An employee recognition program is one of the essentials for the success of any organization today.
The goal of recognition is simple: to make all the hard work of the employees worthwhile and, so, going. Thus the recognition programs are essentially the campaigns that recognize the efforts of the employees.
While there are different ways of employee recognition, the best way to recognize employees requires you to be timely and specific in your appreciation.
Some of the examples for employee recognition can include a verbal or monetary appreciation to a private or public appreciation. And so it can consist of thank you notes, appreciation emails, salary raise/ bonuses, public shout-outs, social media mentions, etc.
A survey reveals that most of the HR leaders globally believe that an employee appreciation program positively adds to the values and culture of an organization.
This article discusses the steps you can follow to create and structure a reward and recognition program:
a) Determining the goals and objectives of Employee Recognition Program
Before setting up your employee recognition program, make sure that you are clear with your goals. Hence, it is essential to know what goals you want to achieve with a recognition program in place.
In addition to the desired goals, you must also be aware of the objectives of your program. It also leads to a good recognition program.
Therefore, you must determine why you are implementing the program: to increase productivity or increase sales?. You should also determine whether you are implementing it for achieving financial results or is it to improve your company’s workplace culture.
It becomes a lot easier to accomplish the desired results of an appreciation program after you determine its purpose.
Another factor that should look into, in this regard, is the benefits that you’ll have from implementing such a program.
Therefore, you must determine why you are implementing the program: to increase productivity or increase sales? It would help if you also determined whether you are implementing it for achieving financial results or is it to improve your company’s workplace culture.
In this respect, it is recommended to go through the relevant case studies. Essentially, you can study the companies with such successful programs and their advantages after implementing them.
Furthermore, to this, you can also go through the methodologies and strategies of such companies. So you could leverage your program better.
b) Determining the cost
Determining the employee recognition program cost is yet another critical element.
Determining the cost is vital if you want to save yourself from a poor or no return on investment. Also, to avoid extra spendings, having an approximate estimate for setting up such a program is crucial.
Ideally, it would be best if you were allocating a budget for your program. And doing so could be more beneficial for small businesses than medium or more enormous businesses.
The reason is that smaller firms already have a financial constraint. And doing so can help them greatly.
c) Forming a committee
The third part in setting up an employee recognition program is forming up a respective committee.
The committee should comprise your employees, who will then be responsible for implementing, maintaining, and establishing the program.
In addition, an efficient committee means better support for your program. And this can result in a better acknowledgment program.
The employees that will form your committee should have one or, ideally, all the following traits:
- Such employees should have a detailed knowledge of the program’s work.
- Such employees should have sufficient leadership qualities.
- They should be interested in the implementation of the program as much as you.
- Such employees should equally aspire to the success of the recognition program as you.
d) Establishing the criteria for employee recognition
An essential part of your employee recognition program is establishing the criteria for your employees to earn a reward and recognition. Hence, a meaningful-looking program includes clearly defined recognition criteria.
As for the recognition criteria, it should be moderate in its nature. It means that neither it should be too hard for the employees to earn, nor too easy.
The principal rationale behind defining the rewards and recognition criteria is to make the employees repeat the desired/ideal behavior. So, with an explicit criterion, your employees are more likely to repeat the conduct leading to recognition.
e) Implementing the program
Like the elements that we defined above, effective implementation is also required for your employee recognition program.
In this respect, you should bring your program into the knowledge of all your employees. Furthermore, you should guide them regarding it. Also, discussing the what, why, who of your recognition program with your employees is also a recommendation.
Lastly, but importantly, you should implement your program in line with your organization’s culture.
The acknowledgment program correctly implemented can go a long way in making your employees give their best. Moreover, it can also help when it comes to having the cream of the cream candidates work for you.
f) Measuring the program
This step is not mandatory to set up an employee recognition program in your organization. But, with it, you can learn how paying your program has been for you.
In this aspect, you can retrospect the productivity, work performance, and engagement of your workplace. And if there’s an elevation (even the slightest), you may conclude your employee recognition program as so-far beneficial.
Last but not least, measuring the outputs of your employee recognition platform also helps to bring about the required changes. As a result of your changes, your program becomes relevant, adaptable, and evolved.
Read More: Modern Employee Recognition Programs That Companies Love
Conclusion
An employee recognition program can help your organization reach new heights of success. But it is only possible when one sets it up correctly.
A rightly set up appreciation program includes determining the goals, establishing the recognition criterion, forming a committee, and correct implementation.
