Everyday

Recognition.sd
A guidebook for creating a culture of
employee recognition throughout
South Dakota state government

1

e program is meant to encourage all supervisors, as well as co-
workers, to make an effort to recognize a job well done and to say thank

gnition.sd website. Eventually, all departments will have a
description of their formal and informal recognition program activities listed on

customized program, as well as recognition ideas. An appendix is also included
to assist the agency recognition committee in developing the agencys program.


ator. It serves to
einforce the enthusiasm, commitment, and social conscience of employees and
s a variety of articles about
effective recognition activities. Take some time to read through them and also
mittee members.

catch people doing well. This culture assumes people are out to do their best
Every employee has a need for praise and recognition, and the more often they
get it the better. Supervisors are in the best position to give recognition, but few
do it often enough or creatively enough. The goal of EverydayRecognition.sd is
to create a culture of recognition, appreciation and gratitude throughout state
government. Th
youeveryday!
As part of EverydayRecognition.sd, all departments will be required to develop
some type of employee reward and recognition program specifically for their
employees. Some agencies already have formal employee recognition programs
and activities in place. These can be continued and showcased on the
EverydayReco
the website.
This guidebook will serve as a tool for agencies in developing their agency
reward and recognition program. It provides information on the importance of
recognition in the workplace, guidelines to assist agencies in developing a
The I mpor tance of Employee Recogni ti on
The implementation of an effective reward and recognition program can create
a positive working environment that encourages employees to thrive.
Recognition makes employees feel valued and appreciated, it contributes to
higher employee morale, increases organizational productivity, and can aid in
recruitment and retention. Recognition is a powerful motiv
r
is a great vehicle for conveying the agency mission and goals.

The appendix at the back of this guidebook include
share them with your agency com
A Cultur e of Appr eci ati on
How do we acknowledge others? To answer this, consider a workplace with an
attitude of appreciation that is a routine part of every day. Eveyone is
continually appreciating everyone else. You dont have to be a supervisor to
acknowledge someone else. Employees are aware, and are on the lookout to

2
nd regularly notices them doing it. Sincere and genuine appreciation is
and morale, isnt it worth it?
But it needs to be sincere. Meaningless warm fuzzies wont work. Jim
ha T! That means rewards should be:

ession of

st to the agency and the employees.
onal dimension is essential to recognition. No matter
that
make a big difference!


rovide some form of recognition that rewards a greater number of your
mployees. Also, consider whether the recognition and reward program focuses
mployees more on the gift or prize than on the underlying goals of the program.
"There are two things people wan
recognition and praise."
Mary Kay Ash, Mary Kay Cosmetics
a
forthcoming. Employees are at their best because their standards of excellence
are their own. How do you create this kind of a culture of appreciation?

Recognition can be delivered in a number of ways. Think about just saying
Thanks. What does praise cost? Praise is inexpensive. If it only takes a few
minutes to reap days worth of increased productivity
Brintnall, author of What Makes a Good Reward, says rewards and recognition
ve to be SMAR
Sincere. Above all else, recognition should reflect a genuine expr
appreciation.
Meaningful. Recognition practices should be aligned with the values, goals,
and priorities that matter the mo
Adaptable. The diverse workplace demands a variety of choices. Consider
creative options to keep your program fresh. No single recognition format
works for everyone all the time.
Relevant. Some pers
how formal or informal, expensive or affordable, the relevance of any
recognition will be improved with a personal touch its the little things
Timely. It is important that recognition respond the the actions and behaviors
that you want to reinforce. Too much time passing devalues recognition.
In developing a program incorporating gifts, prizes, and/or cash, remember that
some employees are recipients and some are non-recipients. Pay careful attention
to your goals and determine if a particular program works well in your work unit
or agency. It is possible to cause more harm through competitive contests than to
p
e
e





t more than sex and money

3
tep One
Developi ng your Department Recogni ti on Program
S : Appoint an agency coordinator to ensure recognition activities are

The r
the department recognition committee,
,
stions
and concerns,
coordinated and communicated.
ole of the agency coordinator includes:
Participating on
Ensuring all general information is communicated to BOP to be included
in the website,
Coordinating training and information about the program throughout
the department
Functioning as the go to person by agency employees with que
Ensuring all recognition plans and activities are fully documented.

