It’s estimated that over half of the U.S. workforce believe they aren’t properly recognized or appreciated by their boss. This translates into lower productivity, higher turnover rates, increased rate of injury, and a lower morale morale in the workplace. But recognition doesn’t have to come strictly from the employer; it can also come from other workers.

What Is Peer-To-Peer Recognition?

Peer-to-peer recognition is the process of exchanging gratitude and appreciation among coworkers. Most recognition programs, including employee-of-the-month programs, are constructed with the employer having the sole responsibility of choosing who, how and when to recognize employees. In some cases, this is perfectly fine, but other times it can slow down the normal function of a business.

From customer relations to employee management and product inventory, employers today have dozens of responsibilities. Unfortunately, the massive workload carried by employers can make it difficult – if not impossible – for them to properly execute an employee recognition program. Recognition programs aren’t considered a “necessity” for most businesses to operate; therefore, the employer will place it on the backburner so he or she can attend to more pressing and immediate matters.

According to a recent study performed by researchers at Harvard University, the average employer-to-worker ration in the U.S. is 1-10. That means there’s only one employer for every ten workers. Adding the responsibility of recognition to the employer’s long list of current tasks isn’t always feasible, as the employer may not have the time nor resources to complete the task.

Peer-to-peer recognition solves this predicament by taking the sole responsibility of recognition off the employer’s shoulders. Rather than making it a one-person operation, peer-to-peer recognition allows a countless number of people to participate and show appreciation to the workforce.

How To Encourage Peer-To-Peer Recognition In The Workplace

There’s no way to force employees to recognize and appreciate one another, but there are some steps you can take to encourage this activity.

• Set up a bulletin board where workers can leave “thank you” notes.
• Create an internal e-mail system.
• Verbally encourage workers to show gratitude amongst themselves.
• Set both short and long-term goal.
• Get involved in your company’s peer-to-peer recognition programs by reading thank you notes, cards, etc.
• Incorporate social media into your company’s peer-to-peer recognition program.
• Reward employees who exhibit strong peer-to-peer recognition skills.