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Is Your Employee Recognition Strategy On Point?

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Sponsored by Kudos

The idea of employee recognition seems as natural as breathing. Who wouldn’t want to recognize a job well done? But the truth is, effective workforce recognition doesn’t just naturally happen. That’s why it pays to invest in a thoughtful recognition strategy.

Why a Strong Recognition Strategy Matters

If you follow leading workplace management trends, you know the case for recognition is compelling. For example, according to recent Gallup research:

  • Employees who say recognition is important to their organization are nearly 4x more likely to feel strongly connected with their culture.
  • When employees receive great recognition, they’re 20x more likely to be engaged than those who aren’t effectively recognized.
  • Among employees with successful recognition programs, 72% say their performance is acknowledged, even on “little things.”

Clearly, employers can’t afford to leave employee recognition and engagement to chance — especially in today’s complex hybrid work environment. But what exactly does an effective recognition strategy look like? Join me as I dig deeper with an industry expert on this episode of #WorkTrends…

Meet Our Guest: Karim Punja

Karim Punja is the COO at Kudos. As a CFA charterholder with over 15 years of experience at multiple global tech companies, Karim has found his sweet spot at Kudos. That’s because it’s a dynamic HR tech venture where data-based decisions are made at the speed of change, and everyone at Kudos is focused on improving the world of work.

With his business acumen and first-hand understanding of tools that enhance the modern employee experience, Karim is an ideal source for advice on how to develop a successful employee recognition strategy.

To learn more, check these highlights from our discussion…

Building a Recognition Budget

Welcome, Karim. Let’s begin with funding. Recognition programs should be planned, funded, and measured, just like any other business initiative. But how do we build a budget for this?

Well, a typical benchmark for a platform-supported program is 1-3% of payroll or of an employee’s salary.

But this is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach. You also need to consider your organization’s culture and recognition strategy.

What’s the split between hourly and salaried workers? Are your teams mostly remote workers or deskless workers? Plus, you’ll want to consider whether you’ll want to use a recognition platform to supplement income through rewards.

In addition, you may already be doing things you can consolidate into a recognition and engagement platform. For example, do you offer spot bonuses? And how do you manage birthdays and milestones?

Why Management Involvement is Key

What other elements should a recognition strategy include?

One of the most critical keys to success is getting managers on board early as stakeholders who take ownership of system adoption and usage.

We know this from analyzing our own clients. When managers are highly engaged with our system, monthly participation among non-managers is 3x higher than groups where manager engagement is low.

How a Recognition Strategy Creates Value

How should HR professionals communicate the value of employee recognition to senior leaders and others?

Measurement is an important attribute, because it speaks to the core philosophy that “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.”

With an employee recognition system, you can get measurable insights into employee wellbeing. And when you overlay that with engagement surveys, you can compare the data and see the impact of your culture over time.

I like to talk about the value of employee engagement metrics as a leading indicator of organizational health. Whereas surveys are more of a lagging indicator, because they provide a snapshot of sentiments that have led up to a particular point in time.

So, because a recognition and engagement platform provides real-time metrics and trends, it gives you a leading indicator of sentiment. This means you can use those actionable insights proactively, rather than reactively…

 

Learn More About How to Develop a Successful Recognition Strategy

Listen to this full #WorkTrends episode on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or wherever you tune in to podcasts. And while you’re there, be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss future episodes.

Want to continue this conversation on social media? Follow TalentCulture or use our #WorkTrends hashtag anytime on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Let’s talk!

11 Innovative Ways to Reward and Recognize Employees

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Recognition matters. We hear it over and over again in leadership books and best practices articles. It makes sense to recognize employees early and often. But workforce appreciation isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing, and random acts of recognition usually fall flat.

So, what do successful organizations do? They focus on building a culture where appreciation is consistently expressed in meaningful and memorable ways. But what methods actually work? For real-world advice about how to recognize employees, we asked business and HR leaders these questions:

What is one innovative way your organization recognizes and rewards employees?
How is this making a positive difference?

We received feedback from across the business world — from HR Directors to CEOs. And if you just skim this list, I’m sure you’ll find at least a few suggestions worth implementing:

  • Allocate “Dream Vacation” Time to Stellar Performers
  • Provide a Monthly Recognition Allowance
  • Make Recognition Special with “Spotlight” Experiences
  • Foster Collaboration with a “Skills Swap” Initiative
  • Lift Morale with a Peer Spotlight Program
  • Support “Passion Projects” that Boost Job Happiness
  • Incentivize Excellence with Employee of the Month Awards
  • Promote Team Unity with a Specialized Listening Tool
  • Show Genuine Appreciation with Personalize Gifts
  • Encourage Career Growth Through Learning Autonomy
  • Reinforce Team Spirit with Virtual Toasts

To learn more about how recognition is enhancing employee engagement, job satisfaction, and other key employee experience metrics at companies large and small, check the responses below…

11 Unique Ideas to Recognize Employees

1. Allocate “Dream Vacation” Time to Stellar Performers

We’ve implemented a special recognition program called “Flexible Dream Vacation.” Employees who surpass extraordinary performance goals receive an extra week of paid vacation time, which we call a “Dream Vacation.”

