Many managers believe that once they have implemented a recognition and reward program they can forget it and move on to other things. This is not the case. If your recognition program has been gathering dust over the past year now is the perfect time to give it a “spring clean”.
The good news is that it’s not that difficult or costly to do.
Here are 3 tips to help breathe new life into your employee recognition program.
1. Recognise more than reward
Employees don’t need to feel that receiving recognition entitles them to a reward. Recognition is significantly more powerful than rewards. Employees want to know that they are doing a great job. Set the bar high; recognise excellent performance, purpose and mastery. You can still reward employees who receive recognition, but don’t make it a one-to-one relationship.
2. Make recognition transparent and consistent
Recognition programs are designed to inspire, motivate, and reward employees who go “above and beyond”.
Transparency and consistency are the two biggest issues we come across with new prospects. Lack of transparency and consistency of recognition can lead to resentment among staff that don’t see why a colleague has received recognition when they have not. Recognition should be visible to everyone in the team to maximise the motivational effects of your program. Set clear RPIs (recognition performance indicators) to measure performance and ensure all managers are trained to recognise these parameters.
3. Link recognition to core values
The most effective recognition programs revolve around core values and visions. Since the awards represent levels of effort in the practice of your values, that level of effort should remain constant no matter what activities are taking place. For example, an award to someone in Housekeeping for putting “Quality First” (core value) might be for a fantastic effort in making up rooms with consistent excellence, where a “Quality First” award given to someone in Reservations for the same company might be for creating a new process for incoming calls.
Same award level– but a very different activity.
I hope that these tips help you breathe new life into your employee recognition program.
If you would like advice on how to spring clean your recognition program call the Brownie Points team on 03 9909 7411 or email us at info@browiepoints.com.au
