Recognition Matters Because People are Alike All Over

October 3, 2013 by

 

people rewardI’m a big fan of the Twilight Zone series.  I have DVD’s of all the episodes and I still watch them when I happen to catch one being shown.   One of my favorite episodes (along with To Serve Man) featured Roddy McDowall as biologist Sam Conrad who is scheduled to go on a mission to Mars.  He’s frightened about what he will find when he gets there but mission commander Mark Marcusson assures him that there is nothing to worry about.  Marcusson tells Conrad that “People are alike all over.”

The spacecraft crash-lands and Marcusson dies from his injuries.  Conrad, uninjured, is happy to find a race of human-like people who promise to provide for him.  They even produce a comfortable dwelling.  All too late, however, Conrad discovers that he has been placed on exhibit … a specimen Earthling for all the Martians to stare at.  Conrad realizes that people really are alike all over.

As commander Marcusson believed and Sam Conrad confirmed – when it comes to employee recognition – people are alike all over.  Recognition for a job well done, a difficult challenge overcome, or a consistent, loyal career is all too important when building and maintaining a successful organization.  When employee recognition is done right it has a proven effect on employee engagement, which in turn produces business value.

Years of Service Programs can positively impact onboarding, retention and morale.  Celebrating the achievements of others just feels right!

Perhaps you have a flagging employee recognition program and need to recharge or replace it.  Don’t have an existing program but considering one?  Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.

  •  Go Big or Go Home:  Simply put, don’t go cheap.  You don’t have to break the bank … but when recognizing career achievement — do it like you mean it.  Your employees get the message when presented with token rewards and recognition materials.
  • Keep it Cultural: Corporate culture, that is.  Your program is the ultimate vehicle for reinforcing corporate vision, value and culture.
  • Keep it Meaningful: Make a big deal out of recognizing achievement.  Get all levels of management involved.
  • Keep it Visible: Brand your program and vigorously market it so that everyone … existing and potential employees … know that you are committed to a long term relationship.

This list could be a lot longer, but you get the idea.  Times, methods and circumstances have changed greatly over the years, and the workforce has changed with them.  One thing remains — people still respond positively to recognition of their achievements and contributions to the organization.  In other words, People are Alike All Over.

Channel Sales Incentives and Free Parking – a Practical Lesson

September 27, 2013 by

Ease-of-use is an oft-cited and arguably overworked term.  But in my experience, ease-of-use can many times facilitate frequent use.  Here’s one example. How often have you set out on a shopping expedition, errand, dining experience, etc., and been frustrated by the inability to find a parking space near your desired destination? Or, if you were… Read more »

Employee Recognition and Incentive Programs … Mysterious or Meaningful?

September 26, 2013 by

The Voynich Manuscript … The Great Pyramids … Stonehenge – fascinating mysteries to be sure.  If you’re hesitant regarding the implementation of employee recognition, customer incentive, safety incentive or sales channel incentive programs because you view the task as mysterious as these … relax, rethink, and reconsider! Allen Schweyer, Principal and Partner at Human Capital… Read more »

When the Music Stops … Closing out Employee Recognition and Incentive Programs

September 18, 2013 by

Since we make our living at Quality Incentive Company designing and operating ongoing employee recognition and incentive programs, we try not to spend a lot of time thinking about what happens when a program reaches the end of its life cycle. But the fact is that most programs have an endpoint. A recent article by… Read more »

Embedding Core Values is Foundational to Employee Recognition

September 13, 2013 by

When constructing the correct employee recognition program it is critical to strike a proper balance between the “what” and the “why.”  Properly designed and executed, employee recognition should also address how employees are recognized and rewarded … and it is critical. Check out Derek Irvine’s post which discusses how important it is to embed corporate… Read more »