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Employee Recognition Program Ideas

Employee recognition plays a very important role to attract and retain employees in the current job market. Employers ultimately want to hire the most qualified and dedicated employees from the start to ensure greater success for any organization.

There are many ways to recognize an employee in an employee recognition program, but the following four approaches work well to work towards employee retention and productivity.

1. Public recognition Organize a surprise party for your top performers or broadcast on social media by posting a photo of your employees on facebook or instagram and brag about their achievements. You could also feature your employees’ success stories in the company newsletter as a part of your employee recognition program. If you don't have a company newsletter, then sending a company-wide congratulatory email to praise your employees for a job well done is equally effective. As an added bonus for public recognition, you could share an employee success story with a local paper and then frame the article and present it as a gift to an employee as part of an employee service recognition gift.

2. Private recognition Hidden praise works well where you hide a few notes of appreciation around your employees’ work area. This kind of discretion can go a long way, especially for your more humble employees. You could even send your employees a handwritten note, or just leave a sticky note saying “Thank you” on their desk. A simple "thank you" can be quite significant, either delivered in person or through a written note. Sending a box of chocolates or bouquet of flowers to an employee's home can be very effective, as it serves as a surprise for when they return home at the end of the day.

3. Promotion and similar recognition Assigning a new job title can make an employee feel more special and valued for the job they do. An employer could even ask a trusted employee to represent the company at an event that they would not normally attend. Any employer that asks for help or opinion shows an employee that they are valued and that their input matters. Additionally, creating an opportunity for an employee to work on a special project demonstrates further value of them and their dedication to the company.

4. Monetary and other tangible awards A raise in pay shows your appreciation of a hard working employee and goes a long way as part of an employee recognition program. Even a year end bonus can be very meaningful, especially if the bonus is rewarded around the holiday season. Tickets to a concert, broadway show, or a sporting event provide a fun night out for your employees, as well as recognizing their value to the company. Employee recognition programs can also include sending your employees to a conference or seminar whereby both the employee and organization benefit.