Transcription
HOW TOINSTALL ASUCCESSFULEMPLOYEEREWARDPROGRAM
2INTRODUCTION4INSTALLING AN EFFECTIVEEMPLOYEE REWARDS PROGRAM5EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE TRACKER9THE AWARD PROGRAM TIMELINE11 HOSTING THE AWARD CEREMONY13 THE EMPLOYEE AWARD GUIDE1
After manufacturing giant 3M introduced its Annual Energy Recognitionprogram – which highlights engineers and employees who promote greeninitiatives – the company noted a 22 percent improvement in energyefficiency from 2005 to 2009 and accrued 100 million in energy savings,according to the U.S. Department of Energy.North Carolina-based food chain Bojangles installed the “Bo Star” awardsprogram, which regularly awarded employees who would go aboveand beyond the call of duty in customer service. According to Hcareers,Bojangles was able to reduce employee turnover by 40 percent after theprogram started.Joie De Vivre Hotels of San Francisco reported the same effect after installingan employee reward and recognition program, adding that employeesatisfaction had increased tremendously as well.CONTENTS2
The message is clear: Employee rewards programsget results. According to a survey conducted by Bersin andAssociates, businesses with successful programs had 31 percentless voluntary turnover compared to other companies. Moreover,the same study reported that workplaces that recognized staff enjoyedbetter employee engagement, productivity and customer service whencompared to organizations that didn’t practice recognition.Employee rewards programs are a great way to improve morale. Morethan that, they can produce measurable returns that benefit yourcompany. However, not just any reward program can produce thesame outcomes measured by researchers and used by successfulorganizations. It takes careful planning to implement a successfulemployee reward program.CONTENTS3
INSTALLING AN EFFECTIVEEMPLOYEE REWARDS PROGRAMThe ground rulesFirst and foremost, it’s important that you establish a clear and conciselist of rules regarding your employee program and make sure all of yourworkers understand the guidelines thoroughly. Misunderstandings can makerecognition programs tricky. If your workforce doesn’t know how to earn anaward, they can’t be expected to perform to match the criteria. Worse yet,without a detailed program template, employees may suspect favoritismwhen certain workers are rewarded over others.That’s why creating a shareable written rubric is key. Not only does a sleekand easy-to-follow document put everyone on the same page, but it canencourage other positive effects as well. Designing a shareable documentmakes it easy to remind workers about program’s goals and guidelines,which can spur participation. Also, that document will make it simple foremployees to track their own success and measure how they stack up in yourmodel – which can improve several facets of your business based onyour criteria.CONTENTS4
THE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCETRACKERInspireMotivateRecognizeEMPLOYEE NAMEDEPARTMENTTIME WITH COMPANYSPECIFIC METRICS (sales numbers)CUSTOMER REVIEWS (attach feedback from coworkers)PERCENTAGE POSITIVE / NEGATIVEINTERNAL REVIEWS (attach feedback from coworkersPERCENTAGE POSITIVE / NEGATIVEMAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Reward program best practicesStrategy is everything, and optimizing your reward program in a way thatserves the business is critical. The first step: base your program on easyto-measure units. Remember, someone will have to run the numbers forthis program regularly to give it credibility. You want to show exactly whyone employee is being rewarded. Talking about specific goals that werehit and examples of exceptional performance gives legitimacy to yourprogram and can help motivate others. Moreover, it can help personalizethe experience and make the process special for award recipients.Here are a few examples of programs that are easy and some thatare more difficult to quantify.Top salesmanA tried and true employee reward program, the top salesman projectawards employees based directly on sales metrics. The more an employeeearns for the company, the more likely they’ll receive recognition and anaward. It’s the easiest measurement around and normally the data is alreadycollected to begin with.CONTENTS6
Customer service superstarWorkers may not be linked directly to sales, but they may still interactwith clients and assist in retention, which is a perfect opportunity to start acustomer service-based awards program. Less quantifiable, these programsrely on call center metrics, customer feedback and other review services. Anadded bonus, these programs show workers how their effort benefits peopledirectly and can show them that what they do is recognized.Outstanding performerLess quantifiable than the other two, an outstanding performance programis based on individual instances when employees go above and beyondon the job. You’ll have to document these occasions, but this method canbenefit the workplace tremendously. Focus on acknowledging stellar jobperformance and times when employees embody behaviors your companyseeks to perpetuate.CONTENTS7
