The Employee of the Month award is one of the most popular types of employee recognition programs aimed at improving employee recognition. It's an award program for exceptional performance every month. The company sets specific standards, and the best-performing employee receives the award. This article will guide you through creating one of the best employee recognition programs for your organization and provide valuable employee recognition ideas.
A robust employee recognition program can bring high returns for the business. It promotes healthy competition among employees and boosts morale and productivity. The award itself acts as an incentive for workers to work harder and increase productivity. A report suggests that 82% of employees feel happier when they’re recognized at work, as it gives them a sense of accomplishment, and they tend to stay longer, improving job satisfaction and overall company culture.
However, the program needs to be appropriately conceptualized. If it isn't conceived or executed properly, it won’t be effective.
Below, we discuss seven strategies you must focus on while designing effective employee recognition programs and employee appreciation programs.
Most corporate leaders are unclear on what goals they want to achieve with their employee recognition schemes. Is it more engagement or higher retention? Sometimes, the objectives are not aligned with company values. This contradicts the very aim of the program.
Before you implement your employee of the month program, you need to be clear about what you want to achieve with it. If you want a collaborative work environment, then reward teamwork, and if you wish to promote innovation, you should encourage new ideas.
Also, it is important to set your program's objectives in line with the company's mission. If team building is one of your core values, focus on team-based rewards. When you recognize a particular behavior, it becomes more likely that they will continue to do it, enhancing overall performance, motivation, and employee engagement.
Sometimes, companies don’t make the criteria for public recognition clear. In worst cases, they don’t have any specific standards. The award goes around arbitrarily, and the program becomes meaningless.
It is important to specify the set of behaviors that you expect from your employees. They must know the program guidelines beforehand. They should be aware of what they need to do to win. Consider creating a list of employee of the month criteria ideas to guide your decision-making process and help employees understand how to become employee of the month.
Keep the winning criteria clear and the nomination process transparent. Ensure there are no biases in the rewarding system. This way, employees will follow the right direction and work hard to fulfill those criteria.
Here are some behaviors you can recognize in your program:
Reliability
Emotional Intelligence
Teamwork and social skills
Consistency in performance
New ideas
Commitment to work
Quick learning skills
Mentoring skills
Regular attendance, etc.
In addition to specifying the criteria, remove gray areas by addressing all doubts about the recognition award. You may prepare a Q&A to go with the reward announcement.
Moreover, you must be fair while selecting the winner. Everyone should feel like they have a shot at winning. Guidelines should be clear on who can vote, when to vote, and how to vote. Consider creating a list of employee-of-the-month nomination ideas to streamline this process.
An employee of the month award can, sometimes, limit the true potential of effective employee recognition programs. For instance, say you have several deserving employees doing great work. In such cases, having multiple types of awards will be beneficial for you to not overlook any worthy candidate.
The solution to this: have multiple awards and know which employee rewards to avoid. It isn't necessary to call it the Employee of the Month award. You can get creative with the award titles. Get as specific as you can with the traits you want to value in your employees. This approach can lead to creative employee recognition program examples that engage your workforce more effectively.
Here are some examples of unique award titles and alternatives to employee of the month:
Champions of Change Award — for the risk-takers who best adapt to changing situations.
Best Mentor Award — for those who motivate others to give their best.
Problem Solver Award — for those who come up with creative ideas to solve challenges.
Ultimate Team Player — for those with an immense collaborative spirit.
The Engagement Champion — for the highly engaged.
Standout Performer — for those who give above and beyond performances.
Culture Champion — for those who keep the workplace culture vibrant and alive.
Awards need to be attractive so that your employees feel motivated to strive for them. You can combine monetary and non-monetary benefits to reward employees. Consider various employee of the month rewards and employee recognition awards to create an appealing program.
Make sure to consult your employees before deciding on the rewards. Here is where personalizing the staff recognition tool comes into play. Each employee is unique. What might motivate one won't necessarily motivate others. You can use employee feedback tools to ask for reviews of previous recognition programs. Check out our other blog about how to reward employees who go the limit.
Some employee recognition ideas for rewards include:
● Employee gifts such as personalized items or tech gadgets
● Wellness rewards like gym memberships or spa days
● Milestone celebrations for work anniversaries, donations
● eCards for quick, digital appreciation
Employees bringing their A-game to work is always beneficial. However, an award program that acknowledges only individual effort may promote a spirit of unhealthy competition. Workers start seeing their team members as competitors, which can sabotage the team spirit. It is necessary to keep the working environment competitive yet free from workplace negativity.
