Generating Incentive
through Recognition
SHOW YOUR EMPLOYEES THEIR VALUE TO THE ORGANIZATION
For even the best, most engaged work-ers,
there are times throughout a
career that motivation can
begin to slump. An organiza-tion
can curtail a motivational lag
by keeping its employees aware that
it appreciates their ongoing efforts
and values their contribution to the
team. Employee recognition and in-centive
programs can be implemented
to show workers that their efforts aren’t
going unnoticed. A tangible and public
acknowledgement of an employee’s contribu-tion
rewards their efforts, engages them in the
process, builds their loyalty in the company and
motivates their peers to a similar standard.
However, implementing the right kind of employee
recognition and incentive program is critical to its success.
Too often, employee recognition is seen simply as a pur-chase
– pens, shirts, trips or other company “swag.” You
cannot purchase loyalty, however, which is ultimate-ly
what a good recognition program will achieve. A
program’s success rests not on volume of money,
talent management
but effectiveness of leadership – specifical-ly,
an employer or manager’s ability to
forge an emotional bond with their
employees. It is that emotional
commitment that will encourage
employees to invest their talent in
your organization and work more
productively.
The key to employee engagement
is no secret; it requires emotional
commitment from its leadership, a sup-portive
workplace culture and constant
maintenance. The payoffs are equally intense
– happier, more productive employees, happier
customers and a better bottom line.
A recognition program may not mean building a new
program from scratch. Even if your workplace does not
have a formal recognition program, there may be ways to
tailor or reframe existing events and practices into a custom
program that engages and rewards your employees while
providing other valuable assets – trackable results and
tangible feedback. Consider the processes you cur-rently
use to reward performance.
By Kathleen Powers
A PROGRAM’S SUCCESS RESTS NOT ON VOLUME OF MONEY, BUT
EFFECTIVENESS OF LEADERSHIP – SPECIFICALLY, AN EMPLOYER OR MANAGER’S
ABILITY TO FORGE AN EMOTIONAL BOND WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES.
Zeljko Vujic/Shutterstock
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ OCTOBER 2014 ❚ 45
