Did you know that your employees could be the gatekeepers of your recognition program? It’s a fact that some people never seem to grasp, yet the concept behind it is so simple. If your employees are what truly make your business what it is, then they have the power and capability to make your recognition program a success – or a complete dud.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your recognition program as a whole, you need to turn your attention to your staff and let them be your guide. Here are a few quick ideas to help you get the ball rolling:
#1 – Give Them Plenty of Options to Choose From
You want your employees to get excited about recognition. It’s not supposed to be something that is predictable, lifeless, and downright boring. You need to beef things up, and the only way to do it is by incorporating a variety of incentives for recognition. That means giving your staff options to choose from. For example, instead of having one standard recognition award, why not allow employees to choose what they want instead?
Whether you give employees a selective amount of items to choose from or set a budget and let them make the call, giving people options is always a great way to turn a rusty old recognition platform into something bigger and better!
#2 – Encourage and Promote Peer-to-Peer Recognition
Encouraging employees to recognize co-workers for their hard work is nothing new, but it creates a solid foundation for them to recognize their peers. With peer-to-peer recognition, all employees can vote for a staff member that they feel is doing an exceptional job and who is deserving of some form of recognition. Offering this within your current recognition efforts can encourage teamwork and better interactions with staff members throughout your organization.
Remember: Get as creative as you want and don’t forget to have fun with it! If you need some guidance on how to setup or establish a peer-to-peer program, don’t be afraid to ask your staff for suggestions. Speaking of that, let’s touch more on that now.
#3 – Always Encourage and Ask for Feedback or Suggestions
Every business out there says they encourage feedback or suggestions, but how many of them do you know of that actually follow through? Unfortunately, it’s not as high as you would expect it to be. People get busy and often have a hard time of turning their attention to things that need improved internally – until it’s too late. That’s when the real problems start to creep up, and those are problems you don’t want (or need) to face.
Do yourself a favor and ask your staff for ways on how you can make your recognition program better. Create an anonymous survey and get everyone to chime in. Let people know you do care by taking action and actively listen to any and all ideas sent your way. It helps build trust and allow your employees to feel more comfortable, thus making it easier for them to offer up their ideas. You never know – your next creative recognition idea could be an email away!
Are You Ready to Ramp Up Your Recognition Efforts?
At Xtreme Recognition, we’re all about helping businesses achieve their goals through recognition programs, promotional products and more. Give us a call today to learn more on how we can help you become another success story!
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