Step Two: Assemble a work group/recognition committee to develop the
internal recognition program and associated activities. The committee can be
than one
ommittee if
s in separate locations.

The role n committee includes:
are

Routinely monitoring and evaluating the program to make necessary
tep Thr ee
made up of managers, employees or both. You may decide to have more
c
your department has large numbers of employee
of the recognitio
Developing the formal and informal rewards and recognition program
for the agency,
Developing informational materials/training to ensure all employees
made aware of the plan,
Determining the types of rewards and the criteria for earning them,
Determining how and when formal awards are presented,

revisions. (See Appendix, page 21 for sample employee survey.)

S : Develop the departments recognition activities and program as a

Activ
ing employees,
Office, program and/or department specific awards and activities,

part of EverydayRecognition.sd.
ities may include any or all of the following:
Formal awards and the criteria to earn them,
Informal methods of recogniz
Whatever you come up with!
See the Appendix for helpful ideas on developing your program.

4
Step Four: Create clear lines of communication to announce the program and
provi ectations for
super

Communication pieces may include:
es,
Status updates via email, Internet and Intranet, newsletters.

Step
de all the employees the information about it, including the exp
visors and employees.
Kick off meeting,
Promotional materials outlining the activities and rewards,
Training sessions for all supervisors and/or employe
Fi ve: Provide information regarding your department recognition
activities to the Bureau of Personnel regularly to ensure information for the
Every

Infor
the recognition
committee,
nized,
Anything you want included on the recognition website!

Step
dayRecognition.sd website is up-to-date and relevant.
mation to share should include:
Name of agency coordinator(s) and members of
Informal activities taking place in the department,
Formal recognition program, including awards given,
Information about employees who have been recog
Si x: Provide a method for on-going review and evaluation of the program to
ensure i
informa

Possible

they like/dislike the best?
in behavior:
Overall:
Are there areas for improvement? Is there a culture shift happening? Did
you a culture of
appreciation? Wh
the best? What generated the most agency-wide enthusiasm? Why?


t is accomplishing what it should. Consider developing a survey or
l set of questions to get the information you need.
areas to survey include:
Employee reaction:
Do they understand the program? Are they excited? Do they like the
rewards and activities? What do
Changes
Are recognition tools being used more often? How frequently do
managers recognize their employees? To what extent is recognition a
part of the work unit or agencys communication tool? Is there an
improvement in performance?
meet the goals of improving morale and creating
at do we want to continue/discontinue? What worked

5
Appendix of Tools and Resources

Table of Contents

Ev ay eryd Recognition.sd Book List...page 6

ee Recognition:
Recognition Dos and Donts..page 9

Everything you Thought you Knew About Recognition is Wrong..page 10


What's the Best Reward for Employee of the Month?.......................page 15

Have an Attitude of Gratitude.page 16

Exa


Sample Employee Evaluation...page 20



Check out www.EverydayRecognition.sd.gov
Articles on Employ


Nelsons Ten Commandments About Recognition.page 14


mples of Types of Recognition..page 18
for more tools and resources!











6
An Attitude of Gratitude: Booklist






Make Your Company a Great Place to


by J ohn Putzier, 2001
Get Weird! 101 Innovative Ways to
Work





Fun Works: Creating Places Where
People Love to Work

By Leslie Yerkes, 2001





Make Their Day! Employee Recognition
That Works

By Cindy Ventrice, 2003



The 1001 Rewards & Recognition
Fieldbook : The Complete Guide
By Bob Nelson & Dean
Spitzer, 2003







1001 Ways to Reward Employees, 2
nd



By Bob Nelson, 2005
Edition



1001 Ways to Energize Employees

By Bob Nelson, 1997





301 Ways to Have Fun at Work
By Dave Hemsath & Leslie
Yerkes, 1997


7





101 Ways to Reward Team Members
for $20 (or Less!)
By Kevin Aguanno, 2003 &
2004





The Customer Comes Second: Put Your
People First and Watch 'em Kick Butt
bluth &
Diane McFerrin Peters,
002

By Hal Rosen
2

Fish! A Remarkable Way Boost Morale
and Improve Results
By Stephen C. Lundin,
2000






A Carrot A Day: A Daily Dose of
Recognition for Your Employees
By Adrian Gostick &
Chester Elton, 2004



