“Write peoples accomplishments in stone, and their results in the sand” – Benjamin Franklin.
One of the most effective ways to boost employee satisfaction and productivity is to provide feedback and recognition for workers’ contributions. Positive reinforcement has been proven to improve performance. Many organisations implement employee recognition programs in order to develop a culture where associates feel recognised and appreciated. For these programs to be successful, it’s vital that your company’s managers and leaders actively embrace them.
Yet it can be a challenge for an HR professional who is responsible for running the recognition program to win the ongoing support of leadership and managers.
Here we offer five tips for winning leadership support for employee recognition programs.
1. Designate a respected Recognition Champion.
Top leadership and managers must be supportive of the employee recognition program, but in most cases recognition is a responsibility that they need to fit it in among many others. A designated Recognition Champion can look at all of the organisation’s activities through the lens of how it fits with your organisation’s employee recognition culture. This person can help highlight important recognition opportunities for leaders and managers.
2. Keep the lines of communication open.
Managers (and employees) must understand the recognition program, how it works and why it is in place in order to actively support and participate in it. At the initial launch of your program, it’s important that all managers as well as employees receive training about the recognition program.
Consider a quarterly or annual review of the program where key stakeholders can get together to review the performance of the program and how it is impacting the organisation and its people. This will build understanding and ownership among the management group.
3. Equip leaders with the tools to recognise their teams.
It’s important to remember that some managers in your organisation are likely to be uncomfortable or unsure of how to provide their employees with the recognition they need to thrive.
For the success of any employee recognition program, managers have to “walk the walk, and talk the talk.” If they are not committed to the success of the program it is destined to fail.
So ensure your managers are on-side and trained in the program.
Managers should have a bank of recognition awards or discretionary award points that they can give to their team. When managers have the tools for recognition easily accessible, they are far more likely to engage enthusiastically with your organisation’s recognition program.
They also need the tools to be able to measure and review the performance of the organisation. Many companies today are turning to cloud based employee recognition platforms such as Brownie Points to automate many of the processes and deliver instant feedback and recognition, while providing a comprehensive range of management reports and dashboards of information.
4. Be consistent by setting clear guidelines for recognition.
One common complaint we hear is that there is a lack of consistency in giving recognition across an organisation. One manager rewards one way, another totally differently. This can be demotivational to employees who believe they are making significant contributions that are being overlooked. A program with clear guidelines on what positive behaviour is being recognised, and what is “above and beyond” will make it easier to deliver consistency across the organisation.
It is also worth considering how to recognise remote staff, or team members working in small departments who may not get the same opportunities to be recognised. Self recognition, with an approval process by a manger, client or customer feedback and specific targets or objectives for these teams or individuals are among the ideas we have seen in place in organisations that are addressing this challenge.
5. Be transparent – let everyone share in the success.
It is important to let people know who is being recognised and what they are being recognised for, and broadcasting the information is a powerful way to reinforce the positive behaviours you are trying to encourage. Staff seeing who and why someone has been recognised will have a clear platform to measure against, and it has been shown that recognition of positive behaviour tends to lead to that behaviour being repeated, especially if a reward is associated with that behaviour. Newsletters, Recognition Walls, and TV monitors displaying names and achievements are a great way to get the success message out there.
Brownie Points, along with its growing network of International Distributors and specialist Consulting Partners in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, South Africa and the UK are working with thought leading organisations to deliver employee engagement programs that focus on tapping into key motivators to increase staff attendance and productivity, improve customer service, reduce staff turnover and more, making the employer an “employer of choice.”
To learn how Brownie Points could make a positive difference to your business, call the team today on 03 9909 7411 to arrange a no obligation and discussion, or email us at info@browniepoints.com.au
