This is not the first time I have been involved with an employee program. Back when I worked for someone else, rather than ran my own company, I was a participant in an employee recognition program. I wasn’t very happy in my career at the time, but I hung in there much longer than I think I would have because of the rewards program. I felt like my employers were at least making an effort to reward our hard work and I loved being able to win great prizes. It kept me working hard and fast even when my passion for what I was doing had long since evaporated. Now that I run my own business I always look for ways to reward the work of my employees. I know that an employee program can’t stand on its own for the long haul. Employees want to be feel acknowledged by their employers, not just a program that is put in place. I make a real effort to tell my employees how much I value their work and I pay close attention to salaries. I just felt that this method of management - combined with a really great rewards program - would go a long way towards a successful company.

That’s when I made the decision to include an employee recognition program in my day-to-day operations. I, along with my management team, sat down and identified those goals that we wanted to see reached as a company. We then communicated those goals to our employees along with the introduction of the employee recognition program - attaching prize incentives to the reaching of particular goals. In the beginning, I didn’t have a large budget so I kept the prize incentives relatively modest but still chose things that I thought my employees would like the chance to win.

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In the last post we talked about some of the reasons that companies - in all industries - choose to implement an employee recognition program. The benefits can be extraordinary - to both the employees who participate in the program as well as the company as a whole. Company ownership and management are able to communicate the goals that they would like to see met; program participants are then able to work towards those goals with a clear understanding of what they stand to win by meeting those objectives. In the end, employees are recognized for their hard work with something substantial and of value. Employees who are valued are more likely to work hard for their company and are less likely to leave. The payoff for the company, of course, is a happy, motivated, enthusiastic workforce, increased production as a result, and lower turnover in the long run.

Setting up an employee recognition program, as we discussed, involves determining what goals are to be set, which employees are eligible to participate, and what prize incentives they wish to offer through the program. This all comes down to knowing your employees and picking those prize incentives that are most interesting and ultimately coveted enough to strive towards winning. Some other things to keep in mind when setting up an employee recognition program include:

The company that you choose to work with. Do you want a company that sets things up and lets you run with it? Or do you want more hands-on management; a team that can manage the day-to-day of the program? Be sure to determine what you really want and communicate those needs to any company that you consider.

Remember that a successful program grows and changes alongside a company. Don’t just pick your prize incentives and be done with it. Reexamine your goals going forward, change what needs to be changed and freshen up the prize incentives to keep employees engaged in interested.

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It’s no secret that an employee program can have an enormously positive impact on those businesses that chose to implement them. Employees themselves certainly are bound to feel as if their employer is invested in their hard work and their efforts are being rewarded by something that is more than just the standard salary and benefit package. Employee recognition programs can benefit employees as well as companies as a whole that see results in improved employee morale, higher production rates, lower turnover, and a happier, more enthusiastic workplace. So how do companies know how to choose an appropriate employee program and how do they go about implementing it into their everyday operations?

There are certainly many incentive programs from which to choose. Ultimately, finding the right program is a matter of personal choice. You need to know your company and you need to know your employees. It is up to you to choose the benchmarks for prize incentive eligibility. Do you want to determine a specific number in sales that you would like each employee to strive for? Are there production goals that make more sense in your line of business? Will all employees be eligible for the program or will only a particular group of employees at a particular level in the company? These are the details that will define your personal program.

Choosing actual prize incentives also comes down to knowing your employees. Which prizes would be most appealing to them? Which are they likely to work towards? Do you want to set prize incentives for a longer period of time or switch them up frequently? Also, obviously budget is a consideration here. The great thing about an employee recognition program is that it can be adjusted at any time to meet your needs - budget or otherwise.

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In the last post we talked about the ins and outs of an employee program; how a company identifies particular goals that they want their employees to work towards - whether those are sales numbers, production, or customer service benchmarks. How the company identifies those employees that are eligible for the program - who can participate and what their particular objectives are as individuals and as a group. Finally, what the prize incentives are for meeting these goals - prizes that are likely to be well-received by employees and are in line with the company’s budget. These prize incentives can certainly be changed to meet needs and changing budget; that’s the beauty of such a program - it can grow along with your company.

As we said previously, those employees who achieve particular goals and are eligible to receive prize incentives as a result, are getting an added benefit from their company - over and above their salary and traditional benefits. A strong employee program, however, offers benefits as a whole to the entire company in terms of:

Improved employee morale. Everyone wants to go to work at a place that they love. Employees that feel valued by their employer are likely to be happier at work and a happy workplace benefits everyone.

Improved production. Happy employees equal improved production. When employees feel good about their job and the work they are doing, they work harder and are more willing to go above and beyond to get the job done - especially when there are prize incentives on the line.

A stronger feeling of community. Success fosters success. Those employees that receive prize incentives will set the pace for a strong workforce. A feeling of friendly competition could ensue as well as the coming together of teams to meet a particular goal.

Lower turnover. Let’s face it; happy employees don’t leave. Having employees stay for longer periods of time, cuts down on money and time lost in training new employees.

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Running a business - a successful business - is no small feat; it takes a team of knowledgeable professionals who are focused on a common goal. Every player on this team matters; all components must be intact for there to be true success. So, the companies that honor their employees as integral parts of the team, are doing much to lay the groundwork for success going forward. After all, how can a company be truly strong if their employees are unhappy and unproductive? Or constant turnover is an ongoing issue? A well-planned employee program - while not the only ingredient for success - can certainly be one of the more important components in a successful company.

Incentive programs are nothing new but are surely more accessible now that businesses have gone online operationally and are gathering more and more information through resources on the Internet. An employee rewards program is tailored to meet the specific needs - and budget - of each company but essentially works like this:

The company identifies particular goals to use as benchmarks for employee recognition, as well as the employees of the company - level of management, etc. - that are eligible for the program. They then choose prize incentives that will be offered to those employees that reach these particular goals. Again, the prizes are completely customized to the company - what incentives they think will be well received by their employees, as well as the cost that they are comfortable investing in the program. Prize incentives can also be adjusted at any time to reflect the company’s budget for that year or particular goals that they have set.

When employees achieve the goals that the company has set forth - sales goals, customer service, production, and the like - then they are able to choose from among the prize incentives available to them - a bonus for them, as well as the company as a whole because of the benefits that come with such an employee program. More in the next post…

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If you have a competitive bunch in your employee pool, you know how beneficial competition can be to a company as a whole. Employees are not only working hard for their salaries, they are competing against each other for recognition, bonus, bragging rights, and whatever else; and good, friendly competition never hurt anyone. In fact, many companies large and small may find that this is just what they need to spark their own employees’ motivation. One of the best ways to do this - regardless of size or industry - is to implement an employee program that will further inspire employees to reach particular goals.

Companies that consider setting up incentive programs will find there are many benefits to their overall operation - inspiring go-getters within their organization that work exceedingly well within the context of competition and lighting a fire under other employees who see their co-workers given access to a variety great prizes.

Benefits of a rewards program include:

Employee motivation = increased production. It’s a no-brainer that when you inspire your employees to work harder the work gets done faster and often at a higher level of quality. Improved employee morale can have an enormous positive impact on your company as a whole.

Saving money on training by lowering turnover. Every time an employee leaves, it costs the company money. You have invested time, training, and sometimes equipment in bringing someone on board and when they leave you lose that investment. Employees who feel valued through an employee program are less likely to leave. Lowered turnover means more money in the company’s wallet.

Creating a positive work environment. In the end you want to establish a great work environment for your employees; a place where they feel heard and valued; a place where they are happy to go everyday. Nothing benefits your company more.

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