Recognizing and Rewarding Employees By R. Brayton Bowen,
2000






Loveem or Loseem: Getting Good
People to Stay
By Beverly Kay & Sharon
J ordan-Evans, 2005




o Motivate and Reward Your
Employees Every Day: With Little or No
Money
By Dianna Podmoroff,
2005


365 Ways t





The CEO and the Monk

By Robert Catell, 2004

8





30 Days to a Happy Employee : How a
Simple Program of Acknowledgment
ust and Loyalty at Work
By Dottie Bruce Gandy,
2001
Can Build Tr





Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's
Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing

By J ames Kouzes & Barry
Posner, 2003
Others




Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work

By J ack Canfield, 2001





























9
Recognition Do's and Don'ts By Todd Henneman
Eight tips on creating effective reward programs.

shes
nd Mr. Hyde," says psychologist Aubrey Daniels,
els
eird! 101 Innovative Ways to Make Your Company a Great Place to
the
says Bob Nelson, president of Nelson
yees
e can be very different from what employees really value," says Elaine Weinstein,
gnition," says Lynne
onor to
em," says management consultant Cindy Ventrice, founder of Potential
U oesnt have quite the same impact than if its the
CEO or the GM."
Workforce Management, October 10, 2005, p. 50
Dont expect a rewards and recognition strategy to succeed if the day-to-day
management style is punitive. "If management pushes, pushes, pushes, pushes, pu
and cant be happy or satisfied with anything, and then all of a sudden when you reach your
goal theyre happy, its like Dr. J ekyll a
president of Aubrey Daniels International. "Youre not ready to be happy because youre not
over the beating that you just took."
Determine what youre trying to accomplish. "Is it an improvement in quality?" Dani
asks. "Is it an improvement in productivity? Be precise."
Understand that cash isnt king. "Cash gets confused with compensation," says J ohn
Putzier, author of Get W
Work. "Suddenly it becomes, Gee, I got that last month, but Im not getting it this month. It
becomes a negative."
Broaden what you consider to be rewards and recognition. "If you thought of it as
trophy and the plaque and the certificate, it is,"
Motivation Inc. "But thats a small piece of it, and thats a shrinking piece of it. The bigger
piece of it is the intangible, the interpersonal."
Ask your employees what types of recognition they prefer. "What you think emplo
might valu
senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer of energy corporation
KeySpan.
Remember that timing is important. "Timeliness is so essential in reco
Eskil, a recognition and service award adviser for the Boeing Co.s engineering group in Puget
Sound, Washington. "If its delayed, people feel its not at all meaningful."
Set up programs so everyone who merits recognition gets it. "They say its an h
be nominated, but those inverted-pyramid types of reward and recognition are in many ways
counterproductive to morale," says Matt Weinstein, founding president of Playfair Inc.
Get managers involved. "Employees want the recognition coming from the people who are
impressed with th
nlimited. "Having HR impressed with you d


10
Everything You Thought You Knew About Recognition Is Wrong
By Bob Nelson

by-product of a bygone era. While companies have been investing more
of improved morale and performance has
"
centive companies are
s.

e more
o
r as long as possible, but it's
n
ion
ers team
and
rom many employees tends to make

focus is just on finding someone--anyone--to
What has happened to recognition programs in our country today? Once a source of great
pride and prestige, formal recognition programs are now perceived as stale and irrelevant by
most employees, a
money in such programs, their effectiveness in terms
steadily declined.
"Always have" doesn't mean "always should
Lets look at a few examples of formal recognition programs that tend to be out of step with
the times and preferences of today's employees:
1) Years of Service. In stable, predictable times, in organizations where employees have a
job for life, marking milestones toward retirement makes a lot of sense. Today few, if any,
employees take jobs expecting to be there 20 or 30 years later. Some in
quick to point out that almost every North American company offers length-of-service award
Its as if this fact, in and of itself, is some sort of proof that they work.
J ust because such recognition programs exist, that doesn't necessarily mean they are a
source of motivation for today's employees. In one Fortune 500 organization with which I
recently worked, over half of all surveyed employees didn't view years-of-service awards as a
form of recognition at all. In another organization, a long-term employee told me they had to
go to personnel and demand their 20-year pin! (She showed it to me--it was still in the box.)
In most organizations today, years-of-service awards have become more associated with
endurance than performance. They've become a badge of honor that "I survived"--all th
so if the organization has experienced a merger or layoff in recent years. Sure, you want t
retain your employees--especially your top performers--fo
increasingly not the clock they get on their 10-year anniversary that keeps them with the
organization and energizes them to do their best work.
Holding celebrations and giving gifts for employee retirements or new-employee orientatio
are versions of the same thing.
2) Employee of the Month. An equally questionable, although widespread, recognit
practice is the employee-of-the-month program. I know of one organization where
management periodically announces the employee of the month at the manag
meeting, everyone applauds, and then the person in charge says: "If anyone sees George, tell
him he was selected for this honor!" More often than not, no one ever does.
We don't need employees of the month as much as we need employees of the moment,
we need them each day, every day. To select one person f
the majority feel unappreciated at the expense of the one individual who is honored. As a
result, the honoree may feel guilty or even embarrassed.
Add to this the unwritten rule that you can't be selected more than once for the honor, and
management ends up scrambling to find someone who hasn't yet received the award. The
selection criteria become skewed and soon the

