Employee recognition program: how to.

Creating a strong and healthy culture that supports employee growth is an integral part of any growing business. A happy work environment is one where team members feel valued and supported. And when employees feel supported, they are more likely to feel motivated to do their best work.

A company recognition program is an initiative that rewards employees for going above and beyond their job responsibilities. An employee recognition program can help you retain your team by highlighting the unique value each person brings to the business, as well as helping you attract new team members with a reputation for creating a great work environment.

An employee recognition program will not only make your employees happier, but also improve their performance so that your organization has fewer errors, faster response times, and increased results. Let’s take a look at the how to when it comes to your employee recognition program:

Understand the needs of your employees.

The foundation of any good employee recognition program is an understanding of the needs of your employees. By taking the time to truly observe and listen to your team members, you can identify their passions and goals outside of their jobs.

This will give you insight into the type of recognition they would truly find meaningful. For example, let’s say you have a team member who is a devoted stay-at-home parent. A gift card to the coffee shop doesn’t really mean much to her, but the opportunity to attend a conference or webinar that relates to her work would be a great way to recognise her efforts.

Similarly, some employees may crave more autonomy and recognition for creative ideas. For these types of employees, public recognition from the rest of the organisation might feel uncomfortable, while a more private ‘shout-out’ from a manager or team leader would be a much more suitable acknowledgement.

Focused on behaviour, not just results.

In addition to recognising the hard work that leads to successful results, an employee recognition program should be designed to highlight the behaviours that drive those results.

Behaviours such as showing up early to work, collaborating regularly with colleagues, or offering feedback to a manager are what keep a business running smoothly and efficiently. You shouldn’t reserve your recognition program only for big achievements, either. Employees should be rewarded regularly for the positive behaviours they exhibit at work, not just at special occasions.

Acknowledging positive behaviours on a consistent basis will help keep your employees in the habit of producing these results, and will help you to create an upward spiral of greater productivity through positive reinforcement.

Rewards should be meaningful to employees.

While it’s important to consider the needs and behaviours of your employees when coming up with a recognition program, it’s also essential to make sure any rewards are meaningful to each individual.

While you may have a great idea for a gift you would love to give to your entire team, there’s a chance that the rest of the group would find it less than desirable. For example, you may discover that your team would love a gift card to their favourite sports bar, while you had your heart set on a chance to meet with a key executive at your company. While you may be disappointed that your gift idea was rejected, employees will appreciate the fact that you took the time to get to know them and their tastes, and they will likely be grateful to receive the sports bar gift.

The other thing to consider when it comes to rewards is offering employees a choice. Designing a recognition program where employees earn points that can be redeemed for their choice of reward is a great way to give everyone exactly what they want.

Frequency and timing of recognition.

There’s nothing worse than waiting and wishing for recognition that never comes. And there’s nothing more confusing for your employees than being promised something but not know when it will be delivered.

While you might have a great idea for a big recognition event and want to hold all the kudos until then, it is better off being given in the moment. While you can call out behaviours again at a company event, timing is everything when it comes to effectively employee recognition.

Build this into your program with an ‘on-the-spot’ mechanism. Whether it’s posting to a company communication channel, through a formalised employee recognition program or simply sending an email at the time, in the moment is what makes all the difference.

Bottom line.

Recognition is only effective if they are given in a timely and authentic manner, and have meaning for the recipient. Take the time to get to know the people who work for your business, and design a recognition program that will create a culture that supports and appreciates those individuals. Your employees will be grateful for the extra attention, and your business will be better for it.