Get the most out of HR policies with employee recognition programs that offer actual benefits to employees’ personal growth in the company as well as giving them a fun experience. Find out why you need to update your recognition programs and how to make them exciting and useful.

The need to update employee recognition programs

The traditional ways of recognising an employee are growing old.Josh Bersin is the founder and head of Bersin by Deloitte, a provider of research-based membership programs in HR. Bersin found that a whopping 87 per cent of recognition programs focus on tenure. But this is not a good thing when you consider Bersin’s research that shows that tenure-based recognition awards have almost no impact.

TINYpulse, a company that advises businesses like Capital One and EMC on employee engagement, gives more examples of outdated programs. They state that most businesses have employee recognition programs but that they’re usually traditional methods like Employee of the Month, bonuses or gift cards. This is not as effective at motivating people anymore, according to the report.

New and exciting ways to recognise your employee’s efforts 

Fortunately, there are HR policies for recognising employees that are much more effective and interesting.

One effective way of recognising the employee is to give them more responsibility.  McKinsey and Co. explains how a person may want to rise to the challenge and prove themselves in an area that interests them so it’s good to give them control over a certain project as a reward. This sort of opportunity also forms leadership skills, which are vital for the future of the company.

McKinsey and Co. explains that giving employees the opportunity to lead special projects makes them feel part of the solution for improving the company for the future. This is not only a benefit that employees can put into action but a chance to prove to themselves and everyone else that they’re competent. This is tangible recognition.

TINYPulse also explains how employee recognition can be more fun. They suggest people putting names into a hat of employees they think deserve a lunch. The more “kudos” they receive, the more likely they are to win the lunch.

Another method is to make use of social media, and publicise the employees’ accomplishments for all their family and friends to see. This is the modern and improved version of the “Employee of the Month” picture on the wall.

Flexi Personnel’s experienced HR consultants can advise you on how to put these programs and more into place to give employees meaningful recognition.