11
ndance Awards. With the onset of flextime, telecommuting and virtual work
teams, work is increasingly what we do more than where we are. The technologies of cell
y connect us all during designated "working
ged
e and make the effort to determine existing employee preferences.
Companies tend to be reactive rather than responsive to what motivates today's employees,
gnition
tion. The incentive industry has not picked up on what's really important to employees
today and is more focused on continuing to move and customize merchandise, awards and
n
o
ct that employee values and expectations have changed has amplified the
disconnect that exists today. Today's employees expect to have more meaning in their jobs
ay of work, more involvement in their jobs, more thanks when they do
ate them
has become a joke. In other instances, it has become an outright insult. Sure, the first coffee
mu nice, but how many coffee mugs does one person need?
Same with pens, T-shi
em pic of recognition from a large client I am working
wit oyees were very clear about what they did not want:


give the award to. Once again, this sends the message to employees that if they just hang in
there, they too will eventually be recognized.
3) Atte
phones, e-mail, pagers, Palm Pilots and faxes easil
hours," whenever those may be. In some work environments, with some groups of employees,
being physically on the job and on time is critical. These positions are increasingly fewer in
number.
Where did recognition programs go wrong?
How did we get to this state of affairs? Recognition efforts in the United States have lag
shifts in employee preferences for several reasons. First, companies look backward to "what
we've done," thus making their evaluations of programs historical rather than current. They
dont take the tim
looking to change or improve things only when theres overwhelming evidence that what
they're doing isnt working. If other organizations are continuing with similar formal reco
programs, the status of such programs is perpetuated, even as they become stale, stagnant
and irrelevant.
Second, the $27 billion-plus incentive industry, with its focus on moving merchandise and
promoting expanded expenditures on existing recognition programs, hasn't helped the
situa
plaques than on motivating employees or improving performance. Once a program has bee
budgeted, its easy for an organization to continue that funding year after year. Its difficult t
stop and reassess whether the money is being spent wisely, or even if there is any return at
all.
Third, the fa
from their very first d
good work, more flexibility in their working hours and more balance between their work and
personal lives. Recognition practices have not kept up with these changed employee
expectations.
"Too many mugs"
Consider merchandise awards. Often the stuff that employees are given to motiv
g you get for finishing a project is
rts and even certificates of appreciation. J ust yesterday I was reviewing
ployee focus group comments on the to
h and noted that the empl
"No pens, pen sets or watches"
"No clocks, paperweights or T-shirts"

12


ave purchased themselves anyway.

