How to offer a stellar employee recognition program

Is your staff getting the recognition they deserve?

How to offer a stellar employee recognition program

From ‘Employee of the Month’ awards to company-sponsored holidays for top performers, are your employees truly getting the recognition they deserve?

Among senior managers in Canada, only a little over a quarter claim they offer a stellar employee recognition program, according to new research from staffing firm OfficeTeam.

The survey asked business leaders how effective they believed their organization was at rewarding staff for good performance. Only 27% said their recognition program was ‘very effective’ while the majority, at 53%, reported their strategy was ‘somewhat effective’ with their employees.

One in five Canadian employers, however, said their approach to acknowledging workers’ contributions was either ‘not too effective’ or ‘not effective at all’, the study found.

How to reward employees for good performance

The question becomes more pressing as Canada prepares to celebrate Administrative Professionals Week from April 21 to 27. Nearly seven in 10 companies (66%) hold some form of reward or recognition during the event, OfficeTeam said:

  • 32% offer a present such as flowers or a gift card
  • 31% organize a celebration or lunch at work
  • 25% praise them during a staff meeting or other public forum
  • 22% provide a handwritten thank-you note
  • 11% bring in an educational guest speaker

In contrast, a third of employers (34%) said they don’t hold anything special for staff.

“More managers need to recognize the importance of employee recognition in establishing a satisfied, motivated and loyal workforce,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam. “Regularly saying ‘thank you’ or offering small tokens of appreciation can speak volumes and have an incredibly positive impact on overall team morale.”

Read next: An employee recognition platform-- Workhuman Review

Some employers, for instance, offer both formal programs and simple gestures of gratitude.

“Things like peer appreciation programs, small gift cards for a job well done or giving kudos at a staff meeting are simple, cost-effective ways managers can show they care and value their staff’s contributions,” Vasilopoulos said.

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