If you’ve been hearing the buzz about the benefits associated with an employee recognition program and you’re interested in forming one to boost morale and productivity, Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to launch such a program, so there’s no time like the present!
Why Launch an Employee Recognition Program Now?
If you want to know the secret to the most successful recognition programs though, it is this: It’s about more than just handing out periodic presents. If that’s all you do, then your project is doomed to fail. Instead, what you really want to focus on is systematically changing your company’s culture to one that embraces the spirit of Thanksgiving all year long. Here are a few ideas about how you can do that:
Celebrate The Holidays & Other Special Occasions
Don’t let the major Holidays throughout the year pass you by without doing something special for your hardworking employees. In fact, form a committee from the ranks of your employees and let them drive the process, while you set the basic parameters. The Holidays are a great way to bring everyone together!
Provide What Perks You Can, To All Employees
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on this. It could be something as simple as making sure the vending machines in your break room have healthy snack options, rather than the usual junk food, but if you can afford to do something more elaborate, then by all means, go for it! The sky’s the limit here, from finding health and wellness apps, to creating a small library filled with books and materials that promote healthy living, and more.
Consider An Annual Retreat
If it doesn’t stretch your Holiday budget to the breaking point, consider adding an annual retreat for your employees. There are all sorts of fantastic, memorable venues in the area where you could do something like this for a reasonable price and you can build all sorts of rewards and awards into the day, along with some well-crafted teambuilding exercises. Here though, take care not to make it cheesy – make it fun. Make it an unforgettable day that will be talked about for years to come.
Weekly Shout Outs
This is something that can be done via email. You don’t have to get elaborate here, just send a quick, weekly note to call attention to the accomplishments of your star performers. Everybody likes their efforts to be recognized and this is an incredibly easy way to do just that.
Quarterly Rewards
Here’s where you’ll want to hand out actual gifts and awards to your best performing employees. If you’re reluctant to decide who is most deserving of the quarterly awards, form a committee from among the ranks of your employees and let them make those decisions based on guidelines you establish.
If you’re not sure what sorts of gifts and awards would be most appropriate, we have an extensive collection that includes something for every taste, preference and budget. You can check out our full product line here.
If you follow the basic guidelines above, you’ll find that very quickly, there’s a profound change in the culture of your organization and your employees will notice and reward you for it.