Dear Levy,
We have been running the same employee recognition program for years. It seems to have gotten a little stale and our employees just aren’t responding to it anymore. What new, fresh ideas can you offer to revive our recognition program?
--Recognition Revival Needed
Dear Recognition Revival,
Getting stuck in the rut of doing things the same way year after year happens to the best of us. Once we’ve found an affordable and low-stress way to accomplish a task, we can get a little caught up in the idea of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But it sounds like you are noticing a few things that are broken about your current employee recognition program.
This is not to say that your entire recognition program needs a complete takeover. Perhaps adding trophies, gifts, or some type of award to your program is all you need to spruce it up. Take a few notes from Power Design, Inc.
When Power Design wanted to recognize their employees for being part of large electrical design projects, they created the Crushed It program. Employees who are recognized for their contributions to projects receive a whole box of recognition gifts.
The end result? Power Design employees are excited to be part of the work they are doing for the company. They love receiving the Crushed It recognition box and all the fun things inside.
Another company that takes recognition to the next level is UniFirst. Not only do they recognize employees for their hard work and dedication to their company, they have always added an element of fun by recognizing employees for their “hidden talents.” Each year UniFirst hosts a Founder’s Day event that includes a dessert baking competition and obstacle course. Winners receive unique awards. Check them out here!
There are a ton of reasons to recognize your employees. When you appreciate them for their talents in the workplace, and also things they are good at outside of the workplace, you will find that it is fairly simple to come up with new and creative recognition ideas. Whether you are adding branded merchandise, acrylic awards, or just handwritten thank you notes to your recognition program, keep in mind that your employees just want to feel connected to your workplace and know that they are valued.
Check out what other people are doing to recognize their employees by visiting the Levy Recognition Portfolio!
Recognition Rachel