Reward and recognition is a critical initiative for employers to highlight in their overall people strategy – and it's just as important to start leaning into R&R early. Everyone deserves to be thanked for the work they do, regardless of whether it’s square in their role’s responsibilities or going above and beyond them. Sneak peek at some research we're releasing soon: We can see 66% of American workers would be happier at work if they were thanked more often.
If you’re just getting started with launching a reward and recognition program – or if you need some ideas to spruce up your existing one – check out these three helpful blogs about what you can do to motivate and engage your employees.
1. Recognition doesn’t have to (always) be serious; have fun with it!
There are dozens of potential ways you can recognize (and reward!) your employees for their hard work and contributions to their teams – you can also recognize mentorship moments and anniversaries and birthdays (your easiest entry point, which you’re probably already doing in some capacity).
Your employees have diverse wants and needs, so a one-size-fits-all solution actually fits very few.
Read this blog from Alexandra Powell, Director of Client Cultural Insights, about creative and unique ways you can celebrate your employees and really make a difference.
2. Start recognizing employees in their onboarding
Onboarding is often a stressful period for new hires, with a sea of administrative tasks they need to complete in record time, alongside a deluge of training materials designed to get them up to speed. Recognizing them during this time is critical to their retention – and motivation – and helps lessen your recruitment and hiring overhead.
A “Welcome to the Team!”-style eCard is a great way to start your new employee’s journey, for example – and managers might consider sending an eCard to celebrate their first month of training to recognize their efforts and successes. For more details, Carla Sutherland, HR Business Partner, has you covered in this blog about the importance of early recognition.
3. Take recognition digital for remote staff
A lot of employees are still working remotely full time in the wake of the global pandemic – and happier to stay there, especially in light of the costs of fuel, reduced or eliminated travel time and the flexibility to work in a way that suits them best. But when everyone is on the other side of a computer screen, you can’t give out physical cards, high fives or passing congratulations: You have to take it digital.
Just because you can’t share a lunch table or a coffee break, you can share a video call to do both of those things! The world of online services and shopping is your friend – just find out what they want first. Check out this article from Client Success Manager Zack Roberts to learn more about recognition culture in online spaces.
For more ideas on how to build your reward and recognition program, be sure to check out our packed Resource Library for more best practice and inspiration.