This additional week is not subject to typical vacation rule restrictions. It can be used whenever the employee wishes — even on short notice. This creative idea enables employees to take much-needed time away, so they can realize personal travel goals and come back to work revitalized.

The program has improved enthusiasm and morale among our team members, while boosting their productivity and sense of loyalty. In fact, since its adoption, we’ve seen a phenomenal 20% increase in employee engagement scores on our yearly surveys.

Greg Rozdeba, Co-Founder and CEO, Dundas Life

2. Provide a Monthly Recognition Allowance

We empower everyone in our organization to take charge of recognition. Every month, we distribute $5 to each staff member, so they can say “thank you” to others, $1 at a time.

It’s not about the money. The $1 is really just a nudge to remind everyone to pay attention and share appreciation with people around them.

At our company, team members are celebrated 4.7 times a month on average. This has a much bigger impact than a typical monthly MVP award ever could!

Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, Motivosity

3. Make Recognition Special with “Spotlight” Experiences

One innovative way we recognize employees is through a unique “Spotlight Experience.” Every month, we grant one outstanding employee a “day-in-the-life” experience tailored to their personal passion or aspirations outside of work. For instance, we arranged for an employee who is deeply interested in culinary arts to spend a day with a renowned chef, cooking alongside them and learning advanced techniques.

Our “Spotlight Experience” program underscores our commitment to recognizing each employee as a whole individual, not just their professional contributions.

Because this unique approach goes beyond conventional bonuses and focuses on individual interests, it builds deeper connections with people and motivates them more deeply. For example, a recent internal survey revealed a 40% increase in job satisfaction scores and a 30% uptick in employee engagement.

William Phipps, Founder, AI Tool Portal

4. Foster Collaboration with a “Skills Swap” Initiative

One way we recognize employees is through a “Skills Swap” program. In other words, employees teach their unique skills or hobbies to colleagues during dedicated instructional sessions. For example, one of our software engineers hosted a workshop on basic coding for non-technical team members.

This endeavor has significantly improved employee morale, motivation, and engagement. It creates opportunities for employees to showcase their expertise outside their job roles, fostering a sense of value and recognition. As a result, 85% of employees recently reported feeling more appreciated and motivated because of this initiative.

Moreover, these sessions have fostered a stronger sense of community and collaboration. Employees from different departments are interacting and learning from one another in new ways. This is breaking down silos and enhancing communication. In fact, we’ve seen a 30% increase in cross-departmental collaboration on projects.

Beth Worthy, President, GMR Transcription Services, Inc.

5. Lift Morale with a Peer Spotlight Program

We have initiated a “Peer Spotlight Program,” where employees nominate colleagues for outstanding contributions that might otherwise fly under the managerial radar. Each month, we showcase selected employees company-wide and reward them with a unique experience, like funding to participate in a masterclass that focuses on a topic of their choice.

This peer-driven recognition effort has elevated team camaraderie, with our internal surveys indicating a 25% boost in overall team morale and collaboration.

Brett Ungashick, CEO and CHRO, OutSail

6. Support “Passion Projects” that Boost Job Happiness

One innovative way our organization recognizes and rewards employees is through a “Passion Project” initiative. Each employee is invited to pursue a project outside their usual responsibilities that aligns their personal interests with our company’s goals.

For example, an employee with a passion for sustainability initiated a “green office” project. This led our organization to reduce waste and save energy. It even inspired involvement with our local community.

This approach not only enhances job satisfaction but also promotes creativity and ownership. As a result, our employee turnover rate has decreased by 15%, and overall job happiness has improved by 25%.

Sarah Politi, Founder and Managing Director, Jade & Sterling

7. Incentivize Excellence with Employee of the Month Awards

To publicly recognize high-performing team members, we’ve implemented a unique Employee of the Month award program. Rather than simply hanging a plaque with names on it, we hang a custom-made life-sized poster of the top performer in our office entryway. Surprisingly, this program has become extremely popular with staff.

Not only is it a source of employee pride and connection, but it has also sparked friendly competition. Everyone strives to be the face that greets people as they walk into the office. And since we implemented this program, productivity has increased by more than 10%, which we believe is due largely to improved employee morale and engagement.

Janelle Owens, Human Resources Director, Guide2Fluency

8. Promote Team Unity with a Specialized Listening Tool

Our organization has improved employee engagement by implementing an innovative listening tool that facilitates peer recognition. Through this platform, employees can recognize coworkers’ behaviors that exemplify our core values. We call these “Cheers for Peers.”

When someone goes above and beyond to demonstrate a value like “driving results” or “learning relentlessly,” a colleague can quickly log in and send positive feedback. This instant feedback loop makes it easy for employees to recognize value-driven actions in real time. And because people can see all the “Cheers for Peers” nods they’ve sent and received, it further boosts their participation.

Integrating values-driven recognition with daily interactions has been a game-changer for our company. The instant validation employees receive when peers celebrate them for living our values has strengthened staff unity and purpose. As a result, we’ve seen a noticeable improvement in morale and motivation.

Max Hansen, CEO and Co-Founder, Y Scouts

9. Show Genuine Appreciation with Personalize Gifts

We’re a small startup with a social mission, and we really try to personalize the way we acknowledge team members who deserve recognition. Don’t get me wrong — we still all have the same new-hire swag with the same branded mug, notebooks, and pens. It’s not like we’re all crafting unique mugs from clay (although that could be fun!).

