Is it too late for “Employee of the Month?”
The “Employee of the Month” concept has been in existence for decades as a way to reward employees for exceeding performance expectations.
The concept is simple – you wait until the end of the month to pick one employee who stood out the most, and then you reward that one person. You might give them special privileges, such as a dedicated parking space, decorated workspace, or their name on a plaque. You may even give them a physical trophy to display and a monetary reward. Then you do it all over again the following month.
That format may have worked for years, but with the advent of social media and a younger generation steering it, waiting a month to reward someone may be too late.
A month might have been a justifiable waiting period back in the days when nominations were submitted on paper and physically passed around to multiple people for approval. But thanks to the immediate sharing of information possible with social media platforms, several people can approve a nomination submitted only moments earlier.
And, younger employees expect immediate feedback and recognition so waiting even two weeks could result in disappointment, and even worse, disengagement. That’s why the concept of Employee of the Moment is so appealing. This immediate and repeated recognition practice will certainly leave a more lasting impression than larger, more formal programs that happen perhaps once a quarter or annually.
By creating a social media platform on Facebook, Hang Outs on Google+, or a blog on WordPress for example, your HR department can develop a system that immediately rewards and recognizes employees for day-to-day accomplishments that go above and beyond the norm.
Why wait until the end of the month to reward one person when you can reward multiple people throughout the month? Not only does this solve the timing issue, but it also encourages better behavior on a more regular basis.
But let me guess: You’re wondering how you can afford to recognize more than one person in a month, when your budget is already stretched? Remember that recognition does not have to be accompanied by monetary or physical gifts. This is especially true with younger employees who are not necessarily looking for a gift card or a check, but want to be recognized for their work. Making an announcement or producing a simple certificate of recognition can accomplish more than having some kind of formal ceremony, producing a plaque or cutting a check.
OK, so money isn’t an issue. Now you’re thinking it’s already an awful lot of work to recognize one person each month, so you can’t possibly imagine having to do it many times. But, a simple, yet effective “Employee of the Moment” program is possible!
Only one site is needed, either on the existing company intranet or on a third-party platform such as WordPress. Employees subscribe to the blog so they’ll get updates sent to their email. Whenever an “Employee of the Moment” is determined, an update is uploaded to the blog and everyone who subscribes gets the email. Moreover, other employees can chime in and offer their congratulations to the recipient which fosters great internal support.
As an added benefit, the buzz created from the program and will increase the traffic to the HR blog, which means HR can utilize it to reach more employees about official business as well. The company can basically turn the HR blog into a kind of virtual recognition site and a forum for employees to leave suggestions and encouragement.
Considering most blog platforms, such as WordPress, and nearly every social media site, are free, the cost is negligible unless you decide to outsource the technical and creative part to a recognition provider who is versed in the strategy. But once it’s up and running, the sites are extremely user friendly. The tricky part is picking a platform that is right for your organization and will best engage your workforce.
During these crucial times, when employers want to hang onto gifted and talented employees, new methods need to be considered. Why not incorporate the immediacy of social media into your rewards program to create an even more effective method for acknowledging the hard work those talented employees put in on a daily basis?
