Building a powerful recognition program for your organization

A recent survey done by Gallup reveals some startling facts about the average American business:

If 100% of your employees were working at their full potential and happy about their situation, your...

• customers would be 70% more loyal
• turnover would decrease by 70%, and
• profits would increase by 40%

But research done by Public Agenda Forum discovered that fewer than 25% of American workers are working at their full potential; half do no more than directly asked, and 75% say they could be more effective. It’s time to tap into this unused resource—just imagine what level of success your organization could reach if your employees realized their full potential!

So what is the key to helping your employees? How can you encourage success in your organization?

The answer is recognition. A summary of Gallup research concluded: Praise and recognition are essential building blocks of a great workplace. We all possess the need to be recognized as individuals and to feel a sense of accomplishment. There is nothing complicated about recognition, but it is one of the items that consistently receive the lowest ratings from employees.

Understanding the basics of recognition can enable organizations just like yours to improve employee performance and ultimately affect the overall success you can achieve.

Determine your objectives.
Obviously, you have to start with a goal in mind. Figure out exactly what you want to accomplish. And keep in mind, there are many reasons to recognize: years of service, safety, quality, teamwork, innovation, sales, community involvement, and, of course, performance-based awards, just to name a few. You can also institute a peer-based recognition program. An easy way to figure out what your recognition needs are is to take a look at your corporate values. Align your program with the goals and behaviors your company values most, such as teamwork, innovation, quality and service. You may even find that more than one award program is appropriate to your organizational needs.

Analyze the demographics.
You may already know who your customer is, but how well do you know your employees? Ask yourself who your people are, and how they would want to be recognized. This is a great opportunity to speak to your managers or the employees themselves and ask them. You can also create a simple survey with open-ended questions and review responses from your employees. You may be surprised to find out what they would like included in their “perfect” recognition program. The more information you can collect about what motivates your people, the more effective your program will become.

Determine the statement you want to make.
Again, any recognition program you develop should align with your corporate values. If teamwork and innovation are two of the values you want to reinforce through your recognition efforts, make sure that every aspect of your program, from the kick-off activities to the messages on the awards you give out, reflects those values.

Create a budget.
Budgetary considerations can sometimes be a challenge to establish. How much is appropriate to spend? If your budget is too low, you could be making a statement that your organization isn’t serious about recognition. Too high, and your employees may think the money could be spent in a different way. The most important thing is to consider both long-term and short-term expenditures. Don’t make a mistake of running out of money before your program is complete. Make the commitment and stick to it!

Develop a communications strategy.
If a recognition program exists, but no one knows about it, how effective is it going to be? Now is the time to figure out how you will communicate the details, the rewards, the goals and the timing to your employees. And remember…too much is never enough when it comes to hyping your program. Get excited about it and your employees will get excited as well. Newsletters, e-mails, posters, kick-off meetings, and brochures are all appropriate.

Develop an awards strategy.
The eternal question: what will work better for your organization: monetary or non-monetary rewards? Usually, the answer falls somewhere in the middle. When developing your program, keep in mind your company’s culture, the nature of the audience, the age and pace of the organization, and its prospects for growth. And no matter what rewards you give, make sure you present each winner a tangible award they can proudly display for others to see. Select personalized awards that are relevant to your people, ones that also align with your organizational goals. You may also want to establish multiple levels of accomplishment so that more employees have the ability to reach their goals.

Involve employees.
Empower your employees to help shape the nature and scope of your program by setting up an employee-based committee. Outline the goals and measurements, then solicit their ideas for implementation, tactics for obstacles that may arise, and creative measures that can be utilized to execute your program more effectively. Make sure to involve employees from several different departments and backgrounds—this allows everyone in your organization to participate at some level in the decision-making process.

Develop a meaningful presentation strategy.
It’s not just enough to create an effective recognition program. For maximum impact, you should present the awards to your top performers in a meaningful way. This can be in either a formal or informal setting, at an annual awards banquet or in a departmental meeting. The important thing is to recognize outstanding employees in front of their peers. Tell the group exactly why the recipients merited the award and showcase them as an example for others to emulate. And don’t forget to sincerely thank everyone involved for his or her efforts.

Rethink recognition on a regular basis.
One of the primary goals of an awards program is to emphasize the idea that the company truly values their employees. As such, your program results should be reviewed periodically to make sure your company is benefiting from it. And, as your organizational goals and values evolve and change, so must your recognition programs. It is also important to solicit feedback from your employees and provide them a forum for suggestions that may have a positive impact on the overall effectiveness of your program.

These tips outline the basics of a successful recognition program. Any recognition program, when executed well, can encourage your employees to work harder, allow them to be more satisfied about their work and can ultimately help increase your organization’s bottom line. Make recognition a priority in your organization, and you can reap the benefits for years to come.

Remember…appreciate your people, and they’ll appreciate you.

Information provided by Jennifer Svoboda, Corporate Communications Manager for Successories, LLC.
Successories is famous for exclusive prints reinforcing teamwork, excellence, success, service, and leadership values. They also manufacture and distribute unique award programs for employee-of-the-month, years of service, and performance; plus, effective on-the-spot recognition products. Specialize in personalization, customization, and logo design. For more information, send email inquiry to contactus@successories.com.