But here’s our approach: When someone in our organization goes above and beyond, we find a gift that is meaningful to them. For example, our first hire is proud that she’s employee number 1, so we sent her a branded sweater with a personal note about how she’s #1 to us. (She really is a #1 person in life!)

And when another member of our team attended a Beyoncé concert this summer, we arranged a hotel stay for the weekend, so she could really live it up!

There’s a time and a place for a standard gift card or a company t-shirt. But when employees work extra hours or go above and beyond to help a customer, we know it’s not for the money. It’s because they care. So we find little ways to show them how much we care, too!

Ashley Kelly, CEO and Co-Founder, CultureAlly

10. Encourage Career Growth Through Learning Autonomy

We like to focus heavily on learning autonomy. In other words, we let our team members develop knowledge and skills the way they want to, rather than how they’re told to learn.

Although this isn’t technically a “reward,” it’s a way of approaching professional development that demonstrates a genuine commitment to everyone’s success. It also shows that we trust our staff and we want individuals to flourish in whatever ways are most effective for them.

Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks

11. Reinforce Team Spirit with Virtual Toasts

Something as simple as toasting the week’s top-performing employee can help bring people together for a common purpose. In our organization, this has become a weekly tradition. Every Friday, about an hour before closing time, we host a virtual happy hour. It isn’t a mandatory meeting, but everyone in the company usually joins with a beverage of their choice.

During this online huddle, our leaders take the floor to toast the agent of the week. This is an opportunity to detail the employee’s efforts and acknowledge their achievements.

Afterward, the team tends to linger, usually playing some group games or watching a movie together. It’s a fun way to connect, socialize, and start the weekend on a high note.

Aktug Dogan, CEO, Refermate

Creating a Culture of Recognition: What Works and Why?

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Sponsored by Blueboard

Great employers know that creating a culture of recognition can be a game-changer. An appreciation-first environment naturally attracts high-quality talent and helps people feel more connected with the organization’s mission and values. In fact, research says employees are 69% more likely to dig deeper when managers recognize their efforts.

But creating this kind of culture is easier said than done — especially in today’s challenging post-pandemic world of work. That’s why I’ve invited an expert in employee appreciation and recognition programs to share her expertise with us.

Meet Our Guest: Shireen El-Maissi

Please join me in welcoming Shireen El-Maissi, a seasoned HR and talent acquisition professional who currently serves as Director of People and Talent at Blueboard, a platform that helps organizations implement and manage effective employee recognition programs.

Shireen brings nearly eight years of experience in talent strategy, recruiting, people relations, and employee development to this conversation. And her creativity and enthusiasm for workplace appreciation is infectious. So I invite you to join us as we discuss factors that can make or break employee rewards and recognition…

The Importance of Creating a Culture of Recognition

Welcome, Shireen! Let’s start with a central question: Why do you think creating a culture of recognition is important for all companies?

Human beings need acknowledgement. It is part of our survival. Gratitude helps us connect with something larger than ourselves. So, when appreciation and recognition are built into an organization’s culture, engagement increases.

In fact, companies where appreciation is embedded into the culture see about 6x higher employee engagement and retention.

So when you say thank you — whether that’s verbal or through something like Blueboard’s recognition platform — it creates a much deeper connection with your larger organization.

Linking Recruiting With Recognition
When attracting new talent, where do recognition programs fit in?

Interviews should be a sneak peek into your work culture and the employee experience. That means you’ll want the process to be highly authentic.

Think of interviews as an opportunity to help people understand what it would actually be like to work for your organization. For example, showcase some ways you recognize people by giving them the gift of time and opportunities to experience life outside of work.

Recognition as a Process

Great advice, Shireen! If we oversell or we’re not transparent, we’re not doing ourselves any favors. Because that will come back to haunt us down the road. Why not just be real upfront?

Absolutely. That’s one reason why we conduct “check-ins” with new hires after 30 days, and again at 90 days. A key question we ask is if the job matches their expectations.

Plus, we want everyone to know what Blueboard rewards are really like, so all new hires receive a “welcome” experience on day one. Then at 90 days, we check back to see if they’ve used the experience and ask them what it was like. This helps us verify if these reward experiences are helping them connect with our organization’s broader mission.

Key Metrics When Creating a Culture of Recognition

How can HR get leadership buy-in for recognition programs like yours?

Throughout my career, I’ve focused on how to hire the best people and how to incentivize them to lean into the company’s mission. We know these people can do the job, but what will they contribute if they truly feel valued and connected with the company’s mission?

At Blueboard, we have a spot recognition program that is manager driven and leadership approved. It’s intended to be part of the organization’s broader ecosystem. And programs like this are leading to increased motivation and productivity. That’s the kind of data executives are looking for…

For more insights from Shireen about why and how to create a culture of recognition, listen to this full podcast episode. And be sure to subscribe to the #WorkTrends Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

Also, to continue this conversation on social media anytime, follow our #WorkTrends hashtag on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Why Great Leaders Express Gratitude at Work

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As social beings, many of our relationships are based on reciprocity. At work, we’re often involved in transactional behavior, where we expect to receive at least as much value as we give. But our deepest relationships are usually driven by higher motives like gratitude. A thankful mindset benefits our relationships with others, even if we don’t expect anything in return. That’s why it’s so important for leaders to express gratitude at work.

