I get it. You're buried under an avalanche of urgent tasks - bids flying out the door while projects fall behind schedule. Your inbox overflows with emails from owners asking why the crew wasn't there last week, mixed in with strategic planning meeting requests and incident reports that need immediate attention. Personnel issues pile up alongside software vendor pitches promising to solve all your problems. The list never ends, and each day brings three new priorities for every one you cross off.

But here's what I've learned through years in this industry: The contractors who make time to celebrate their people don't just have happier employees - they have lower turnover, better safety records, and higher profits that prove recognition isn't just feel good fluff.

Construction is still fundamentally a people business, despite all the technological advances changing our industry. The robots haven't taken over yet. Your competitive edge walks onto jobsites every morning in Red Wings and hard hats, and those people decide whether your projects succeed or struggle.

Most contractors treat recognition like an afterthought, something to squeeze in when everything else is handled. World class contractors flip this thinking and make it a priority from day one. Here's how they do it:

1. Make Years of Service Visible

Anniversary stickers on hard hats. Service award plaques. Simple, but powerful.

You have no idea how much this promotes positive behavior. Throw in a handwritten note from a VP, owner, or senior manager and you've bought yourself loyalty for years.

Aubrey McClendon, the oil man, apparently called Chesapeake Energy employees on their birthday and went out of his way to memorize people’s names - even when they employed 10,000+ people. If he could make it personal at that scale, you can too.

2. Create Legacy Awards

Is there someone who exemplified safety, quality, or culture at your company? Create an award named after them.

The "Fred Wilson Quality Award." The "Maria Gonzalez Safety Excellence Award."

It honors their memory while setting the standard for everyone else. Southwest Airlines does this with their "Founder's Award" named after Herb Kelleher. Twenty years after his retirement, people still talk about "What would Herb do?"

3. Break Recognition Down to the Crew Level

Don't just recognize company-wide performers. Celebrate at every level - division, area, plant, crew.

4. Use Social Media (Yes, Really)

LinkedIn and Instagram posts celebrating your people. I know operators and hourly field folks who check LinkedIn daily. I know a tack truck driver who posts almost every day.

Tag them. Share their stories. Show the world who builds your projects.

5. Employee of the Month (Not Corny)

Sounds cheesy. It's not.

We started this in my division at Barriere when we were struggling with turnover and culture issues. Around 80 employees. Two things shocked me:

First, how proud people were to be selected. Second, how hard it was to pick someone each month - made me realize how many great people we had.

Double benefit: made folks proud and made management appreciate our team.

6. Tell Stories, Not Just Project Updates

Monthly newsletters should be about people, not just concrete pours and milestone completions.

Dan Garcia at C.W. Matthews hosts their internal company podcast. He interviews employees about their journey to the company, what they've learned, what their job means to them.

I listened to an episode about a carpenter with two college degrees who fell on hard times due to addiction, got sober, and found his way to Matthews where he'd worked for several years. Incredible story. You've got stories like that in your company if you seek them out.

7. Take a Ride, Shake Some Hands

Doesn't have to be formal. Drive through your projects. Get out of your truck. Ask how things are going.

Howard Schultz at Starbucks spent one day a week in stores, not because he had to, but because those conversations kept him connected to what actually mattered. Your version is spending time on jobsites with the people doing the work.

8. Use Annual Events Strategically

Kickoff meetings and year-end celebrations are perfect for recognizing individual accomplishments.

Yes, there's always stuff to improve. But sometimes a pat on the back helps more than another lecture about productivity.

9. Leverage Technology for Recognition

Stansell Electric uses Lattice to shout out their employees. Near misses get featured in company newsletters—celebrating people who speak up, not just perfect safety records.

Centralized employee communication apps keep everyone connected and recognized in real time.

10. Make It Personal Through Authenticity

Actions speak louder than words. Your people can smell fake appreciation from a mile away.

Some companies give out turkeys at Thanksgiving to show they're family-oriented and care about individuals. Others host family BBQs where spouses and kids get to see where dad or mom works.

The key is authenticity behind it. What matters to your company? Safety? Quality? Taking care of each other? Find ways to celebrate people that reinforce those values, not generic "employee appreciation" that could come from any HR handbook.

Recognition isn't about participation trophies or feel-good moments. It's about retention, performance, and culture.

Happy people work safer. Recognized people stay longer. Engaged crews deliver better work.

Start Small, Start Now

Pick ONE thing from this list. Do it consistently for three months. Track your turnover numbers, safety incidents, and quality during that time.

Construction is a people business, and your people are watching to see if you truly believe they matter. Recognition is your competitive edge hiding in plain sight.

What works at your company? Reply and tell us how you celebrate your people.

Thanks for reading this week!

In Case You Missed It:

How Not To Hire

The Innovator’s Dilemma

Why Costco Is Stealing Your Next Superintendent

The Big Job Playbook

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About the Author

Tristan Wilson is the CEO and Founder of Edgevanta. We make software that helps contractors win more work at the right price. He is a 4th Generation Contractor, construction enthusiast, ultra runner, and bidding nerd. He worked his way up the ladder at Allan Myers in the Mid-Atlantic and his family’s former business Barriere Construction before starting Edgevanta in Nashville, where the company is based. Reach out to him at [email protected]