The Recognition Program Puzzle: Diversity – Inclusion – Intrinsic – Extrinsic?

With all these buzzwords floating around the employee engagement world how do you put them all together to come up with a great employee recognition program?

When in the process of designing or re-designing your recognition program, it will be easier if you keep the four important buzzwords, diversity, inclusion, intrinsic and extrinsic in mind.  Diversity can be loosely defined as the range of differences between races, ethnicities, ages and numerous other personal traits. Inclusion is the involvement and empowerment between each of them. 

Recognition is perceived differently by different cultures so it’s important to include several options of how managers can actually recognize the employees.  Based on recent survey’s it is important that your employees perceive that the program rules are fair and all inclusive.   Be sure to link employee goals to business goals, give your managers training for the coaching necessary to make sure you are rewarding the correct standout performance for some while also managing convergent performance for others. 

Your program should also include both intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the behavior driven by positive internal feelings, as opposed to extrinsic motivation, which is driven by external things – praise, pizza, merchandise, gift cards and so on.  Be careful of the debate over which is better, or more motivational, they both have their place and the best results can be found in the strategic mix of both types.  And for organizations dealing with expanding workplace diversity, balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is more important than ever when it comes to inclusion and motivation.

According to Christina Zurek, Solution Manager, ITA Group…

“People naturally gravitate toward what motivates them, whether that’s pizza, competitions, joining a running club or volunteering at a homeless shelter. The choices people make represent who they are, and when businesses help employees make choices they’re proud of, they build businesses they’re proud to stand behind. After all, the ability to be yourself and share your passions is precisely what diversity and inclusion are all about.”

What awards to use?  We’ll leave that up to the legions of award companies you can choose from to decide. Regardless of what you use, make sure to include a choice from a very wide array of gift cards.  They still provide the best value at the best price of any extrinsic award in the industry. And are the most used of any award ever.

For more information on Ultimate Choice Inc.’s products or services or other white papers please contact us at Ultimatechoiceinfo@cox.net

What Does Saying “Thank You” Really Do for Others?

While we’ve posted on ‘Thank You” before, we don’t think we say it enough.  And while many organizations do a good job of thanking their people we still see a wide variance between wanting to do and the actual act. It’s a shame, but true.

Being thankful and expressing your gratitude is an important part of employee engagement.  Finding the proper way to thank others for their performance and assistance or just remind them how much their efforts mean to you can be rewarding for them year round. Take a moment to reflect on why saying ‘thank you’ is important.

Remember what saying saying ‘thank you’ really does:

- shows how much you value another person
- brings out the best in others
- draws people closer together
- shows that you are part of a team or family

Here are some quotes from famous people and how they viewed the importance of ‘Thank You’ as a part of their life:

·        “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” -JFK

·        “You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

·        “Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have.” -Anonymous

·        “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.” -Robert Holden

·        “A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude.” -Bruce Wilkinson

·        “When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” -Kristin Armstrong

·        “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” -Cicero

·        “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”-David Steinall-Rast

·        “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” -William Arthur Ward

·        “Develop an attitude of gratitude and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” -Brian Tracy

·        “Gratitude is the open door to abundance.” -Anonymous

·        “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” -Aesop

·        “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” -Randy Pausch

·            “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly 

              endless.” -Mother Teresa

For more information on Ultimate Choice Inc.’s products or services or other white papers please contact us at Ultimatechoiceinfo@cox.net

Detrimental Myths About Top Performers

The main objective of HR is the maintenance of better human relations in the organization.  This is accomplished by the development, application and evaluation of policies, procedures and programs relating to human resources to optimize their contribution towards the organizations objectives.

Most HR professional spend a lot of time discussing employees — particularly those employees who appear to be struggling. They look for ways to support and encourage them, to boost their performance, and to incentivize them to reach greater heights. While it’s certainly important to try to improve the performance of marginal employees, all too often HR can forget about top performers — those who constantly and quietly do their best and perform well.

Certainly all employees are valuable to the smooth running of a business, but high achievers and top performers are truly essential in performance management terms. They are the ones who are eager to push your business forward, because they know that their success and the company’s success are linked.

In over 40 years of implementing incentive programs we have seen many examples of how HR, (often by mistake) do in fact overlook top performers.  Following are just some of the damaging myths about your best employees that you should be award of: 

Myth #1: Top performers don’t need as much recognition as other employees.

In fact an argument can be made that you need to spend proportionately as much or more time recognizing their performance.  Not all high achievers are self-motivated.  Nothing is more discouraging to them than being taken for granted and recognition is one of the fires that fuel their performance. Reverse the 80/20 rule and spend 80% of your time with your best people.

Myth #2:  Top performers can always be relied upon to be excited about their work.

Top performers are always looking for ways to advance and improve. If you don’t pay attention to this strength, they can lose it can his is a leadership trait that should be encouraged, not overlooked. If and lost it.  Don’t’ let them get bored.  Discuss advancement opportunities with them and see how you can best put them and their abilities to use, develop new skills and broaden their horizons.

Myth #3:  Top performers will be bold enough to ask for what they want.  Not true, as your best people, your competition will know who they are and they will be pursuing them. Not all best performers are assertive and extroverted. It’s altogether possible that you have a top performer on your hands who is working themselves to the bone and who is eager to advance, but they don’t feel entirely comfortable discussing how to do so.

Over the years we have been a part of dozens of top performer events and ceremonies and celebrations.  As we are a supplier and not considered as part of executive management, we are privy to many peer group conversations by top performers.  You would be amazed at how often the subject of leaving their jobs for “greener pastures” is overheard.

To assume the best will always be your best is a big mistake.  Many of the best and brightest in any company have come from a competitor who took them for granted.

For more information on Ultimate Choice Inc.’s products or services or other white papers please contact us at Ultimatechoiceinfo@cox.net

Harnessing the Power of Performance Management

According to a recent study by McKinsey Global Survey, performance management systems can be successful but only when executed properly.  Analysis indicates that the key to reaping business success is to establish a system that both employees and managers perceive as fair.  To ensure that fairness the managers need to master three critical practices:

1.     Linking individual employee goals as closely as possible to business goals and priorities

2.     Coaching effectively

3.     Effectively differentiate compensation across all levels of performance.

Linking performance goals to business priorities

The study shows that linking individual employees’ performance goals to business priorities, not only correlates with a higher level of perceived fairness but also helps companies achieve their strategic goals. Where employees’ goals are linked to business priorities, 46% of respondents report effective performance management, compared with 16% at companies that don’t follow this practice.

Manager coaching

Analysis indicates not only that effective coaching is the strongest driver of perceived fairness but also that there is a direct relationship between effective managers and the effectiveness of a company’s performance-management system. Unfortunately only 30% of all respondents reported they had effective management coaching. 

Differentiating compensation

Less than half of all respondents agree that compensation in their company is meaningfully different across levels of performance.  The results also suggest that effective performance management is more likely when organizations separate compensation conversations from formal evaluations.

Many performance improvement systems are under stress because employees harbor doubts that these core elements are equitable.  To improve your performance improvement efforts, these doubts need to be eliminated.

For more information on Ultimate Choice Inc.’s products or services or other white papers please contact us at Ultimatechoiceinfo@cox.net