I recently organised a webinar with a company that had attempted to deliver a recognition and reward program, but which had failed to inspire staff, despite their best efforts and intentions.
When we looked a little deeper at the program, the reasons for the lack of success were clear.
As a result, we developed a list of 5 steps to consider, giving your business the greatest opportunity to deliver a recognition program that motivates and inspires staff, while delivering a measurable return on investment.
When considering any recognition program, it should have two clear aims:
1. To inspire your staff to increase engagement and deliver “discretionary effort” through improved productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and increased guest or customer experience.
2. To deliver a positive return to the business, so that any rewards are funded out of business improvements, so the program needs clear “deliverables” that can be measured.
You wouldn’t purchase a piece of machinery and not know the cost or return on investment for the life of the machine, so why treat a recognition program any differently? We believe these steps will help.
Step1. Promote your program. Maximise the effect of your program by announcing the reasons for implementing and the behaviour criteria that you are focusing on before you start tracking performance.
Organise a company meeting to promote the reasons for the program to build enthusiasm and desire to participate. It is also a good idea to get staff involved by asking them to name the program and come up with realistic reward ideas.
Step 2. Instant recognition. This is crucial. The company I had spoken with had used a spread sheet to record behaviours, which was given to the staff at the end of each month, or for managers to vote on. The employees often could not remember what they had done to receive the recognition. Utilising technology to deliver instant recognition will motive and inspire your team.
Step 3. Make the rewards achievable. For the team to be motivated by the rewards, all participants have to believe they have a fair chance of achieving them. If you set the bar too high, you’ll be seen as out of touch with reality–and your employees will wonder why they should even try.
Step 4. Celebrate success. The company I had spoken to had quietly presented the staff members with their rewards. When an employee receives an award, celebrate their success. Announce it at a team meeting or send out a company-wide email promoting the success. This will build the enthusiasm among the rest of the team, but remember some employees prefer quiet feedback, so treat employees as they would like to be treated
.
Step 5. Make the program transparent. There’s no faster way to destroy morale and motivation than to let the tiniest bit of favouritism creep into a recognition and reward program. If your team believes you’re playing favourites, they will quickly lose interest. To prevent this, make the criteria clear, consistent, transparent and quantifiable.
Your ultimate goal should be to have everyone thinking “I can achieve that.”
At Brownie Points we believe recognising performance and giving positive feedback really works… and we can make it work for you.
Brownie Points is working with thought leading organisations around the world to tailor employee feedback and recognition programs that have a positive impact on the bottom line.
With our growing network of alliance partners, we offer cost effective solutions for any business.
To learn how Brownie Points could make a difference in your business, call the team today on + 61 (3) 9909 7411 and book a free demonstration, or for more information email us at info@browniepoints.com.au