such as achievement awards, cash substitutes (such as
by
n
oday?
that employees need to do their jobs, involving employees in decisions (especially
and
"Too many mugs"
From the employee perspective, trophies, plaques, nominal gifts and mementos all fall into
the same category. And printing your organization's logo on the merchandise doesn't magically
transform it into something of unique value, especially if the object is something that the
employees could h
Incidentally, a note to the incentive industry: Please stop confusing automation with
innovation. Offering "point programs" online helps more efficiently administer existing
recognition programs, but it doesn't make them more effective, nor mean that they should be
done at all! It doesn't help much to save companies time and money if what they're doing are
the wrong things.
Recognition: Not what it used to be
Companies have to break the bad habit of recognizing employees only by occasionally giving
them stuff. They must realize that for most employees, most of the time, how theyre treated
on a daily basis matters more to them and most effectively communicates that they are trusted
and respected, and that they are important.
Even traditional forms of recognition
gift certificates or discount coupons), nominal gifts or food, and public perks (such as parking
spots) have diminished in importance for most of today's employees. These all ranked at the
bottom of employee preferences in research I've conducted across industries. As one
participant commented in the focus group mentioned above: "Employees no longer hang up
their certificates."
How do you recognize employees?
Employees faith in institutions has drastically declined; they view themselves as working
more for other people than for organizations. It's those people they work for--and with--that
can most make recognition meaningful and special. In a recent study I conducted, 78 percent
of employees indicated that it was "very" or "extremely" important to them to be recognized
their managers when they do good work, and 73 percent said they expected that recognitio
to occur either "immediately" or "soon thereafter."
So what is most important when it comes to how employees prefer to be recognized t
Ironically, it's the simple forms of sincere thanks that still mean the most. In fact, of the top 10
recognition factors that employees indicated were important when they did good work, four
were types of praise--personal, written, electronic and public--each typically generated by
those individuals they hold in high esteem at work, given in a timely, sincere and specific
manner.
Other top-ranked motivators were support and involvement, that is, providing the
information
those that affect them), asking employees for their opinions and ideas, and supporting them
when they make a mistake. Autonomy and authority, such as allowing them to decide how
best to do their work, allowing them to pursue ideas they might have for improving things,
giving them a choice of work assignments, also ranked high for employees. So did flexible
working hours, learning and development opportunities, and the availability and time of their
manager.

13
ntangible, interpersonal and highly
ove items in response to good work when it occurs is the most
as a
at
n
deration
almost every single day."
dget).
ible for coming up with individual programs to recognize their team
ay

ur employees no longer seem to value and toward those things they seem more
motivational to most employees) dicated they value more
r the personal touch, and for real-life communication with your
e and want in order to be more effective contributors to
you and the organization. Effective managers today know this and realize that it's what you do
with your employees more than what you do to them that counts.
You'll get the best from your employees and keep them the longest when you show them that
you personally care. And the best way to do that is through your daily efforts in recognizing
and thanking employees when they do good work, not through any number of formal
recognition programs.
Workforce Management Online, J anuary 2004
What do these factors have in common? They are all i
situational. Granting the ab
desired form of recognition cited by today's employees. These actions say, "I'm here
person, not just a manager, when you need me the most." One employee recently told me th
she was having a tough time with some personal issues, and during a meeting her manager
said: "Mary, I want you to go home, take care of what you have to there, and come back whe
you're ready." She took a few days off and came back to work ready to dig in. "That happened
over seven years ago," she told me, "but I think about it and the courtesy and consi
that manager extended to me
The shift to informality
Caroline Strumbly at Progressive Insurance illustrates the shift she's seen in her
organization: "My group within our company is starting to lean toward less formality around
recognition. Recognition is being pushed into the managers hands (along with the bu
Managers will be respons
members, moving away from structured recognition to more personalized forms of
recognition."
This shift toward less formal recognition makes sense because that is what employees tod
say they most value. More personal, "here and now," sincere thanks and forms of recognition
are preferred over more formal programs, which are less frequent and less personalized, and
often have lost relevance, meaning and excitement in most organizations today.
A balanced approach
You dont have to do informal recognition to the exclusion of formal recognition. My
recommendation is that you ask employees (via a survey, assessment, focus groups or all of
the above) what they value from a list that includes current programs and practices and
potential new items, activities and practices. See how they respond. Then, once you have a
motivation baseline of your employees' preferences, systematically move away from those
things that yo
excited about.
This allows you to discontinue programs and practices that are not valued with a minimum
perceived "take away" loss, because youre acting on their feedback (which itself will be
and adding things that they have in
highly. This process will also validate those things that are currently working and provide an
energy surge to your overall recognition efforts, making them more fresh, fun and dynamic.
J oint effort
Theres no substitute fo
mployees about what they value, need

14
Nelson's Ten Commandments of Recognition
Take time to meet with and listen to employees--as much as they need or want.

ays (in order of priority) to motivate employees:
, or
ng products and
n.