Research shows that people who practice workplace gratitude help foster more compassion and consideration among their colleagues. For example, the University of Central Florida recently conducted a study among employees from various professions, asking them to journal about work gratitude for 10 days.

This simple act led participants to demonstrate more respect, politeness, and self-discipline. And this is only one of many studies underscoring the power of thankfulness. Bottom line ⁠— if you want to improve your company culture, it’s wise to focus on gratitude.

How Workplace Gratitude Works

Practicing gratitude at work is easy. It’s about recognizing good things that happen throughout the course of a given day. You can focus on an employee’s notable achievement, a coworker’s warm response to a challenging customer, or the arrival of a new coffee machine in the break room. The possibilities are endless.

Here are three types of work gratitude that directly influence employee experience:

1. Episodic Gratitude

This is tied to specific positive events you’ve encountered. For instance, you may be offered a new assignment you’ve been eyeing for a while. Or colleagues may jump in to help you meet a tight deadline. Or your employer gives you time off to deal with a serious illness in your family.

There is a strong correlation between expressions of gratitude in specific situations and positive organizational behavior. In other words, by practicing episodic gratitude over time, you can form a healthy habit that benefits you and your colleagues, alike. And ultimately, it can elevate your company culture as well.

2. Persistent Gratitude

When you consistently tend to feel thankful in a particular context, that is persistent gratitude. People with persistent gratitude are more likely to notice the good in other people’s actions and be thankful for them.

For instance, say your colleague fixes some basic errors in a document you’ve drafted so you don’t have to spend more time revising it. Some people may expect this as a normal part of a colleague’s job. But if you embrace persistent gratitude, you’ll be thankful for that effort to improve your document.

So, why is persistent gratitude important at work? When people feel good about what they do for a living, it leads to better overall well-being. Persistent gratitude leads to positive work-related emotions like enthusiasm and happiness. It also helps form stronger relationships, which in turn can strengthen your organizational culture.

3. Collective Gratitude

This is a feeling of thankfulness that stretches across an organization. It means you have a culture where people openly appreciate each other. With collective gratitude, employees feel free to express gratitude to colleagues, superiors, and clients.

A work environment where you’re appreciated and your efforts are celebrated sounds like a dream. As mentioned previously, persistent gratitude nurtures happiness and stronger relationships, so imagine what this ethic can accomplish when organizations fully embrace it. That’s why highly effective leaders foster a sense of collective gratitude.

Building a Culture of Gratitude

How can you help employees feel valued, recognized, and appreciated at work? Here are some proven ways you can encourage more gratitude throughout your organization:

  • Respect employees and colleagues by consistently seeking their input and listening to their ideas.
  • Take time to celebrate individual and team successes.
  • Believe that even a simple verbal or written “thank you” can go a long way.
  • Tell people exactly how they make a difference to you and others, so they believe your comments are genuine.
  • Don’t hold back. Share positive feedback whenever you see an opportunity.
  • Ask people how you can help them grow or rise to a new work challenge.
  • Be available to help when others are struggling through difficult times.
  • Hold periodic recognition ceremonies where employees nominate colleagues for awards like custom trophies, personalized keepsakes, or other customized items that strike a meaningful chord.
  • Publicly thank those who’ve helped you at work so people will be encouraged to offer assistance to others, as well.
  • Reward your team with fun group events that can also strengthen bonds. For example, you could host informal offsite trips, game nights, picnics, happy hours, and team lunches.

The Many Benefits of Gratitude at Work

When you express gratitude as a natural habit, you’ll begin to notice that it improves your attitude about work. And eventually, that genuine sense of gratitude will spread to others around you and benefit your culture in multiple ways. For example, in organizations where gratitude is a priority you’ll find:

  • Less job stress and more satisfaction
  • Better coworker relationships and friendships
  • A happier, more collaborative atmosphere
  • Heightened morale
  • Better employee self-esteem, mental health, and confidence
  • More energy and enthusiasm
  • And even improved physical health

A spirit of genuine appreciation can fill work environments with positivity. And when employees feel good about their work experience, a better customer experience and increased sales are likely to follow. It’s an all-around win-win.

Final Thoughts

Leaders typically don’t express gratitude as often as employees wish they would. But if you’re a leader, it’s your responsibility to keep your workforce engaged, connected, and optimistic. Consistently acknowledging others can showcase your professionalism, improve your business relationships, help you stand out as a true team player, and lift your workplace culture.

It may not cost anything to be outwardly appreciative, but developing a habit of thankfulness can make a massive difference. You have nothing to lose. So why not give it a try?

10 Ways to Reward Remote Employees And Why You Should Do It

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How we reward employees is changing. New work cultures have seen a shift in the number of employees who prefer working from home compared to working in a company office. As a result, HR teams are rethinking the perk and reward systems that have traditionally benefited employees in an office environment.

Interestingly, a study by Harvard Business Review revealed that nearly two-thirds of staff are motivated to stay at their job with the presence of a motivational program for employees, and are 87 percent less likely to resign. Motivation is a powerful tool that can keep employees engaged.

