10 Tips for Creating an Employee Recognition Program

This year National Employee Appreciation Day falls on March 6 and it's a great way to celebrate your most valuable asset, your employees, now and throughout the year.

If you don’t already have a program in place, it's not too late. You may want to consider creating one that highlights the impact your employees create as well as its alignment with your corporate goals.

Here are some tips on creating an employee recognition program:

1. Start now!
   • The sooner a well-designed employee recognition program is implemented, the sooner your employees and your firm will see the benefits.
2. Be genuine in your program development.
   • Genuine intent increases participation and success of the program.
   • Determine the behaviors that align with the organizational goals.
3. Ask your employees: What would you like to see?
   • Feedback is a gift. Innovative ideas may come from the most unlikely source.
4. Keep it simple, keep it timely.
   • Keeping the process simple invites participation.
   • If the program is not clearly communicated in a timely manner, employees may lose sight of the opportunity.
5. Make it your own.
   • Align your program with your culture.
   • Tailor your program to mirror your core values.
6. Build recognition that touches various milestones of the employee’s journey.
   • Develop a program that recognizes one-time contributions or individual behaviors as well as longevity and continued success.
7. Share recognition within the organization.
   • Promote positive behavior and highlight accomplishments in a shared forum. It supports the value and contributions being made and helps create an atmosphere of shared success.
8. Make it count
   • Monetary incentives tend to have short term results. Rewards and recognition that promote growth and opportunity support the employee and the organization.
9. Continue to expand recognition by rewarding behaviors that matter.
   • Active leadership participation ensures longevity of the program.
   • Your recognition program will need to grow and evolve as the organization grows and evolves.
   • Continued evaluation of the program will ensure desired results are achieved.
10. Have fun!

It is just as rewarding to give recognition as it is to receive.

In this climate of low unemployment and increasing employee mobility, recognition programs bring about an atmosphere of appreciation for employees' hard work over and above compensation and benefits. Employees are in a “buyer’s market” and a well-constructed and executed employee recognition program can make your organization an employer of choice, allowing for the recruiting and retention of the best candidates for you.

This communication is for informational purposes only; it is not legal, tax or accounting advice; and is not an offer to sell, buy or procure insurance.

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