Employee Recognition Programs: What Are the Key Elements?

Employee recognition is a vital part of an organization because let’s face it, humans love being recognized for their good work. So much so, that statistics show employee recognition can actually increase productivity, and by default, profit.

If you’re ready to reap the rewards of an employee recognition program, a proven win-win scenario, this handy guide will explore all of the key features to consider.

The Key Elements of an Employee Recognition Program

Be Specific

To create a culture of high-performing employees, make sure your praise refers to specifics in regards to their achievement. Simply saying “I appreciate all your hard work” certainly is a nice sentiment, but it’s more of a blanket statement, which makes it less genuine.

Offer Rewards

Being appreciated is a natural human need, and offering a token of appreciation in the form of a small reward goes a long way. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to become more acquainted with their likes and interests so you can give them a reward that really speaks to them.

Rewarding your employees with branded swag is the perfect option here. Not only does it give you an opportunity to connect with your employees and solidify the unity of your team, but it’s free advertising.

Don’t skimp here with a stress ball or pack of pens. That’s super ho-hum and way too expected. Invest in eye-catching, convo-starting hoodies, headwear, or other custom merch that will show your employees just how much you appreciate them. The ROI is there.

Be Visual

Outside of offering one-on-one recognition, you can really increase the effectiveness of employee recognition by being visual and giving them exposure. It’ll also encourage other employees to follow suit. Include employee praise in your newsletters, in an email blast, on the office corkboard, in your next company-wide meeting, or in all of these channels!

Be Open to, and Offer Feedback

Recognizing an employee goes beyond praise. It gives employers an opportunity to listen and respond to employee input which will make them feel like they’re an integral part of the direction of the business.

Let employees know that management is receptive to feedback and that their input is important (and actually mean it). Assure them that not only will you do your best to offer them constructive feedback on their performance, but that upper-level management will do the same.

Be Inclusive

It’s easy to give praise and recognition to top-performing employees, but remember that it may be your under-performing employees who need it most. Be inclusive with your feedback, and keep track of who, what, when, and where you do it. This helps create a family-oriented spirit and sense of belonging among everyone.

Do it Frequently

You can’t be all gung-ho about a new employee recognition program only to let it falter and wither away as new employees come on board. Employee recognition should be specific, frequent, and consistent for optimal results.

Related: 6 New Employee Welcome Package Essentials Your Team Will Actually Use

At the end of the day, whatever you put into making your employees feel valued is what you’re going to get out in attitude → productivity → profitability.

If you’re not sure where to start, Anthem Branding can guide you. We’re a boutique branding agency that creates high-quality custom merchandise and provides design services that help businesses build genuine relationships.

Let us help kick off your employee recognition program. Contact a branding expert today.