Rewards and recognition for remote employees must not be overlooked, as they can transform remote culture. It’s more crucial than ever to keep employees who work from home motivated. These employees have to be self-driven and proactive on a daily basis.

With more distractions than ever and the absence of a manager looking over their shoulder, finding ways to reward remote employees is a good way to combat low productivity.

What are remote rewards?

A remote reward is a perk, benefit, or gift given to a team member that is sent and/or received digitally.

Employees who consider themselves remote workers or part of a hybrid working model may not be physically present in an office. This makes rewarding an employee in person challenging.

Remote rewards, therefore, need to be flexible as a person might be working anywhere, anytime, and in any place. Businesses should adopt recognition into their natural flow of work to ensure rewards are part of their culture.

Traditionally, you might reward an employee by giving them praise in person, buying them a gift and giving it to them during a team meeting, or even letting them work from home for the day. These rewards, while still impactful, do not work well when an employee works remotely.

Why should you reward employees?

You might be wondering if employee rewards are worth investing in? The short answer is yes.

According to Reward Gateway, 90 percent of HR workers agreed that an effective recognition and reward program helps drive business results. The return on investment (ROI) makes it worth doing.

10 ways to reward remote employees

Creating a digital business culture remotely is all part of the changing HR world, and remote rewards are just a small part of digital transformation. Try these 10 ways to reward your remote employees as part of your next strategy meeting.

1. Send a physical gift via post.

Starting with the most obvious, you could send an employee a physical gift to their home address. Food and alcohol are among the most popular ideas, but gifts are easy to get wrong. It’s always good to find out from close colleagues about personal preferences and tastes.

Another important consideration is that digital nomads and remote workers might not always be in one place. If they are moving around a lot, posting gifts might be tricky.

2. Offer a software upgrade.

Software is somewhat overlooked when it comes to perks and rewards. Although most companies will provide teams with the software they need, what about the software that is considered “nice to have”?

Premium features and additional tools can help improve an employee’s day-to-day workflow and be a nice reward with lots of upsides.

3. E-vouchers, gift cards, and subscriptions

E-vouchers, gift cards, and subscriptions are an easy way to say thanks to someone digitally. Amazon is a great choice when it comes to gift vouchers, as there is such a broad selection of items an employee can buy.

If your team members know the employee well, they might have a more personal suggestion. Below are some other ideas that are popular among teams:

  • Netflix subscription
  • Starbucks gift card
  • Apple Arcade subscription
  • Google Play gift card
  • Shopping or restaurant vouchers

4. Workspace upgrades

A remote employee will spend most of their day in their workspace environment. Rewarding an employee with a workspace upgrade could be a win-win situation.

You can help members of your team maximize their productivity while also rewarding them for great work.

Typical home workspace upgrades might include:

  • A second monitor
  • Improved hardware (new laptop, computer, mobile, or tablet device)
  • An adjustable standing desk
  • Hardware accessories (headphones, webcam, wireless charging devices)
  • A comfortable computer chair
  • Creative/ fun desk items such as a desk treadmill

Ultimately, it’s best to ask what could be improved about an employee’s current setup and customize it to each individual.

5. A message of appreciation (get creative)

Videos, GIFs, or a simple email are also great ways to reward someone for their efforts. A nod to their achievements and a message of gratitude is too often underrated.

6. Health perks

A gym membership, spa day, personal trainer, or online fitness class are all great health perks that might be a great reward to some employees, particularly those who enjoy regular exercise and fitness regimens. Employee well-being is important, so health rewards are always a good idea.

7. Payroll bonus

Let’s face it. Everybody loves a bonus in the bank account at the end of the quarter. There is certainly nothing wrong with an unexpected, generous payout to show your employees that they are appreciated.

8. Days off, half days, and early finishes

Who doesn’t love a day off or a half-day on Friday? Employees who have worked hard and stood out amongst their peers will appreciate a moment to recharge their batteries. Even an early finish for the week could help.

9. Kudos on LinkedIn

A free and easy way to show appreciation might be to send a thank you via LinkedIn. This is a relatively new feature on LinkedIn for 2021.

Using LinkedIn Kudos is a fun and simple way to share your appreciation with team members in the LinkedIn community. Celebrate every success–big and small–directly on LinkedIn. This also has great brand awareness benefits as you are publicly acknowledging people’s hard work and efforts. Kudos to you.

10. Learning and personal development

Reward remote employees with opportunities for self-improvement; it can be great for teams. It’s a nice way to show you care for someone’s personal development and future by supporting them to upskill and better themselves.

Examples of learning and personal development rewards might include:

  • Online courses such as Udemy
  • An online coach
  • Courses and certifications
  • 1:1 mentorship programs

#WorkTrends Recap: The Value of Employee Recognition

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Smart companies and leaders are figuring out that rewards and recognition programs have a lasting impact on employees. From a small thank you to quick feedback on a job well done, recognition can improve employee engagement and productivity, as well as help retain top talent. All of which can improve the bottom line.

And yet, not every company has figured out how to incorporate rewards and recognition into their work culture.

