Employee recognition programs are a strategic opportunity to drive and reward very specific actions and behaviors. Recognition can be designed to support specific metrics around sales, safety and efficiency. The programs can be structured to support specific organizational changes. But they can also be designed to simply catch employees in the act of living the organizational values or mission. What's important, though, is to ensure that the employee recognition program is tied to meaningful progress - even if it's just to build awareness of intended cultural concepts.
Here are five of the many benefits that recognition programs can drive:
Positive reinforcement is a great motivator for reinforcing the right actions. And whether the employee recognition is accompanied by a prize or just an announcement in a departmental meeting, employees are always happy to know that they're doing or exceeding what's expected of their role. The pride generated from recognition can spur engagement and motivate employees toward even greater effort.
It also helps other employees identify and understand what success looks like in their role or in similar roles. Employee recognition shouldn't happen in a vacuum. The point of recognition is to publicize wanted behaviors and actions. So when folks are congratulating that colleague for a job well done, it gives them an up-close view of the behavior that management responds to and rewards.
In today's uberbusy business environment, it's common for managers to only spend quality time with employees when performance improvements need to be made. This can lead to strained relationships - and stomach aches whenever the manager calls or walks by a cubicle. Recognition programs can provide an opening for managers to build positive reinforcement and better relationshiP-s with their teams.
Most company intranets are full of articles and communications featuring senior leaders talking about plans or results. But it's the day-to-day actions of employees that actually deliver results toward leadership's plans and strategies. Recognition programs provide an opportunity to shine a light on the activities and accomplishments of employees at all levels.
Most companies have a list of values. The purpose of those values is to help employees understand how they should carry themselves as they pursue company and professional goals. Recognition programs centered on organizational values help managers and employees focus not only on the words - teamwork, integrity, et al. - but also give concrete examples of the values in use.
