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Recognition: The Gift That Keeps on Giving Year Round
December 04, 2008
Want to show employees you care? Recognition strategist Globoforce offers five tips to energize and engage employees throughout the year
'Tis the season for holiday planning, and companies are beginning to break out the fruit baskets and catalogues in search of that perfect employee gift. But, there's faulty thinking embedded in that well-intended initiative, one that could cost companies their very best talent.
Frequent ongoing recognition—not just one-time displays—is what truly drives up employee engagement and satisfaction levels to create a year-round culture of appreciation. In turn, this positive culture can impact company performance by as much as 27 percent, according to a 2007 Gallup survey.
"That yearly fruit basket or anniversary company clock is just money down the drain," said Derek Irvine, vice president of global strategy for Southborough, Mass.- and Dublin-based Globoforce. "The way to truly impact your workforce and your organization's culture is through ongoing recognition programs that thank employees year round. These programs, which encourage frequent public recognition for a job well done, motivate employees via online [thank-you gifts] and desirable gift cards that offer the power of individual choice. That's the kind of giving that has real sustainable impact."
And the good news is, according to Globoforce, engaging employees year round is within reach when you have a strategic recognition program in place—one that is easy to manage and measure. Tips for building a successful, global and strategic employee engagement program include:
1. Building a "Culture of Appreciation" Year Round
Use the holiday season to kickoff a new year-round employee recognition effort or energize your existing one. By recognizing and rewarding employees throughout the year, it creates a culture of appreciation and a highly motivated and satisfied workforce within your organization.
2. Creating a "Recognition Moment" Through Meaningful Rewards
Giving employees the generic company watch or piece of junk jewelry that will end up at the bottom of a desk drawer is an uninspiring way to show thanks. Rather, award your employees by giving them a choice of meaningful, self-selected rewards—such as gift cards, quality merchandise or travel vouchers. When employees redeem their award, it will create an important and memorable recognition moment with impact.
3. Empowering Everyone in the Process (From the Board Room to the Mail Room)
Employee recognition should not reside solely on the shoulders of management. Every person in the organization should be empowered to acknowledge their peers and co-workers for a job well done. This enables frequent recognition and engages the entire staff—not just the top 10 percent—in the process.
4. Tying Rewards to the Bigger Picture for Bigger Results
Employee recognition should be directly linked to the company's mission and goals. This aligns the entire workforce toward achieving critical company milestones.
5. Communicating—Again and Again
Frequent program communication raises awareness, increases participation, boosts performance and, most importantly, helps develop that valuable lasting culture of appreciation.
Editor's Note: For more information on this topic, click here to read an excerpt from Globoforce's "Top 10 Tips for Running Successful Strategic Recognition Programs" at Incentivemag.com.
Founded in 1999 and co-headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts and Dublin, Ireland, Globoforce is the world's leading provider of global, on-demand, strategic employee recognition solutions for Global 2000 companies. For more information, visit www.globoforce.com.
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