Start with basics – keep it simple, realistic – to build effective program tied to goals
It happens every day — a business leader, HR manager or supervisor schedules time out of her busy day to recognize an employee’s contribution to the organization. An award is presented to the high-flying employee and the organization takes the opportunity to highlight the attitudes and achievements it values most. When the presentation is done well, everyone in attendance walks away encouraged, riding a little higher and feeling more engaged.
But successful moments like this don’t happen by accident. They are the product of well-designed employee recognition strategies that contain a number of important features.
Four must-have elements
There are four important considerations that apply, regardless of the type of recognition program being implemented:
Stay current: To ensure the recognition program is relevant, companies should regularly ask, “Is our employee recognition in line with the direction we’re trying to take our organization?” Employee recognition strategies should align with a business’s overall values and ideals, such as enhancing employee engagement, increasing retention, spurring innovation and developing culture.
Keep it simple: Some recognition programs require employees to remember a laundry list of objectives. But less is more — keep the program focused on three or fewer items. That way, employees can work toward meeting the goals laid out for them without being burdened by having to understand or remember what is expected.
Be objective: Programs that are objective and quantifiable tend to be more successful. There’s a place for subjective criteria in some recognition initiatives, but the more objective the requirements are, the simpler the administration will be and the easier it will be for employees to understand what they need to do to be recognized.
Be realistic: Objectives need to be challenging but attainable. Take into account varying levels of ability and experience in setting up a recognition program so employees who are on different levels will be motivated and not discouraged. If only a small percentage of employees feels capable of meeting the goals, employers will miss out on the opportunity to motivate and engage the majority.
With the structure in place, the focus can shift to another important area — the awards. It’s wise to carefully consider what the awards are meant to accomplish and to invest some time in selecting the right awards. They are the visible symbols of achievement and serve to communicate the value an organization places on an individual and his contribution. The awards reinforce the relationship between the business, the recipient and the achievement.
Effective awards
There are five characteristics shared by every effective award. They should be:
Personally meaningful: Employees should be able to choose the reward — a vegetarian wouldn’t be too impressed with a food coupon for a hamburger as thanks for a job well done. Many businesses are incorporating award-selection programs so employees can choose a meaningful award.
Exclusive: Awards should only be obtained when employees achieve the specific accomplishments for which the awards were designed — and don’t award an item the employee could go out and purchase himself, or the meaning will be lost.
Symbolically significant: To make the symbolic tie between a company and an achievement, try tastefully incorporating the company’s insignia or engraving the accomplishment or date on the award.
Long-lasting: For the most impact, give awards the recipient will remember six months down the road. The simplest way to create an award with residual (or long-lasting) value is to give ones the recipient will look at or use frequently.
Progressive: It’s important the chosen awards appropriately reflect the progression of milestones or achievements, so the perceived value of the awards should increase as achievements escalate. Avoid cash. Money is a very ineffective award option when recognizing employees because it disappears quickly.
Handing out the awards
The presentation moment represents the real payoff for the employee recognition initiative. Recognition presented in-person, by an immediate supervisor with fellow employees present, is most effective. The setup varies from business to business, but the words used by the presenter should be thought out ahead of time and address the recipient’s special qualities and accomplishments, and how these impact the business. This will make an impression on everyone in attendance and the organization as a whole.
Mike Byam is author of The WOW! Workplace and managing partner of the Terryberry Company, an international firm that specializes in developing, implementing and managing employee recognition programs for organizations. For more information visit www.terryberry.com or call (800) 253-0882.
