Need employee recognition ideas? Well you have come to the right place.

Starting an employee recognition program can boost morale in any company. They say that no good deed goes unpunished, but what if you could make the opposite statement true – what if suddenly you could begin recognizing each and every one of your employees when they go above and beyond the call of duty? What could this simple change in policy do to revolutionize your employee motivation, pursuit of excellence and job satisfaction?

The truth is that this simple change can prove one of the most amazing ways to improve human resource morale, boost productivity and establish a corporate culture that breeds success and the highest standards of performance. Better yet, initiating an employee recognition program doesn’t require a huge investment of time or effort.  Essentially, all you need is a plan and the dedication to put it into place. With these ingredients in place, you've set the stage for success.

Step 1: Develop a Plan

It begins with deciding on how to implement your employee recognition gifts and programs. Do you plan on having a standard and traditional “Employee of the Month” program where you provide a certificate, lapel pins, plaque or a special parking spot? Or, instead, are you planning on providing some type of bonus or monetary compensation for excellent, over-and-above performance? Will your program reward one person, or is there room to recognize many who go above and beyond? Will you foster a sense of competition, or will you make your employee recognition program so that it requires cooperation to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness?

Step 2: Rally the Troops

Once you’ve narrowed things down and created an outline of the employee recognition program or plan you intend on using, the next step is getting everyone on board with your new program. Memos, emails and meetings need to present and announce the new recognition program to your employees and explain the benefits of getting on board. You need to be prepared to sell the idea and help your corporate culture embrace the new change and challenges. 

Guerrilla Tactic: One great way to rally the troops is to recruit a member (or, even better, members) of your staff to serve as a Focus Panel, to evaluate the corporate culture and make suggestions about the best ways to motivate and connect with them on the professional level.

Step 3: Stick to Your Guns

Finally, once you’ve devised and announced the plan, the final (but often more difficult) step is to stick to your guns with the new program and give it a chance to catch on. If you get excited and amped up about it, that enthusiasm can be contagious. Like any other goal, you should direct your path by creating regular objectives and checkpoints, with specific deadlines and needing specific details to work out the formulas. One of the easiest ways to remain motivated toward a task is to regularly evaluate your progress and reward good behavior. Having a regular and consistent employee recognition program allows smart, successful companies to do both simultaneously.