An employee recognition program is a key aspect to keep the employee motivated and productive. However, many companies are still impartial to the same tired approach in this manner.
In 2020, a survey was conducted where 45% of employees expressed they don’t feel properly recognized in their workplace. Thus, they don’t feel motivated enough to provide their best for the company.
Similar to technology, the employee recognition program requires it to be updated and evaluated with time. So, if you are thinking about modernizing your employee recognition program, here are a few ideas you can implement.
Overview of Employee Recognition Program
The goal of the employee recognition program is to make your employee feel valued and appreciated. The concept emerged during the American Industrial Revolution and has been changed a lot since then.
New forms of employee recognition shifted into employee awards, pay incentives, promotion for top-rated employees. The base of the recognition program begins to shift to competitiveness and a way to climb the corporate ladder.
A consistent employee recognition program can improve the productivity of an organization. However, the same old approach may not be effective in modern workplaces. Many organizations are not willing to adopt new ideas. A good approach for the past may not be the best for the shifting situations.
Therefore, every organization should review its employee recognition program accordingly. Compatibility and insight are two major things that should be considered before adopting a new recognition program.
Things Younger Generations Look from Their Jobs
Getting empowered is the major driving force for the younger generation. They want to lead others to make sure everyone is empowered in their respective places. The majority of them now prefer a collaborating culture rather than a competitive one.
The younger generation prefers to work with leaders and mentors rather than traditional bosses. Also, rather than keeping work and life separate, they tend to keep them in harmony. Therefore, the same old competitive methods are falling apart, and brand new culture is evolving.
Adopting Employee Recognition Program for Modern Workplace
The key to modernizing an employee recognition program is to make it personal. Make your employees feel irreplaceable, appreciated, and valued. So, here are a few ways to adopt a modern employee recognition program.
Recognition Should be More Person-centered
Diversifying the recognition program is the best way to improve it. Rather than getting stuck in a rigid structure, introduce creative ones.
Creating employee recognition programs should revolve around encouraging efforts, celebrating careers, and rewarding results. Only 38% of the companies are now combining these values and delivering fantastic values. Therefore, it is safe to say, companies not acting up to reinforce such values are missing valuable opportunities.
Being Specific About the Rewards
Companies need to reward their employees more carefully. Rather than slapping cash, the management requires to make the rewards more personal.
As per the recent Cicero survey, most award recipients employees ask for money when asked for their preference. Therefore, the companies are partial to monetary rewards.
However, when the excellent value is measured, money isn’t even considered the top three rewards. While a gift card now and then doesn’t hurt, it shouldn’t be the only practice.
A company should be more partial to recognize the employee’s years of service, personal achievements, and efforts. It will motivate the employees to carry out the best work and take the company further towards success.
Make the Recognition Program as a United Experience
While the past recognition efforts used to turn the employees into competitors, we have come a long way from it. Modern employees are more impartial to help each other. The workplace culture is now more into building teams than declaring hostility.
Peer-to-peer recognition and team-building exercises are now the top priorities of the workplaces. When the company gathers under one collective goal, it can achieve twice the odds of retaining employees.
A good company should create and nurture the culture of recognizing their co-workers rather than make them compete with each other. It will enhance the productivity of the company and will reduce employee turnover.
Keeping the Employee Recognition Program Fresh
Although employee recognition may evolve with time, ways of keeping it fresh may stay the same. Recognition technology, employee surveys, and flexible systems are the initial approaches. So, here are a few ways to keep your employee recognition program fresh:
Listening to the Employees
Each workplace has its own kind of culture and values. Therefore, one system working flawlessly in a company may fail miserably in another. Also, with time the expectation and the taste of the employees may change.
For keeping your recognition program work properly, the management needs to keep close track of their employees. They will need to hear the concerns and suggestions of the employees for the betterment of the recognition program.
Keeping the Recognition Program Flexible
A rigid recognition program is destined to fail sooner or later. Therefore, the company requires you to keep an open mind about their program.
There are things, worked in the past that may not work tomorrow. Therefore, the company should be open to new ideas and change.
Electronic Recognition System
As the workplace is becoming global, manual recognition programs are getting tougher to keep track of. Now the companies are expanding their business throughout international borders. Therefore, adopting automated software for employee recognition efforts is becoming an essential gadget for organizations.
Outsourcing Recognition Programs
As the company expands, more employees come. More teams are formed, and the work is diversified among employees. As a result, setting the metrics and recognizing employees for their work can get complicated.
For recognizing employees impartially, a company can outsource its recognition program. A professional recognition organization can evaluate the best traits of your employee and secure an effective recognition program for the far future.
Bottom Line
With changing times, the expectations of the employees are changing as well. So, it is high time that the organizations break their rigid recognition structure and build it up to satisfy the employees’ best interests. Only then can the company achieve optimum productivity and walk towards success.