Recognition Matters

In our industry, there is a desire for recognition. Creative agencies chase awards. They all want to be anointed the "next one", but at Merchant North, we've created a culture of recognition where we value people over awards.

It’s not just a nice thing—it’s essential for creating a positive agency culture.

We prioritize recognizing individual and team accomplishments—big and small—to foster a sense of accomplishment and success.

From meaningful rewards to heartfelt words of appreciation, recognition is a powerful tool for increasing motivation, building team cohesiveness, and creating a space where people enjoy coming to work.

Trophies are nice, but when our people feel appreciated, they’re more likely to be productive and engaged, and our clients get the best work from, in our humble opinion, the best people in the industry.

Recognition is simple and powerful; it motivates and helps Merchant North attract the best people because they know we care about people more than shiny industry bobbles.

Saying thank you is easy, but creating a culture that places people's recognition over industry recognition takes a deliberate and committed effort.

Acknowledge the Extraordinary. Building a strong and positive agency culture means acknowledging the extraordinary. It could be the person who finishes a project early or who shares a brilliant new idea. We reward people behind amazing work. It’s the best way to show our appreciation for their contributions and keep the positive energy high.

Create Moments of Joy. We create moments of joy for both our people. It could be tickets to a game for a hard-working team, a special award for a special accomplishment, or a company-wide thank-you lunch from the CEO. We strive to make sure everyone feels appreciated. We believe these types of gestures are essential for creating a healthy, vibrant agency culture and that culture means our clients have an amazing experience with us.

Be Generous with Praise. It’s an important part of our culture. People like compliments, and we’re generous with praise for our colleagues.

We recognize the good work of our peers and colleagues. We say, “thank you” and make genuine moments to recognize others to show our appreciation. There is power in our words, and we use them to show our appreciation for each other.

Make It Memorable. Genuine praise and recognition are memorable. We create memorable moments to celebrate each other. It could be a birthday, a work anniversary, or a random Tuesday in February.

Recognize people’s efforts and contributions. We acknowledge and appreciate how people contribute to Merchant North's success. We show appreciation with personalized gifts, gift certificates, or delightful meals. Meals are always a superb choice.

Let the Recognition Flow in Every Direction. Our culture of recognition means the flow of recognition is unrestricted. Recognition comes from anywhere by anyone. We share positive gossip around the office. If someone is talking about you, they’re talking about your great new design or how you “always keep the coffee station spotless.”

Recognition matters in the office and beyond. It is one of the most important components of a successful and productive agency.

Recognizing people, colleagues, and other's contributions and dedication builds trust and creates a supportive agency culture.

It encourages everyone to strive for excellence, which leads to the best results and more recognition and celebration.

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