Create a timelineNo matter what program type you choose, it’s essential that you createa timeline that the project follows. You’ll want to make time for programupdates, reminders and goalposts that can fuel productivity andengagement. For example, instead of setting one award-winning quotaduring a quarter, set a series of benchmarks that lead up to the quota. Thiswill make it easier for workers to follow along and push forward whenmilestones come up.Additionally, working company events into the reward program timeline cancreate a big incentive for employees gearing up for important business meetingsor other projects. Of course, this also means picking a particular time for thebig event.CONTENTS8
THE AWARD PROGRAMTIMELINE12BEGIN DEVELOPMENTDecide what you’re measuring and how.3APPROVE A CLEAR AND CONCISELIST OF RULESwith upper management41DISSEMINATE THE LISTto all relevant employees53REMINDER ONETell your emloyees about the programand goalposts6GATHER METRICSand track each employee’s progress7DISTRIBUTE EMPLOYEE AWARD GUIDEThis will tell you what your employees may beinterested in as a prize.92GOALPOST TWOUpdate workers about the second benchmarkand further progress1GOALPOST ONETell your workers the first benchmark has beenreached and their current progress hasbeen updated82REMINDER TWOTell your employees about the next goalpost
10113REMINDER THREEThe award ceremony is approachingBEGIN PLANNING THEAWARD CEREMONYBook venue, speakers, etc.1213AWARD PROGRAM OVERCalculate metrics and decide winnerFINAL REMINDERWeek before performance data will stopbeing tracked and a winner will be picked14151 2ORDER PRIZEBased on employee award guide.THE BIG EVENT!
HOSTING THE AWARD CEREMONYHaving an award ceremony is critical. These events create a valuableopportunity to recognize an employee and highlight companysuccesses. There are a few facets to scheduling the most affectingaward celebration.Gather as many people as possibleThere’s a delicate balance to consider when making an award ceremonymandatory or not. The event should be fun and lighthearted, but primarilyit needs a large turnout to be truly effective. Being recognized by yourcoworkers is a huge motivator in and of itself. Moreover, one employee’ssuccess can inspire another to try harder. Not only that, broadcasting anemployee’s achievements can help other workers get an understandingof the broader picture. It can show how your organization fits into thegreater scheme of the industry and showcase how the company improvesthe lives of others. It all starts with a big turnout.CONTENTS11
#1The prize is the most important partAll of the work you – and your employees – pour into this program leads upto one critical thing: the award. First and foremost, that means the prize mustbe meaningful. Simply doling out money or giving a gift card doesn’t makethe occasion feel important. You want a gift that is personalized, thoughtfuland garners the attention of the workplace at large. This is why so manyorganizations focus on crystal awards and plaques. These prizes come withclout and distinction. You can go above and beyond by making these giftscater to the individual personally. Inscribe a custom message or providean additional gift that pertains directly to an employee’s interests. You wantto make the experience memorable, and the best way to do that is caterdirectly to a worker’s likes and tastes.CONTENTS12
THE EMPLOYEE AWARDGUIDEInspireMotivateRecognizeDistribute to your employees tofind out their prize preferencesEMPLOYEE NAMEDEPARTMENTWOULD YOU BE COMFORTABLE RECEIVING ANAWARD IN PUBLIC? Y / NWOULD YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN SPEAKINGABOUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS? Y / NWHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES?IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU HAD INTHE WORKPLACE?HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOURSELF FORTHE WORKDAY?IF YOU WERE TO GIVE ADVICE TO A NEWEMPLOYEE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY FIRST?
SummaryTo develop the best program for your staff, keep these criteria in mind whencreating your company’s award program. Create a comprehensive list of guidelines to keep everyone on trackand interested.Focus on quantifiable information to make measuring performance easyand give credibility to your program.Draw up a timeline to combine company events with the program andincrease engagement.Host an award ceremony with as many people as possible to inspirerecipients and coworkers.Provide a meaningful, thoughtful and personalized award to wrap theprocedure up and inspire your workforce to try just as hard next time.CONTENTS14
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Here are a few examples of programs that are easy and some that are more difficult to quantify. Top salesman A tried and true employee reward program, the top salesman project awards employees based directly on sales metrics. The more an employee earns for the company, the more likely they'll receive recognition and an award.
