Create an employee recognition scheme that really engages with your audience and inspires staff to go the extra mile will have an impact on your bottom line and the ultimate success of your organisation. There are many aspects to consider and careful planning is essential to ensuring that your scheme doesn’t sit there gathering dust after an initial all singing, all dancing launch and a few months of staff dipping their toe in the water.
Any employee recognition programme worth its salt will have taken into consideration six things prior to its launch…
1. Programme Objectives and Company Values
- What do you want to achieve?
- What will be your realistic and measurable objectives?
- How will you recognise people for living the company values?
- How can you explain those values and the programme criteria in everyday language?
2. Programme Stucture and Overall Design
- Define a simple programme structure.
- Set the basic process for peer to peer and manager recognition including regularity, approval and communication.
- Create an appropriate identity, the look and feel should reflect your company’s culture; involve employees wherever possible in its identity.
- Consider how to maintain participation.
3. Find the Right Rewards for your Target Audience
- Focus on recognition rather than reward. The impact of employee recognition has been proven time and again to be greater than that of rewards.
- Ensure the reward value offered is appropriate to the achievement.
- Offer choice and flexibility of rewards to drive commitment and participation.
4. Design an Effective Communication Plan
There is no point having a recognition programme if no one knows it’s there!
- Capture your audience’s attention by utilising various methods of communication.
- Talk to your audience in their language/terminology using the appropriate medium.
- Ensure communication is vibrant, energetic and fun in order to drive participation but most importantly offers a style appropriate to your culture.
- Link communications to your objectives where appropriate.
5. Managing your Programme Effectively
- Continually analyse the programme effectiveness and consider employee feedback.
- Keeping your programme flexible will enable you to adapt your scheme to changing trends and needs.
- Regularly review programme performance.
6. Sharing your Success
Sharing success stories around the company will have a positive impact on your company’s culture to drive programme participation.
View the article on www.incentiveandmotivation.com
Kuljit Kaur
Kuljit is responsible for business development at The Voucher Shop, a division of p&mm ltd. Your one stop shop for corporate vouchers and gift cards for employee benefits, recognition or rewards. Connect with Kuljit on Google+
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