10. Celebrate successes of the company, of the department, and of individuals. Take time for
team- and morale-building meetings and activities.
Workforce, April 2003, p. 50
Bob Nelson believes that todays workforce may be more motivated by a personal thank-you
than a pay raise. He shares his top 10 w
1. Personally thank employees for doing a good job. Thank them face-to-face, in writing
both. Do it early, often, and sincerely.
2. Take the time to meet with and listen to employees--as much as they need or want.
3. Provide specific feedback about performance of the person, the department, and the
organization.
4. Strive to create a work environment that is open, trusting, and fun. Encourage new ideas
and initiative.
5. Provide information on how the company makes and loses money, upcomi
strategies for competing in the marketplace, and how the person fits into the overall pla
6. Involve employees in decisions, especially as those decisions affect them.
7. Provide employees with a sense of ownership in their work and work environment.
8. Recognize, reward, and promote people according to their performance; deal with low and
marginal performers so that they either improve or leave.
9. Give people a chance to grow and learn new skills; show them how you can help them meet
their goals within the context of the organizations goals. Create partnerships with employees.

15
ard for Employee of
the Month?
lly, the best reward may be to scrap the whole thing.

Dear Workforce: What's the Best Rew
Actua

ut 150 employees. We want this program to build
ith our employees. What type of rewards are the most beneficial as recognition for
an employee of the month program?
y
f your managers about the importance of them appreciating their
se might be by asking them in one or more ways. It very well may not be "stuff" at all, but
utonomy, flexibility, trust, support, visibility, opportunity, and so forth... Good luck!

QDear Workforce:
Our company is beginning an employee of the month program for our hourly employees. We
are a manufacturing company with abo
goodwill w
-- J erem
A Dear J eremy:
If you want my reaction, it would be DON'T start an employee-of-the-month program, but
instead raise the awareness o
employees on a daily basis when they do good work -- one-on-one or via voicemail, in writing
or email, in meetings, etc.
The rewards that are most beneficial to any employee are the ones they want! Find out what
tho
perhaps a



















16

n (our attitudes). Its the how thats critical today. By Ann Perle
Have an Attitude of Gratitude
Problems are arising, not in what we do to recognize employees (our actions), but in how we
deliver the recognitio

es
ate productivity and
E

ograms. These programs are institutionalized ways of
saying "thank you" to employees for jobs well done. As a business community, American
ood recognition programs.
that companies are struggling to secure employee commitment these days.
trusting of their employers than ever before. This comes at
o a
le went on to say: "Despite a 4.8
specially HR pros, can do with

and CEO of Global Management Systems (GMS) Inc., a global
land. "In the IT industry within
e for
During this month when we celebrate Thanksgiving, its a good time to reflect on how
thankfulnessand more specifically, gratitudefits into the cultivation of employee
commitment and motivation. A spirit of gratitude makes a huge difference in how employe
perceive the expression of business thank-yous. This can impact corpor
profit in a big way.
veryone knows that employers traditionally have "thanked" employees for their work by
giving them a paycheck. Many employers also recognize employees for any extra effort they
put into their jobs through recognition pr
businesses collectively seem to have fairly g
Problems are arising, however, not in what we do to recognize employees (our actions), but in
how we deliver the recognition (our attitudes). Its the how thats critical today; its the one
element of our recognition efforts that can make all the difference in successfully thanking
workers and gaining their commitment.
Employee commitment is withering.
Its no secret
Employees are less secure and less
a time when our economy is thriving, and more areas of business are booming. According t
recent cover story in USA Today: "A new nationwide survey on the mood of workers reveals
lingering insecurity and unhealed wounds from the downsizing and restructuring that battered
Corporate America in the early years of this decade." The artic
percent jobless rate and the tightest job market in 25 years, workers are feeling more anxious
than ever."
Of course, much contributes to creating those anxious feelings. And no single remedy will
alleviate them. However, there are things that businesses, and e
employee recognition that will help. It has to do with connecting with employees again. Simply,
it means adding back the human touch to everything we do.
Lets begin by seeing our employees as people, human beings, who have strengths,
weaknesses, and ups and downs. People are neither "intellectual capital" nor commodities;
theyre people. Almost all of us want the same thingthe ability to contribute our talents in a
meaningful way and to be acknowledged for that contribution.
"In general, I do believe that the personal touch has been lacking in employee recognition,"
says Hilton Augustine, chairman
network systems integration consulting firm in Bethesda, Mary
which the demand for professionals far exceeds the supply, attrition is the [death] sentenc
companies convicted of inattention to their employees." How can we, as an HR community,
bridge this problem? How can we let our employees know theyre meaningful to usbeyond