This week on #WorkTrends, host Meghan M. Biro welcomed Salvador Barros, CEO of Tap My Back, and Jason Lauritsen, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author, to the podcast to discuss the barriers to adoption and the value of recognition programs.

As CEO of Tap My Back, a tool that helps leaders promote recognition across the organization, Salvador Barros has seen first-hand what recognition can do for employees, leaders and companies. Jason Lauritsen has studied hundreds of workplaces to determine the keys to real employee engagement.

Here are a few key points Salvador and Jason shared:

  • Sustainable employee recognition starts at the top. Leaders need to be an example to the rest of an organization
  • Companies aiming to improve customer experience should first focus on having engaged employees
  • Organizations need to pay more attention to outward facing issues to realize the value of employee engagement.
  • Peer-to-peer feedback is just as valuable as management feedback because your peers see the effort you put into your work, and managers often focus on the results.

Did you miss the show? You can listen to the #WorkTrends podcast on our BlogTalk Radio channel here: http://bit.ly/2tn6mAG

You can also check out the highlights of the conversation from our Storify here:

Didn’t make it to this week’s #WorkTrends show? Don’t worry, you can tune in and participate in the podcast and chat with us every Wednesday from 1-2pm ET (10-11am PT).

Remember, the TalentCulture #WorkTrends conversation continues every day across several social media channels. Stay up-to-date by following our #WorkTrends Twitter stream; pop into our LinkedIn group to interact with other members. Engage with us any time on our social networks, or stay current with trending World of Work topics on our website or through our weekly email newsletter.

Photo Credit: Sydnee Paige Photography Flickr via Compfight cc

#WorkTrends Preview: The Value of Employee Recognition

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Employee Recognition and Rewards are pulling up from the outside and gaining in speed quickly. Companies that are smart are already ahead of the curve and are playing to the strengths of their employees by encouraging feedback and recognition as a form of engagement, both from their peers and from management.

On Wednesday, June 28, 2017, TalentCulture #WorkTrends host, Meghan M. Biro and her special guests Salvador Barros, CEO of Tap My Back, and Jason Lauritsen, Best-Selling Author and Keynote Speaker, will be discussing this timely topic and the myriad ways brands can value their employees through well-developed recognition programs.

The Value of Employee Recognition

The Value of Employee RecognitionJoin Salvador and Jason on our LIVE online podcast Wednesday, June 28 — 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.

Immediately following the podcast, please join the TalentCulture community over on the #WorkTrends Twitter stream to continue the discussion. We encourage everyone with a Twitter account to participate as we gather for a live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: How can companies begin a recognition program? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q2: What can employees do to help support recognition and rewards? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q3: What are the long-term effects of recognition programs?  #WorkTrends  (Tweet this question)

Don’t want to wait until next Wednesday to join the conversation? You don’t have to. I invite you to check out the #WorkTrends Twitter feed and our TalentCulture World of Work Community LinkedIn group. Share your questions, ideas and opinions with our community.

Photo Credit: seosam2011 Flickr via Compfight cc

Employee Rewards: Don't Feed To Please

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Why Using Food For Employee Rewards And Recognition Is A Bad Idea

At one point in your work life, you’ve been offered food by your employer. Food is a go-to for recognizing and rewarding employees.

Whether it’s donuts in the morning, a pizza lunch, ice cream snacks or some other incarnation, food is one of the ways that many employers show appreciation for their employees. What many employers don’t realize, however, is that food as a reward backfires more often than it succeeds.

1. Food Excludes

Even in small companies, there will be employees with a myriad of food preferences and restrictions. Unless the employer is willing to provide a wide selection of food, someone is going to be left out.

Imagine how you might feel if everyone was gobbling down ice cream as a reward for their hard work, but you are lactose-intolerant or perhaps a vegan, and, therefore, can’t participate. Would you feel equally as rewarded as your peers? Would you be motivated to engage with your work when the rewards promised are unavailable to you?

2. Food Doesn’t Last

Rarely do we remember the food we’ve eaten. Unless it was an extraordinary meal, once we’ve finished swallowing the last morsel we forget all about it. The excitement is gone. For a reward to incentivise employees it needs to be something that leaves a lasting impression. In psychology terms, a reward needs to be compelling enough to trigger an employee’s internal desire to repeat an action in order to receive the reward.

So you have to ask yourself if I want my employees to hit their sales targets every week, will providing a pizza party be a big enough incentive? Can my employees get pizza any time they want or is providing pizza something extraordinary that they will want to work hard for?

3. Food Is A Habit

Eating is habitual, it’s something we do all the time. It’s expected that at some point during the day we’re going to consume food. When an employer provides the food it’s nice because we didn’t have to get the food ourselves, but some employers make a habit of bringing in donuts every Friday. In this case it’s no longer a surprise, it’s expected.

When we begin to expect something without having to do anything to earn it, it’s no longer a motivation.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t bring in donuts every Friday. It’s a very benevolent gesture, and one many employees probably appreciate, however, you shouldn’t expect it to motivate employees.

Employee recognition and rewards are essential to getting your employees to engage with their work. When you effectively recognize and reward employees for their efforts you motivate them to continue the desired behavior. However, motivating through food alone won’t produce the results most employers are looking for: increased productivity, improved efficiency, and great results.  To properly motivate employees, you need to consider their internal and external drivers. Food just isn’t a strong enough incentive to motivate these drivers.

