowledge the achievement of employees in a grand manner. While it is a good practice, the number of top performers in offices is limited. It can make other employees feel undervalued and unappreciated. They help organizations accomplish goals as well. For a better work environment, organizations need to acknowledge their contribution too.

Appreciation can be a great way to overcome this limitation. It allows employers to appreciate each employee fairly. Thus, every employee feels valued and appreciated.

Nature

Recognition can come with unnecessary competition. Exceptional performances of employees bring them recognition. Therefore, it can fuel up jealousy and distrust among employees. A good work environment must be built with compassion and collaboration. When employees are competing against each other, it hampers employee engagement and overall productivity.

Appreciation is more personalized than recognition. Here employees are valued by what they are, not what they are accomplishing. Therefore, it has little chance of unhealthy competition. Workplaces practicing employee appreciation experience better growth as each employee works with their better suits and asks for help when they come short.

Human Aspect Consideration

Employee recognition is dependent upon results. If employees do excellent jobs, they are worthy of recognition, otherwise not. No human aspect is considered while recognizing.

On the other hand, appreciation is based on human aspects and the better traits of employees. Employers can thank employees for coming earlier or completing tasks in due time. It makes the employees feel appreciated, yet no grand gesture is required. Here, employers acknowledge the best traits of employees.

Voicing Opinions

Last but not least, recognition is a systematic process. It comes from higher-ups and is formal in nature. It restricts employees from voicing their opinions in giving recognition. Also, there are scopes of complaining about transparency and favoritism. As a result, employees may be divided instead of collaborating.

When a workplace practices appreciation, employees are more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Anyone can acknowledge the good habits of others. Therefore, great office culture can be achieved where collaboration is valued.

Why Employee Recognition and Appreciation are Important

Appreciation is about being nice and assuring employees that leaders know and value them. On the other hand, recognizing employees is more about validating extraordinary works. Both of these are important and should be common practices in workplaces.

Importance of Employee Appreciation

Listening and communicating is the first step to appreciating employees. When you listen to the concerns and opinions of the employees, they feel valued. Therefore, they will be more engaged with the organization. On the other hand, this helps management know what employees want and make the organization more suitable.

Communicating on a personal level with employees also assures employees of their place in the organization. When leaders communicate with employees about their value in the organization or simply ask about well-being, the employees form a relationship with management. This relationship motivates workers to do better and better.

Importance of Employee Recognition

Actions speak louder than words. Recognizing employees does the same thing for an organization. It is specific and tells employees exactly what they have accomplished. It builds confidence in employees and inspires them to keep up the good work.

Recognition is also powerful and extreme. Employees are often recognized by their managers. Therefore, they feel valued and appreciated for what they do. Additionally, excellence is celebrated while recognizing employees. Thus, the more employees try to achieve perfection, the more quality and production increase for organizations.

Bottom Line

A good workplace needs both employee recognition and appreciation. Appreciating each other and gaining the best possible results both are important for a company. These can be achieved when the office invests both in recognition and appreciation. For being the best among others, organizations should include both of these approaches.