17

all in the
the mere acknowledgment of people for their actions; its a quid pro quo, this
Plenty. Gratitude is appreciation for benefits received. Its an emotion that opens us up to
the
rams. What are some ways to express
gratitude?

n
r
and so on). Its meant to be
used as a simple pat on the back. "Its not a huge gift," says Uebel. "But it is big when its used
y
act of gratitude, it was a rote act of giving thanks. What happened was the person felt he or
she wasnt important to methe opposite of what I aimed to do.
Some supervisors believe gratitude can be overdone and should be saved for special occasions.
This is nonsense. If you sincerely say "thanks," then it cant be abused and will always be
received with sincerity. Why be stingy with gratitude and abundant with criticism? Perhaps its
the style we all learnedthat if we criticize enough, we can change behavior. However, if it
really worked, we all would have achieved perfection by age seven! Criticism doesnt work.
What works is to give thanks, encouragement and inspiration. Lets look at giving gratitude as
a way to inspire and encourage both our employees and ourselves. We do such remarkable
things. Workforce, November 1997, Vol. 76, No. 11, pp. 77-78.
the paycheck? What would happen if we cultivated an attitude of gratitude at work? And how
would we go about doing this?
Gratitude is saying "thank you," and meaning it.
Theres an important difference between simply saying "thank you" and being grateful to
people who contribute above and beyond the call of duty. Its this element of gratitude that
has been missing in many of our recognition efforts. Successful gratitude at work is
spirit behind what we do.
Recognition is
for that, arrangement. Gratitude is deeper. Its a gesture backed by sincerity of purpose. It
involves feelings. And in its deepest form, gratitude is a type of love. That perhaps, is what
scares us. What place do feelings such as love and gratitude have in the workplace?
seeing life in a more positive light and having feelings of goodness, joy and love. It makes
workplace more meaningful. And where workers find meaning, they generally find motivation
to perpetuate that sense of meaningfulness. Hence, employers gain commitment.
Add gratefulness into recognition prog
Heres one top-down way. Augustine, the CEO at GMS, says he sends out CEO thank-you cards
to employees homes. Says Augustine: "I use cards with success theme covers and personally
hand write notes to employees specific to their accomplishments. I believe employees get a
extra-personal stroke when they open the cards surrounded by their family members."
Heres a line-manager approach. Mark Uebel, director of HR for the Center for Behavioral
Health in Bloomington, Indiana, says managers at his firm are budgeted $50 per employee pe
year to use in any way they see fit (gift certificates, meals, flowers
genuinely."
Therein lies the entire key to gratitude: Its not just what you give to employees, but how you
give it to them that makes all the difference. It needs to be personal and genuine. But from m
own experience as an HR director, I know how difficult this can be. Sometimes Ive caught
myself saying "thank you" when I had already mentally moved on to a new topic, yet there I
was, standing in front of the person. I hadnt been "present" mentally and emotionally with
that employee at the time of contact. Unfortunately, the result was that my gesture wasnt an

18
Types of Recognition

No cost:
Verbal
Face-to-face appreciation (thanks) or words of encouragement
Informal or formal public appreciation (staff meetings, etc)
d get to know on a more
ge the employee in department newsletter or bulletin
Request a note to the employee from the Office of the Governor and Lt.
rnor
ttendance to special events, training opportunities, etc
he Department/
Assign Team Leader responsibilities (if applicable to employee)
a the employee particularly enjoys
performance
Send an e-mail to the employee or all employees
ledge an employee on the departments web-site
Hold regularly scheduled staff meetings to keep all employees informed and
let them know they are an important part of the organization
Take a few moments to speak to the employee an
personal level
Written and/or documented acknowledgement
Write and send a letter and add to personnel file
Place a brief note (Post-it) on employees desk or computer monitor
Acknowled

Gove

Perks
Name a day for an employee
Temporarily name a conference room after the employee
Provide a reserved parking space
Encourage/allow a
Allow the employee to spend a day or coffee break time with t
Division Director
Allow a day or other appropriate time period of casual attire
Give the employee a temporary title promotion (can be a fun title)

