Too often we rely on lines from Hollywood movie scripts that say things like, “If you build it, they will come.” Unfortunately, that doesn’t work very well when it comes to recognition and reward programs.
Look at the following ideas to consider when you want to engage all, or more of, your employees in using your recognition programs.
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Do your employees know the difference between recognition and rewards? Are managers and supervisors consistently praising and recognizing their direct reports for doing good work on a regular basis? Is peer-to-peer recognition happening through your social recognition newsfeed and face-to-face?
If you had a “no” to any one of those questions, you likely need to send out recognition messaging more often.
It might well be time to communicate what recognition is and why it is so important. You may need to tell everyone how easily they can recognize one another. Show them how to give meaningful and effective recognition.
I have written before about the importance of creating a Recognition Communications Calendar to support your recognition programs and practices. However, I was not as clear as I should have been, about what to include in your advanced communication planning.
You have to be strategic about the recognition messaging you want to convey throughout the company. Here are some quick thoughts to guide you. (more…)
You’re excited about your recognition programs portal. You have everything you have asked for over several years of design and development.
Your recognition portal houses a recent peer-to-peer, social recognition program. You can easily access your career milestones program from here as well. The social news feed allows everyone to know about career and personal anniversaries and people can make comments, add replies, and like messages of praise, acknowledgment, and thanks for the great things happening at your company.
And, your supervisors and managers, have access to a performance-based reward and recognition program. Here they can give rewards accompanied by recognition to employees who go above and beyond in their work.
You launch your new all-access recognition portal. Then it’s crickets.
Your wish is to get more employees and managers involved in effectively using your recognition programs.
Is there anything you can do to invite greater participation with your recognition portal? What are some principles you can apply to make your site more engaging? (more…)
I believe every client I have worked with sincerely want to get real recognition happening the right way wherever their people work.
They also know, that in order for the right recognition practices to take place and their recognition programs to be used most effectively they have to, (1) build awareness of the importance of recognition, and (2) educate and show people how to get recognition right.
One way to do this is to provide a manager recognition resource section on your recognition website. This provides a forum to inform, educate and inspire managers on the art and practice of giving real recognition.
And it requires a strategic structure to make your manager recognition resource section the best.
Here are 10 ideas to guide you with designing your manager recognition resource webpages. (more…)
Many of you responsible for employee recognition in your organizations have a hard time getting full support and attention of your managers.
Some just don’t get it as far as understanding the importance of recognition in the eyes of their employees.
A few managers rose to their current position solely based upon expertise or technical competency and not for any people skill or emotional intelligence strengths.
Your job is to spark their interest in recognition when they are being bombarded with so many other priorities and distractions.
In reality, we tend to remember two kinds of events in life – major negative happenings and warm, positive activities.
Your goal should be to get managers excited about giving recognition and make it a warm and positive memory for them.
Learn from these four ways to raise the excitement level. (more…)
Too often all the hype, communications and marketing goes into the launching of a new recognition program.
Then there is nothing. All is quiet. You can hear the hum of the photocopier machine.
If you want to keep recognition alive and well and top of mind you need to communicate and market recognition all year long.
That’s why you need to create a corporate recognition communications calendar. (more…)
Whenever you see something great happening on the job, besides thanking them directly face-to-face, you can also use a social recognition program to instantly acknowledge your staff online.
Social recognition programs are simply another tool in your toolbox to better practice giving recognition to your peers and employees. And they help spread the good news of all worthwhile actions happening to others in the workplace because everyone can use it.
But the success of social recognition programs has been shown to require three things: (1) executive expectations, (2) careful communication, and (3) unique understanding of the value of social recognition. (more…)
“Doctor, I’m concerned our recognition program is not going to make it much longer.”
“I know nurse. It’s sad to see a good program go like this.”
“Doctor! The program’s pulse has gone flat.”
“Quick! Get the defibrillator. It’s our only hope!!”
“Charging…five hundred…clear.”
Zapp!! (more…)
I am going to give you access to some great communication planning strategies to drive, motivate and sustain all of your recognition initiatives.
I have seen over 70 nomination submissions from leading companies from around the world vying for the best overall recognition program awards conducted for Recognition Professionals International (RPI). (more…)