How to Develop a Meaningful Employee Recognition Program

X Ruth MayhewRuth Mayhew began writing in 1985. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry" and "Human Resources Managers Appraisal Schemes." Mayhew earned senior professional human resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute, and she has a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

By Ruth Mayhew, eHow Contributor updated: December 07, 2010



.The focus of a meaningful employee recognition program is the employee's contribution to the organization. Two factors employers should be mindful of when developing an employee recognition program are intent and content. The intent of recognition is to showcase the skills, talents and motivation of employees who go beyond the routine performance of their job duties. Content implies that recognition, unlike employee rewards, is not a financial incentive. Many human resources professionals use the terms recognition and reward interchangeably, which is an actual misconstruction of the word "recognition." Several steps are necessary to develop an employee recognition program that inspires workplace creativity and commitment.



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1

Conduct research on employee recognition programs. Look for examples of recognition programs in your specific industry or network with other human resources colleagues about innovative ways to recognize employee accomplishments. You will discover there are thousands of ways to recognize hard work and motivation. However, an entire program requires more thought about how the types of recognition you select affect employees.



2

Consider supervisor and manager feedback one of the fundamental elements of employee recognition. The occasional pat on the back or congratulatory announcement during staff meetings is an excellent way to publicly acknowledge an employee's accomplishments. As part of your company's performance management system, company leadership should provide informal feedback on a regular basis as they observe employees engaged in the performance of their duties. However, some supervisors and managers are unable to strike a balance between managing departmental operations and managing their staff. A surefire way to start implementing meaningful recognition is to hold supervisors and managers accountable for giving regular feedback to their employees, including positive strokes for employees who are leaders in their area.



3

Avoid assumptions that employee recognition programs are limited to annual employee banquets or a family night out at the ball game. Unique ways to recognize employees include items such a press release announcing the top performing sales representative for your company. This serves two purposes. It is truly recognition of an employee's initiative, drive and results and it is also a testament to the company practice of publicly recognizing employees. This can enhance your position in the community as an employer of choice.



4

Obtain feedback from employees about the type of recognition they prefer. You might be surprised if raises, money and bonuses are not at the top of the list. Employers may think generous monetary rewards improve employer-employee relationships; however, the key to employee satisfaction is developing a program that affects the individual employee's desire to continue exhibiting traits worth noticing.



5

Ensure you are not recognizing the same group of employees month after month. When employees discover a core group of individuals receive coveted recognition, they are likely to lose faith in the company's commitment to fair treatment of all employees. Create an employee recognition committee to avoid the perception of favoritism or bias. Even though you have intentions for a program that gives everyone an opportunity to receive recognition, the potential for bias still exists. A committee comprised of employees representing all levels and departments within the company can lend itself to objectivity.



6

Avoid using common employee recognition companies that sell statuettes, plaques and name plates for employers to purchase as part of their recognition programs. A personal letter of commendation from the president of the company lasts a lot longer in the mind of an employee than a plaque that can tarnish or chip over time. Plus, recognition from an executive leader can always become part of the employee's professional file and incorporated into their resume.







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