Assign additional tasks in an are

Electronic
Leave the employee a voice mail praising him and/or his

Acknow

Indirect
Take action on employee idea or suggestion

19

Low Cost:
Supervisor/Manager wash employees car
Pack/buy lunch for the employee
Design and implement a You were Mentioned award for occasions when an
ployees who
mong performing employees
mployee balloons or flowers (may also be high cost)


manager
, pencils, mugs, etc...may be personalized with a message
to schedule random, fun employee recognition events
e cream social, Boss cooks day, trade jobs day, etc.
i st:
employees performance is praised by a coworker
Design and implement a Caught You award to distribute to em
are caught in the act of doing something right.
Purchase a traveling trophy to rotate a
Issue certificates for achievement, length-of-service, etc
Send an e
Hold a special celebration such as an ice cream social, popcicle day, etc
Arrange for a photo with the Governor
Plan a lunch with the Department Director or the employees supervisor or
Provide pens
Create a Smile Team
pot lucks, food day, ic

H gher Co
Special celebrations
Lunch with the Department Director or the employees supervisor or manager
Plaques
Pens, pencils, mugs, jackets, personalized items
Balloons or flowers

20
ample Employee Recognition Program Survey
he results of this survey will help us to assess current and potential employee recognition
rograms. This survey to complete. Your individual
sponses will be use ation Here} recognizes and rewards
s employees. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential.
Instructions: Please indicate your response t owin s by he
S

Dear Employee:
T
p should take no longer than ten minutes
d to improve how {Name of Organiz re
it

o the foll g question filling in t
appropriate square with a dark pen.




1 each of the following
Not at
Important
Some
Importance
Extremely
Important
OVERALL EMPLOYEE O NION PI
. How important to you personally is

?
All
Receiving formal recognition for your

efforts in making a difference
Being recognized by management for

your efforts
Being recognized by peers and co-
workers for your efforts

Receiving recognition for team
accomplishments

Feeling that your work is valued and
appreciated

Feeling a spirit of teamwork and

cooperation among coworkers
Knowing that {name of organization
here} treats its employees fairly






2 me of organization here} rform in delivering each of
f
Not at
All Well
About
Average
Extremely
AGENCY PERFORMANCE
. In your experience, how well does {na pe the
ollowing areas:

Well
Giving formal recognition for employee efforts

to "make a difference
Management recognizing employees whose

efforts make a difference
Co-workers and peers recognizing employees
who are making a difference

Recognizing individual team members equally
for their efforts

Building a spirit of teamwork and cooperation
among co-workers

Demonstrating that your work is valued and
appreciated

Treating employees fairly



21
3. How would you rate you ards a ams
o ame of organ
y
Satisfied
Neither Satisfied or Dissatisfied Not Satisfied
Why?


r overall satisfaction with the current rew
ization here}?
nd recognition progr
ffered by {n

Ver


4 an awa d from {name of organization here}?

if yes, what
. Have you ever received r
Yes,
for?
No


5. Have you ever nominated someone for an award at {name of organization here}?

if yes, what
for?
Yes,
No








OVERALL EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION


6. Thinking about the employee recognition program at {name ation what do
you gree or disagree with the following statements?
Strongly
Disagree
Ne
Agree or
Disagree
Strongly
Agree
of organiz here}, to extent
ither
The criteria for the recognition programs has

been clearly explained to me

I am aware of the procedures for nominating

an employee for an award

It does not take much time and effort to
nominate employees for an award

The recipients of the employee recognition

awards are adequately publicized

The recognition programs are fair to all

employees

Recognition programs are treated the same by
all
departments/ cost centers

I am aware of the gift awards associated with

the program

I can select an award, if recognized, that will
have value to me

Employee(s) of the Month awards should be
issued





22
7 nce how well do current recognition programs perform in del ng each of ng:
Not at About
Average
Extremely
. In your experie iveri the followi

All Well
The criteria for the recognition programs h
been clearly explained to me
as

Recognizing a special project and/ or

achievement
Recognizing outstanding achievement
individually or as a team

Recognizing employees who consistently

follow the
rganization's mission

o
Recognizing employees who have
y achievements

demonstrated extraordinar


8 nce of the following criteria as qu ations for an d:

Not
Important
Average
Importance
Extremely
Important
. Please rate the importa alific awar
at All
Outstanding performance

Focus on innovation

Consistently doing a good job

Exceeding performance objectives

Cost savings to {name of organization
here}

Exceeding service expectations

Demonstrated team work