I think it is very important to be more strategic about recognition where you work. You must clearly know the purpose of each of your recognition programs.
Only then will you know when your recognition programs are effective or not.
Take the following approach seriously for a fresh look at your recognition program effectiveness
Develop Your Organization’s Recognition Plan of Action
You are getting really close to having not only a well-articulated recognition purpose and philosophy statement but also a solid recognition action plan to guide your organization on its recognition journey.
Having a recognition action plan takes your recognition strategy beyond your organization’s purpose and beliefs for recognition. Now you have a complete strategy that will become a powerful tool for propelling recognition practices and programs and also driving your culture and helping to achieve your business strategy.
Next comes your Recognition Plan. Your recognition plan is going to come from the gap analysis from your recognition assessment. A recognition assessment allows you to see on paper the strengths and weaknesses of your recognition practices, programs, policies, and procedures.
When you search
out Recognition Professionals International’s (RPI) seven best practices
standards you’ll learn that their first standard is Recognition Strategy.
RPI defines a
Recognition Strategy as a written strategy statement and plan with specific
program objectives, with recognition aligned to the organization’s culture
(i.e. vision, mission and values) and the business strategy and
objectives. They use a three-dimensional recognition approach of formal,
informal and day-to-day recognition practices. This Recognition Strategy
document typically outlines the procedures and processes used and the
program delivery methods for the various types of recognition adopted.
My definition of
a recognition strategy includes a few more features that help make your
recognition strategy a working, actionable tool.
One challenge
with any strategy development occurs after senior leaders have invested their
time and energy in creating one. They just don’t give the same
emphasis to implementing the strategy.
This happens for
recognition strategies just as much as it does for business strategies.
A lot of work
can go into creating a written recognition strategy and then it sits there.
It’s a nice-looking document that does no good unless someone moves it into
action.
Follow are
suggestions for implementing your recognition strategy by dividing and conquering
wherever you can.