Many employers believe that quarterly performance reviews or short times of appreciation are sufficient to show employees that they are valued, recognized, and appreciated. This attitude, however, ignores the fact that an employee’s sense of appreciation does not last long.
Employee recognition programs come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is universal: without proper preparation, recognizing employees can lead to chaos. If not carefully planned, publicly praising your employees will create dissatisfaction, division, and company internal communication tools. With this in mind, use the following suggestions to get the employee’s recognition to a good start.
- Distribute the Wealth
First and foremost, ensure that your employee appreciation activities are intended to inspire and benefit the entire workplace, rather than just one or two people. Don’t depend on a single end-of-year reward to inspire employees; they’ll forget about it over the year and lose interest if they don’t win. A mix of weekly, quarterly, and annual awards will keep workers engaged and on the lookout for future recognition. Placing the names of award winners on permanent boards across the office would let them know that their award is not forgotten, even though coworkers also motivate.
- Follow corporate culture
Employee appreciation systems must be tailored to the atmosphere of the workplace in which they are implemented. Monthly winners should be encouraged to drape the belt around their cubicle and wear it to weekly meetings.
- Appreciate in a company meeting
Don’t let workers go unnoticed until they are heard. Announce award winners at major company-wide gatherings. If at all necessary, have decorations, music, and why is employee recognition important at each award ceremony. The more prominently you express your appreciation for workers, the longer it will have an impact on their success and attitudes, and the more you will benefit from your newly developed employee recognition program.
