Fun Informal Employee Performance Recognition
Letting employees know how they are doing at work can make them feel valued and secure.
In a 2012 survey of Canadian employees 60% of employees indicated that having a performance review made them feel valued. Regular performance reviews are important because they let employees know where they stand at work.
According to Gallup’s Engagement Survey Q12 item, “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work” makes a 10% to 20% difference in revenue and productivity.
On an ongoing basis, help employees feel valued, recognized and acknowledged with a few simple and inexpensive recognition options.
Create Ongoing Peer-To-Peer and Management-Employee Recognition ‘Awards’.
Consider creating mini-awards categories and encouraging everyone to contribute nominations and stories recognizing the contributions of others. Do not select one theme for nomination such that only one type of person is acknowledged.
1) Ask your employees to suggest several criteria or awards options (add a few of your own). Shoot for a list of 10-15 that you can draw from on an ongoing basis.
- Team player of the week
- Most helpful to a customer (direct or indirect service)
- Top On the Spot problem solver (saved time, money or frustration)
- Best new idea Generator (job task or company culture related)
- Best utility player (able to step in to many roles as needed when needed)
- Best communicator or demonstrator of company culture
- Fastest at something when fast was needed
- Historian: Best resources for company history or policy information
2) Ask employees/managers to submit nominations or stories each week. If you have an internal social network create a space where the stories can be posted.
3) Create a Manager/Employee team to select different ‘winners’. This need not be arduous – schedule 15-20 minutes once a week for the vote (electronic or group meeting). DO NOT OVER THINK. Rotate different team members onto this selection team each month.
4) The acknowledgement is the reward. However, if you want to offer a token ‘reward’ select something fun with no real monetary value:
- A trophy to be displayed in their workspace for one week
- A simple but professional public display, perhaps a copy of their photo in a frame on a wall or on your website
- Extending their break or lunch by 30 minutes on Friday
- At the end of each month inviting all the weekly winners to lunch
- Thank them personally. Have a senior person in your organization contact and thank individual employees. A phone call, a personalized card or showing up can have a positive impact.
By varying your options and involving everyone you increase your odds of capturing a broader view of your employees and their performance. At the end of the day you can also use this information, both nominations and winners, as part of your more formal performance review process.
Source and Resources
Ceridian Canada’s Pulse of Talent Second Edition
Case Study Wow Moments Helps TD Canada Trust Nurture Employee Engagement and Growth