A peer-to-peer recognition program is an effective way to handle concerns of favoritism. It also ensures fairness with the democratic participation of employees in the program. Team recognition can be a powerful tool for building a collaborative workplace culture.
Peers notice efforts and understand employee contributions more than managers. When they nominate their teammates, it strengthens work relationships. Employees develop trust towards the reward system as well as the company. Also, knowing that peers nominated them can amplify the impact of the Employee of the Month award to another level.
Make the award announcements loud and public. Social recognition can make the Employee of the Month award genuinely worth pursuing. People like getting appreciated for their work. Calling out the star employees publicly for their achievements makes them value such moments for a long time.
The announcement can be made through a social media post or a team meeting. You can feature the winners on a Wall of Fame or create employee spotlights. With Workmates, the employee recognition and communication software, has a newsfeed so that all employees can see the updates.
Also, giving a gift card or a certificate might not be enough for impactful recognition. You need to personalize the employee experience with a meaningful note. Refrain from using standardized messages and include the specifics about their contributions and why they deserve the award. Consider organizing employee appreciation events to celebrate these achievements more prominently. Thank-you notes, whether handwritten or digital, can add a personal touch to the recognition process.
Your employee of the month program is up and running. But such a program might fall flat if you don’t assess its performance.
The employees might be looking for different kinds of recognition. They might not be clear about what to do to receive the award. There may even be cases where deserving candidates didn't get the reward.
Such challenges need to be evaluated and made right. To find out if your employee of the month program is working towards its objectives or not, follow up on how employees feel about the program. Get feedback from employees about their recognition experience and ask for suggestions.
Employee surveys can be of enormous help to assess the program's impact on employee engagement and job satisfaction. Companies with the best incentive programs often use recognition software to track and measure the effectiveness of their programs.
Some reward ideas for your employee of the month program:
Social media appreciation posts through online engagement platforms
Personalized gifts like coffee mugs, t-shirts, etc
Merchandise and gifts based on their hobbies, like music, gardening, or cooking
Paid vacations and days off using work schedule apps
Monetary rewards like bonuses, cash awards, gift cards
Subscriptions to OTT platforms, club memberships, food, and restaurant coupons
Tech and work equipment upgrades
An exclusive feature in the Wall of Fame, the company website, or newsletter
Certificates, tokens, or plaques
An employee of the month program is a step in the right direction for employee recognition. The best way to start is to ask your employees and take their input while designing a holistic employee recognition strategy.
There can be no one-size-fits-all approach to what an employee needs. So, put yourself in the employee’s shoes and think about how you would like your company to recognize you.
Reward behaviors that align with the company's goals. And make recognition regular, bias-free, and genuine. By implementing these strategies, you can create one of the best employee recognition programs that truly motivates and engages your workforce.
Remember to incorporate both formal recognition and informal recognition in your program. Leader-to-direct recognition can be particularly impactful, complementing peer recognition efforts. Utilize a mix of recognition ideas, from traditional awards to modern approaches like eCards, to create a comprehensive and effective employee recognition program.
What is the purpose of an Employee of the Month program?
The goal is to recognize and reward exceptional employee performance, boost morale, promote healthy competition, and increase overall productivity and retention.
How do you choose the Employee of the Month fairly?
Set transparent criteria, define clear performance metrics, ensure peer involvement, and maintain a bias-free nomination and voting process to keep the selection fair.
What are some creative alternatives to “Employee of the Month”?
Award titles like Champions of Change, Best Mentor, Problem Solver, or Culture Champion make the recognition more personalized and meaningful.
What are the benefits of an Employee of the Month program?
Benefits include increased employee motivation, reduced turnover, stronger team dynamics, and a more positive workplace culture.
How do you announce an Employee of the Month effectively?
Use public recognition like team meetings, intranet newsfeeds, social media shoutouts, and personalized certificates or video messages for maximum impact.
Should peers be involved in the nomination process?
Yes, involving peers ensures fairness, builds trust, and increases engagement in the recognition process.
What types of rewards can be offered to the Employee of the Month?
Consider a mix of rewards like bonus payouts, gift cards, extra time off, public shoutouts, customized trophies, or development opportunities.
How do you measure the success of an Employee of the Month program?
Track employee engagement metrics, gather feedback through surveys, and monitor changes in performance and retention to evaluate effectiveness.
Author Bio: Saurabh Wani is a digital marketer at ZoomShift, an employee scheduling tool. He has worked as a human resources (HR) recruiter for over three years, where he defined the recruitment life cycle that helped employees find the right job.