If you’re looking for some effective ways to recognize your employees, check out Top 10 Ways to Recognize Employees, by Herd Wisdom.

 

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Could Employee Appreciation Transform Your Hiring Strategies?

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Employee retention is an important business consideration because high turnover rates are costly and often detrimental to overall team performance. However, even with the best retention rates, companies usually need to hire new workers once in a while. Whether they’re expanding or filling the holes left by retirees, leaders seek talented candidates who are excellent fits for the open roles. Anyone who’s been involved in the hiring process can attest to the fact that the whole ordeal can be quite a hassle, often with less than optimal results.

So are you stuck with the traditional routine, even if you’ve had lackluster candidate pools in the past? Perhaps not. The old strategies of posting a job description, sifting through piles of usually unpromising resumes, interviewing select candidates and choosing the best of the bunch might not be the only option. That’s what Zappos is banking on: Rather than relying on people to take interest in a job description and come to them, the company is taking advantage of an engaged, passionate workforce to be recruiting partners.

Hiring: The Zappos way 

According to the Boston Globe, Amazon-owned, Las Vegas-based online shoe retailer Zappos has decided to do away with the traditional job postings in favor of a more personal, relationship-based approach. The company created a new career site and is utilizing social media to showcase its culture and opportunities. Interested candidates can chat with current employees to gain an inside perspective on life within the organization.

The company’s HR manager, Michael Bailen, explained in a blog post on ere.net that this change reflects the business’s commitment to focus more on people. To do so, he added, Zappos needed to depart from what he considers a “fundamentally broken process” that constitutes most recruiting approaches.

“Recruiting has become a walking contradiction. We care about the candidate experience, but we spend five to seven seconds looking at a resume. We are dedicated to get back to all candidates in an effort to provide great service, but the vast majority of candidates get a rejection email,” he wrote. “I want our recruiters to build long-term, sustainable relationships with people.”

Building on a foundation of company loyalty

In order for such a people-centric approach to work, Zappos had to create a corporate culture that would be attractive to candidates as well as foster company loyalty among employees to be able to have confidence that they’d participate effectively in the recruiting platform. Zappos created such a culture by focusing on employee appreciation and engagement. By offering rewards — most of which were non-monetary — to recognize and inspire employees, Zappos put its people at the forefront of the company.

By motivating workers based on intrinsic, value-driven incentives, rather than superficial cash or prizes, companies can foster the type of organization that draws top talent because it’s known as an excellent place to work. Additionally, employees become ambassadors for the firm, which is often a more effective form of recruitment since current workers are likely to identify friends and acquaintances who will be well-suited to the realities of the job.

About the Author: As Vice President of Client Strategy for TemboStatus, David Bator works with growing companies every day and helps them bridge the gap between assessing employee engagement and addressing it with action.

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How To Improve Work Culture (And Avoid Staff Burnouts)

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A company work culture is defined by its employees. Their values, their motivation, and their personal goals are essential to creating a positive and successful working environment.

Happy employees bring many benefits to businesses, including a 31% increase in productivity and a 37% increase in sales. However, 68% of employees feel their company isn’t doing enough to create a work culture in which employees have a sense of purpose and a meaningful impact. Are you one of those companies?

You don’t need to be a creative genius to improve work culture and end staff burnouts forever, but you do need to care about your company and your workforce. Here are four simple ways to do it.

Have a Vision

What does your company want to achieve? Have dreams, have aspirations, have a vision. Without an ultimate goal, no one will know what they are working toward and this will cause motivation levels to dwindle. Communicate your company vision to your employees and get them as enthusiastic about achieving it as you are. Having a vision doesn’t mean just telling staff to make something happen, it’s about putting their work into a broader perspective. Explain your strategy, create short-term targets for each worker, and work together to achieve long-term goals.

How do you make that vision come alive? Don’t forget about it, and don’t let your employees forget about it either. Coca-Cola commissioned a 6.5-meter-high art installation for its new London HQ celebrating the values and culture of its brand. The display is there to inspire employees and create a sense of pride in Coca-Cola’s 128-year heritage. But you don’t need to a multi-billion-dollar company to achieve this; SMEs can do it too. Exposure Ninja, a web design and marketing company, simply painted a client testimonial on the wall of its office to motivate employees and boost camaraderie at work.

Transparent Communication

When it comes to communication, have an open-door policy. Management who make decisions behind closed doors alienate the rest of their workforce and create a breeding ground for rumor and gossip. Be clear and open about the state of the company and decisions that are in the pipeline, and always be the first to tell your staff about changes.

Worried about lost memos? Use a company intranet to send email and text notifications of important bulletins to each employee. How about inefficient meetings? Make meetings  more specific and stick to a printed agenda. Delegate key speakers to inform the team about what progress has been made since the previous meeting and invite others to contribute their ideas afterward. Most importantly, don’t let anyone walk away from the meeting room without an assigned task that they need to achieve in time for the next meeting.

Invest in Training and Development

Ask your employees where see themselves in five years. Write down each employee’s answer and help him or her achieve it. If your sales assistant wants to be heading up the sales department, offer him/her training to enhance his/her product knowledge and to develop managerial skills. If one of your secretarial staff wants to make the move into web design, let him/her shadow a designer for half a day each week.

