Defining Employee Recognition Programs

Best Practices with Employee Recognition

1. Recognize employees based on results and efforts

   There is nothing wrong with the vastly used employee of the month. However, it needs to have substance. Employees need to be recognized for their outstanding service, habits and efforts made in delivering results.

2. Encourage involvement

   While designing the recognition program, it helps if you involve the employees. Ask them how they would like to be recognized and implement the program as a team effort.

3. Have transparency

   There should be transparency on what management looks at when evaluating employees otherwise you may create a culture where employees assume that recognition is based on favoritism.

4. Encourage all round participation

   The program should offer recognition for individuals and teams. These could be peer-to-peer teams or staff to manger teams. There also should be recognition for collaborators who are from different departments to make the program more exciting and include all levels of employment including subordinate staff.

5. Set attainable goal

   If recognition is given for attained goals, ensure that these are actually goals that are attainable. There is nothing worse than having management set unrealistic goals that cannot be met. Making it hard for employees to gain recognition does not boost their morale and demoralizes them.

6. Have consistent recognition programs

   Most organizations assume that rewards and recognition should only be offered at the end of the year.It has been proven that this is not very effective. The program needs to be continuous otherwise it will create a culture where people are only excited during award season. Annual awards are without a doubt essential but these should be a culmination of the employee recognition activities that have been conducted throughout the year.