Internal communications professionals know that the consistent use of reward, recognition and praise throughout an organization can help lead to greater success. When employees feel they serve a purpose and receive the recognition they deserve for a job well done, they will embrace the organization’s mission, goals and values and work above their standards for the greater good.
A formal employee award program, when developed and implemented effectively, is an ideal tool to help employees live your business strategy. We’re not talking about annual bonuses here, rather, special incentives that are awarded to teams performing exceptional work that helps to move the business in the right direction.
Implementing an effective employee awards program entails a variety of tactics meant to foster a high performance culture where employees produce results. By closely linking the winning criteria of such a program with business objectives and goals, an organization can:
• Generate buy-in of a newly launched business strategy;
• Help employees internalize how their specific job relates to the greater goal;
• Encourage innovation and new ways of approaching the business;
• Foster an environment of teamwork.
AWARDS BEST PRACTICES When creating a formal employee awards program. employ the following best practices to help make your program a success:
1. Develop a clear, consistent framework with criteria for winners that relates to the business strategy and is linked with measurable achievements that are applicable to any division or department (e.g. saved XX dollars, improved safety record by XX points, improved XX process to drive efficiency, etc.). The company must ensure that truly deserving people win.
2. A thoughtful program launch will help you gain acceptance throughout the ranks. The launch must first engage managers and help them use the program as a tool to encourage teamwork among their employees, followed by an ongoing communications plan that encourages participation and shows results among employees.
3. Focusing on winning teams is important in fostering an environment where everyone works toward the same goal (and has an opportunity to celebrate together). It’s all about teamwork.
4. The branding of the award must embody the spirit of the organization and be aligned with other internal strategies. Understanding that emotion plays a role in employee performance, the award itself should capture what it truly means to be an extraordinary employee within the organization. Be creative here.
5. Transparency in selecting the winners is essential to ensure that all employees feel like they have a real chance based upon achievement. A selection team or panel should include managers from all areas of the company and represent the interest of all classes of employees (e.g. union/non-union).
6. Announcements of winners should reinforce company objectives and help employees understand what it takes to be successful. Announcements should be seen as a time to celebrate and evoke a sense of pride within the recipients and their peers.
THE AWARDS PLAN
While the program structure is the first critical component of the awards program, typically created in partnership with the human resources function, communications are the primary vehicle for helping employees understand, embrace and participate. This can happen in a variety of ways depending on the structure and needs of your organization.
Once your program has been developed, your overall plan should include communications tactics for these program components. Please note this is not a one-size-fits-all list of tactics; rather, it’s a guideline of the types of tactics you might consider:
THE LAUNCH
The program launch should include communications both for managers—to help them talk about the program to their teams—and communications to rank-and-file employees who ultimately have the opportunity to benefit.
Comms Checklist:
• Announcement to managers from top leadership at a special meeting or via e-mail from CEO.
• Toolkit for managers to promote the program to their employees. Managers should be encouraged to hold staff meetings and use the kit, which should contain the following items:
• PowerPoint presentation
• Talking points
• Q&A
• Flyers/posters for department or facility
• Handouts for employees with general information and sample nomination form
• Launch announcement to employees in employee newsletter.
• Dedicated intranet page with information about the program:
• Program overview
• Criteria for winners
• List of panelists who will decide the winners
• A nomination/entry deadline
• Schedule of winner announcements throughout the year
AND THE WINNER IS...
Regular announcements of winners create pride and excitement for employees. It’s a great way to boost morale and enforce organizational goals.
Comms Checklist:
• Place stories in the employee newsletter (with photos) about the winners, how they won, etc., throughout the year. Each story should include commentary from the winning employees about how their work embodies the spirit of the organization.
• Post a similar story with photo on the company intranet.
• Send a company-wide e-mail about the winners that drives employees to the intranet.
• Organize end-of-year reception/quarterly events where winners are recognized by top management in combination with another CEO/manager/employee meeting.
Remember to keep your awards programs top of mind.Ongoing communications about the program will remind employees about how to achieve a win for their team.
Formal employee awards and recognition programs can have a direct effect on employee performance by reinforcing good behaviors that support your goals and focus on improvement.
When done well, you have the opportunity to not only impact the bottom line, but to shape your culture in a positive way. PRN
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This article was written by Elizabeth C. Castro, VP at O’Malley Hansen Communications in Chicago.
(Editor’s Note: This article was excerpted from PR News’ recently published Employee Communications Guidebook, Volume 2. To order this and other PR News guidebooks, go to www.prnewsonline.com/store/.)
Employee Awards Pitfalls: Don’t Win ‘Worst Planner’ Title
Employee awards programs inherently come with a promise to employees: We have a consistent plan for success with goals, and that you’re part of ensuring our success, says Elizabeth Castro, VP at O’Malley Hansen Communications in Chicago. Here are Castro’s three common awards pitfalls to avoid:
• Budget Wisely: Determine your full budget for the year and the budget per award, and communicate that to employees
• Follow Through: Do what you say you’re going to do. Communicating a schedule of winners and announcements at the time of launch sets an expectation. If you can’t follow the schedule, you stand to lose credibility.
• Keep Communicating: The worst thing an internal communicator can do is stop communicating about an awards program. It’s something that must be kept top of mind for employees who seek to excel and contribute to a winning organization.