Employee Recognition

This is a subject that has been a topic of discussion between me and some counterparts for some time. We came to the decision to separate this into 2 areas. Recognizing employees (new and for contribution) and the rewarding of employees are the areas we discussed. Both areas can be difficult to handle as a Manager or company.

I will start with the introduction of new employees. There are many things that Managers/companies do when a new employee starts. They range from nothing to full out introduction through tours or emails. There are two things that need to happen. The first item is something has to be done for new employees. It could be as simple as a welcoming email to a picture, tour and email. We have all experienced different levels of introduction in our careers. The method that seems to be widely accepted during our conversations is a brief email with a picture. For areas that don't have email access, the email is printed and posted. This happens for all new employees. The content should be their name, position and main area of responsibility or job tasks. When new employees see that they are treated the same as management, it makes a difference.

The second item for new employees is consistency. The introduction should be the same for every employee. If an email is sent for the new vice president, then an email should be sent for every new employee. The details may be different, but the process should be the same. It is not a good feeling to join a new company without an introductory email to see the next employee join and a grand email be issued. It gives the impression that your role is not be as important.

The second section to discuss is reward and recognition for a job well done. We have gone back and forth on this one for a while. This is a difficult process to master. There are a lot of Managers that want to reward staff, but do not want to seem like the reward is playing favourites. In some Union environments, it is written in the contract that rewards are not acceptable. It really is difficult to get a handle on.

There are many ways that Managers/companies do reward and recognize employees. During my career, I have come across a few methods of rewarding employees. The list is below:

1. Meals provided for all employees when Production or Revenue goals are met for a quarter or the year. These goals were presented at the beginning of the year and monitored throughout.
2. Notices posted for employees that are celebrating anniversaries (5 year, 10 year, etc).
3. Continuous Improvement Teams (Six Sigma) that achieve their goal are recognized with a posting and given a small reward (Gift Card or golf shirt).
4. Lunch provided for employees on the month of their birthday.
5. The person that provides the best suggestion for a safety or improvement idea gets a small gift.
6. Mention in the company newsletter or website for a strong contribution
7. A reward given to employees for achieving productions records (most units produced in a month).

I am sure I have missed a couple I have come across during my career. It is something to think about. Both are very important to getting and keeping employees engaged. Just remember, you can recognize and reward staff, but make it consistent.