Take advantage of apps like IdeaScale and Kindling so that employees can offer feedback on the company work culture and their own ideas. Providing staff with training, learning opportunities and a chance to offer feedback is a vital way to avoid staff feeling as though they are stuck in a “dead-end job.” When you support their career development, your staff will be re-energized and ready to face new challenges. Remember, if they are performing at the top of their games, your organization will be too.

Reward Employees for Their Efforts

Naturally, employees want to be recognized for their hard work and commitment. Reward everyone who performs at or above the level expected of them, no matter what position they hold in your team. If your cleaners always have the office spotless, praise them for it. If your sales team punch above their targets, praise them too. Let all of your employees know that they are a valuable asset in your team.

You don’t need to shed out $1,000 bonuses and 10% raises for every employee like Google to reward your employees. Simple rewards like verbal praise and buying employees a coffee can work well too. The aim is to encourage positive practices. Treating your employees equally and responding to behavior in the correct way will improve workplace culture and encourage employees to work at their best.

Ron Stewart has worked in the recruitment industry for 30 years, having owned companies in the IT, Construction and Medical sectors. He is currently running the Jobs4Group, and is CEO of Jobs4Medical.

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3 Sparks To Recognize And Engage Employees

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Employee recognition is meant to boost an employee’s performance. It should motivate. It should reward. It should satisfy.

Too often, however, management attention stops at deciding what the recognition will be. After that it’s just waiting for the performance to happen, for the recognition to be offered, and for the planning for the next go-round.

That’s a shame. Effective employee recognition includes employee engagement. Effective employee recognition does not end with the recognition; it creates and reinforces an ongoing cycle of performance>>>recognition>>>better performance. Effective employee recognition is a component to a successful employee engagement strategy.

Successful integration of recognition and engagement requires planning more than just the content/context of the recognition. It entails planning the entire procedure, including links to future recognitions. Most importantly, it means designing recognition that engages employees beyond just getting recognized.

Below are 3 employee recognition and engagement ideas. They are intended to celebrate employee accomplishments. They are motivational, they are personally rewarding, and they satisfy the individual need for recognition.

As importantly, they also generate engagement. Not just engagement by the employee in the work required to achieve the recognition. These activities reach beyond the project or process or performance being recognized. These activities provide opportunities and reasons for employees to dig deeper into their “engagement resources.”

Those engagement resources are the individual’s time, energy, skills, knowledge, and creativity. Recognition that celebrates achievement and generates the employee to put forth her own personal engagement resources contributes meaningfully to ongoing employee engagement. In fact, the contribution to employee engagement likely has more long-term benefit for the business than this year’s (or last year’s) plain ol’ recognition award.

Take a look at these sparks for employee recognition and employee engagement:

Get Talking.

Conversation between manager and employee goes along way, does a great deal, provides many opportunities. You may take an employee to lunch to recognize a significant success or contribution. If you’re smart, the real engagement recognition will not be the food on the plate. It will be the talk across the table. No matter the setting, one great recognition opportunity for boosting an employee’s engagement is conversation. A regular element of any recognition program should be manager making time (30-60 minutes) to ask questions and hear answers about the employee’s success.

Benefits: manager learns, employee feels valued, both begin to think of ways to do even more, even better.

Be Reflective.

It does an employee good to know her success is recognized and acknowledged. It does the employee and the business more good to reflect on the success. To contemplate what the situation (problem?) entailed. To recall what decisions had to be made and how they were made. To evaluate what was done well and worked, and what was not done so well and didn’t. To consider what was not necessary and can be omitted next time. To determine what was missing and should be included next time. To understand what she can do better next time.

Surround the recognition with praise. The job was done successfully and the praise is deserved. And in that context, encourage the above reflection. Invite the individual to engage fully, after the success, in what the success can mean for the future.

Benefits: manager engages in employee’s success, employee engages through in-depth reflection and learning of what’s been done, future repetition of success is more likely.

Teach Back.

Being asked to share one’s knowledge is typically deemed an honor. It can also put someone on the spot and cause no small amount of anxiety. Proceeding with care, you might invite the recognized employee to turn his successful endeavor into a lesson and share it with peers. In addition to engaging the recognized individual, the purpose of this “recognize and engage” is twofold:

  1. To share what worked and why, to key others in on the elements of success that they may achieve the same sort.
  2. To provide a realistic look at the potential threat of hard-seeking achievement. The teacher in this instance can provide a healthy dose of reality to those concerned with “doing their jobs better and faster and smarter — all at once.”

It will ease the potential burden if the logistics are already cared for. The key individual should be asked only to prepare the teaching — perhaps 45-60 minutes. Such “administrivia” as time scheduled, room reserved, notification of participants, printing any handouts, and more can be taken care of separately. In fact, if Teach Back becomes a regular part of the recognition process, streamlining the set-up can be a snap.

Benefits: an ongoing process/procedure for performance improvement and relevant learning.

There is a spark between recognizing success and engaging for success. If all that’s accomplished is giving and receiving recognition, that cycle has to be reinitiated every year. If there is engagement as part of the recognition, the motivation and satisfaction can become continuous.

 
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