RECOGNITION WORKS!

We give an award to the top sales guy, to the person with 25 years of service, to the truck driver with 1 million miles without a chargeable accident. We believe in the power of recognition. The why we do it may seem obvious, but it is a lot more than that.

We use recognition to:

  • Create a culture within the company that affects every attitude.

  • Say thanks and applaud success.

  • Teach others what we as an organization want to achieve.

  • Increase retention of employees.

  • Support Mission and Values.

  • Engage employees.

  • Encourage loyalty.

  • Increase customer satisfaction.

  • In summation, we believe in using recognition everyday to improve the bottom line. If that's important to you, then we're speaking the same language. Come with us on this journey.

    Take a look at the topics we have and see if we can help you with your recognition programs.

  • Need ideas for wording on an awards? See the Thesaurus.

  • Want to implement a sales award program but need to present the concept to management? Check out Sales Awards: An Overview.

  • Want to know the inside scoop on the Lombardi Trophy or the Oscars? Take a look at our ongoing series on Famous Awards.

  • Talk to us. We are here to help you.

    Tuesday, June 10, 2014

    Creating a Culture of Recognition

    Posted by Curt Denevan:

    Alpha Source Corporation wanted to create a culture of recognition. In identifying what was needed, they had several key goals:
    • Company had a new management team in place and old habits needed to change
    • A growth plan had been added to the business model, and all employees needed to embrace the coming changes
    • A certain attitude of "We've always done it that way, why should I bother changing..." permeated throughout the company.
     Consultants from Recognition Pro were able to come in and offer an overview of what recognition can do for the management team. This was then taken to a training session, Recognition 101, in which all front line supervisors were taught how to use recognition effectively. A software program that tracked all recognition events and how they were implemented allowed the CEO the ability to see how recognition was impacting the company. Employees were positive about the changes, loved the way the company respected and recognized their contributions, and were excited as the program went forward.

    Co-founded by Dr. Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Recognize Employees, Recognition Pro has become the premier training tool for companies looking for positive, motivated workers.

    For more information, see Recognition Pro.

    Recognize Now











    What will a Recognition Program do for you? Let's run the numbers...

    Posted by Curt Denevan:

    According to a recent survey of 80,000 employees, recognition was a principle factor in employee satisfaction and retention. The purpose of the survey was to identify critical dimensions of quality workplaces in which four outcomes were at a high level: employee retention, customer satisfaction, productivity and profitability - are all at high levels. What does this affect?

    • Supports 50% lower turnover
    • Creates 56% higher customer loyalty
    • Causes 38% increase in productivity
    • Builds relationships
    • Encourages personal achievement
    • Reinforces company goals
    • Builds employee loyalty
    • Rewards employees for performance
    • Increase profitability by as much as 27%
    Not a lot of organizations do recognition well, in fact, only a minority do. Those that do, have a recognition strategy that is multi-tiered, multi-faceted and fully integrated. As a result, a good recognition program will:
    1. Support and value employees, to positively reinforce their initiative and creativity, and to enhance business performance.
    2. Presented at different levels depending on the accomplishment significance.
    3. Be available for a wide variety of achievements and contributions, such as:
      • Innovations and improvements
      • Performance excellence and meritorious actions
      • Length of Service
    A good recognition program doesn't have to be expensive. On the contrary, most recognition programs will create lasting value, long-term return and result in a good investment. All it takes is thought and care and a willingness to acknowledge your most important assets - the people who are your company.

    Monday, February 17, 2014

    PROVIDING A CONTEXT FOR RECOGNITION: HOW TO PRESENT AN AWARD

    by Dr. Bob Nelson
    Recognition Pro: Coaching Managers to Recognize & Reward


    Regardless of what forms of incentive, recognition or rewards you are using in your organization, you will achieve higher value if you are mindful of how such items are delivered.

    Take, for example, a five-year service award.  I contend the activity of personally recognizing that employee milestone is many times more meaningful than the specific token gift that may be received.  Instead of receiving a five-year pin, logo'd jewelry or a choice of gift delivered to your desk with a form letter several months after your anniversary, most employees would be far more touched to get a personal call or visit from their manager on the day of their anniversary.  Their manager could say something like: "I noticed it was your five-year anniversary today.  Can you believe how fast the time has gone?  I can still remember your first day of work!  I was excited about having you on the team then and I'm excited about having you with us today.  Thanks for confirming my good judgment in hiring you!"

    Of course, the manager would have to take some initiative to mark his calendar in advance and take a few minutes to connect with the employee on that day, but it's exactly those personal actions that give the interaction so much meaning for the typical employee.  The thoughtful, personal touch tells the employee that although you are busy, you are not too busy when it comes to taking time for an employee.

    In another example, I know someone who had been a part of a project team that lasted for quite some time.  The team members worked hard and they achieved significant results.  Many weeks after their last meeting, coffee mugs with an imprinted name of the project mysteriously appeared on each member's desk.  My friend's reaction was "I guess this is for all the overtime I worked on that project.  Some thanks!"

    Needless to say, the lack of context given to this recognition item undermined what otherwise might have been a very thoughtful gesture of thanks and teamwork.  Whoever went through the effort and expense to provide the coffee mugs could have pulled the group together--perhaps for a celebrations lunch--and distributed the mugs at that time as a memento of the team project with individual words of thanks for each team member.  In that instance the coffee mugs would have been more likely to serve as a symbolic reminder of that shared team effort for years to come.


    Besides making recognition more meaningful, providing a context adds a practical element to the activity as well.  It gives you a chance to:
    1. Specifically identify the desired performance thus eliminating any guessing on the part of the employee and creating a strong link Between the desired performance and the reward.
    2. Generalize the specific performance to a larger category of desired behavior such as teamwork, a company value or organizational initiative.
    3. Set a public example for other employees as to what things get noticed and rewarded in your work environment.
    Thus a manager can obtain a benefit on several levels by verbally recognizing an employee as follows:  "John, thanks for working late last night to help us wrap up that proposal.  I appreciate that you did it without being asked.  It's that type of initiative that tells me you're really committed to our group and it's exactly what we need to reach the goals we've all been aiming for this year."
    Taking the time to personalize the delivery of any achievement award adds to its values for all of us.  It creates an emotional impact that seems rarely felt today in the workplace.

    By providing a context for an award or recognition item, you have a chance to tie the item and event to a larger context for the employee, thus potentially connecting one's job responsibilities to a larger framework, a deeper sense of commitment and group purpose, and ultimately to the overall mission of the organization.




    Posted by Curt Denevan: