Recognition in the workplace is crucial for both retention and employee engagement. Great leaders know this, and research consistently backs up the notion. A recent study found that employees who felt their managers did a good job of providing recognition were 40 percent more engaged than those with managers who did not. Those engaged employees also reported feeling more confident and better informed, put in more discretionary effort, and were less likely to quit. Recognition, though, isn’t simply a clap on the back and a thumbs up. Meaningful recognition is difficult to provide, especially in hybrid and remote environments. One way to provide better recognition is to practice reflection during the process. Reflective recognition asks employees to stop and reflect on their challenges, how they’ve overcome them, and the accomplishments they’re proud of. To put this into context, invite them to share with you. Ask what they’re working on, what they’re excited about, and about any issues they’re currently grappling with. Reflect on their feedback, and acknowledge it positively.