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Tips for Everyone

People walking around Lake Devo with reflections of the trees and buildings in the water.

Recognition practices are most effective and meaningful when people can see how their contributions are helping Ryerson achieve its priorities and values. Remember, the most impactful recognition is timely, specific and meaningful. Here are some ideas for recognition you can use.

Quick tips to get started

Be thankful

Most people simply want to be thanked for what they do.

Say "thank you" for completing a difficult task or managing a difficult situation.

Be specific

Tell the person what it is you're thankful for and how it helped.

Be meaningful and proactive

Ask others how they like to be recognized. Use our employee preference questionnaire to understand what meaningful recognition looks like to them.

Be realistic

Set goals that are achievable and realistic.

Be open

Ask for feedback on your expectations and recognition practices.

Be available

Be present and listen, acknowledge others’ ideas.

Be timely

Don’t wait! Recognize the person right away.

Be equitable and inclusive

Give everyone the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions. Read keeping things fair to help with equitable and inclusive practices.

Be positive

Spend most of your time focused on recognizing what is going well.

Be authentic

Be sincere in the recognition you give.

Be flexible

Reevaluate and update your recognition activities regularly.

Be aligned

Coordinate recognition with department, faculty and university values.

Remember that showing appreciation for others doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. Draw inspiration from this list of ways in which you can say thanks.