Recognition Best Practices: Making Your Matrix Work for You
I know what you’re thinking: “I’m busy. You’re busy. I know it’s important, but who has time to properly recognize those around us for the work they do?”
Well, when the power of recognition is so clear, we have to make the time.
Thankfully, a framework like the one we shared in our last article (the Earned/Expected Recognition Matrix) is designed to help not only make it easier to find the time but also to operate in line with some best practices associated with employee recognition.
Now I’m back to focus in on the recognition best practices this framework reinforces.
Whether you use the Earned/Expected Recognition Matrix or not, we hope you remember to…
Access the Accompanying Guide
The Earned/Expected Recognition Matrix Guide offers people at all levels a tool that can help them more intentionally and purposefully recognize those around them for their good work. Use it on your own or share it with peers to strengthen your company’s culture of appreciation.
Keep it frequent.
One manager I shared this framework with told me that they liked the matrix but found it most useful when they sat down with it at the start of every month instead of quarterly.
I’m all for it.
Research suggests that one of the biggest mistakes leaders make is relying too heavily on the annual award ceremony or end-of-year bonus. In fact, according to a SHRM article summarizing a Canva study, among employees who are highly satisfied, nearly three-quarters (71%) are recognized at least a few times a month.
Looking beyond the Earned & Expected quadrant helps you avoid that trap, which is why I recommend quarterly reflection at minimum. But monthly, if you can manage it, is even better. Taking the time to intentionally back recognition into your regular review process keeps it frequent, and that consistency alone can make a noticeable difference.
To make recognition a true habit, my recommendation is to keep the same matrix for the whole year and refer back to it at least quarterly. As you do, make sure you’re offering a variety of recognition opportunities for your team, your peers, and others across the organization who make the work possible.
I personally keep my matrix in my paper planner on my desk where I can see it and access it anytime. Soon, the process of checking in with yourself about how you’re recognizing others becomes rewarding enough to draw you in again and again.
Keep it timely.
Most of us know that feedback is most effective when it’s given close to the moment it’s earned. Recognition works the same way. That’s one of the reasons why making recognition a habit that includes both looking back and looking ahead can be so powerful.
A couple of years ago, I was in one of those busy seasons of life. I was on more flights than I could count, missing my family, and running mostly on adrenaline. On a flight home near the start of a new month, I opened my planner to do my monthly reflection. When I reached my recognition matrix, I realized I hadn’t taken a single moment to acknowledge my assistant, i.e. the person who had quietly kept every trip, every meeting, and every transition between them running smoothly.
If not for that built-in reflection point, I might not have noticed for months. But because I did, I was able to send a quick note of thanks right then and plan a small birthday surprise to arrive later that week.
That’s the beauty of building recognition into your rhythm: it keeps you from letting too much good work go unseen.
Keep it varied.
As a rule of thumb, recognition should be varied and the matrix helps with that, too. The goal is to touch all four quadrants multiple times throughout the year so your recognition doesn’t become routine or predictable.
In fact, one of the biggest recognition mistakes leaders report seeing is relying too heavily on that one annual event where employees receive an award or shoutout for their work. If we wait all year, we may miss out on countless opportunities to help our employees feel seen and acknowledged for their contributions.
You might also think about varying the number of people impacted, sometimes it’s one individual, other times it’s a whole team. These intentional attempts at variety increase the sense of intention and care you put into recognizing those around you.
A Few Best Practices to Strengthen Any Recognition Habit
As you use the framework, it will also help to actively consider the following rules of thumb:
Keep it inclusive.
When you sit down with your matrix each quarter (or each month), make sure you’re not always acknowledging the same people. It’s easy to fall into patterns. For example, recognizing revenue generators and not support staff, or those who are in the office more than remote colleagues.
True recognition is inclusive recognition.
Keep it personal.
You’ve probably heard of The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman. In the early nineties, he adapted that framework for the workplace in The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. It’s a useful place to start when thinking about how to personalize your recognition, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
I often encourage leaders to simply ask. Early on, take time during 1:1s to get a sense of how someone likes to be appreciated. Here are a few questions I use:
What’s your favorite snack?
What are your go-to hobbies or pastimes?
What’s your favorite thing to do with friends and family?
You might also ask more directly, “When you’ve been recognized for good work in the past, what methods did you appreciate most — and least?”
The answers to these small questions go a long way toward making recognition meaningful and memorable.
Keep it specific.
When you’re offering earned recognition, whether expected or not, be very clear about what you’re recognizing. That way, the person knows exactly what’s valued within your team and at your company, and they can continue to deliver on that value.
(Sometimes) Make it visible.
When it makes sense, make your recognition public. Sharing appreciation openly helps others see what’s celebrated within your organization and encourages a culture of recognition to take root across the team.
When you use the Earned/Expected Recognition Matrix as a guide, and pair it with these best practices (keeping it frequent, timely, varied, inclusive, personal, specific, and sometimes visible), recognition stops being an afterthought.
It becomes part of how you lead.
And over time, that consistency builds something powerful: a workplace where people feel genuinely seen, valued, and motivated to keep doing their best work.
This article was written by Natalia Eileen, Seen@Work’s Founder & Principal Consultant. Learn more about Seen@Work and schedule time with Natalia and her team at seenatwork.com/consultation.
