Articles - Compensation and Benefits

To some people, the term “Employee of the Month” conjures up images of early sit-coms with men in grey suits receiving a plaque and a special parking space.

But employee of the month programs are far from a historical bit of TV trivia.  A recent survey found that employee of the month programs were excellent motivators for Gen X and Y employees.

If you’ve never had a monthly employee award program, getting started can seem a bit intimidating.  Never fear!  You can go from start to ready-to-award in 6 simple steps.

1. Define Your Goals

Just like the “Do-Re-Mi” song, you need to start at the very beginning.  Decide what your goals are for creating an employee of the month (EOM) program.  It’s almost impossible to evaluate if something is working, if you haven’t clearly stated a reason or goal for starting, so this is a very important step.

Some common objectives of EOM programs are:

• Improve employee morale
  
• Reduce turnover
• Provide a way to recognize excellence
  

2. Decide On the Award Criterion

Left undefined, there is a risk that employee-of-the-month award programs can turn into something resembling the in-crowd politics of middle school.  Make sure there is a standard for the award, whether that’s a level of achievement, goals met/exceeded, or some other factor.

Make sure your criterion allows for the star performance that’s not expected.  If someone develops new software that saves your company a zillion dollars a year, but employee of the month is limited to those exceed preset goals, you run the risk of ignoring the truly deserving, in favor of the status quo.

3. Define the Judging Process

When it comes time to tally the nominations and pick the winner, who will make the final decision?  It’s critical that your employees feel that the process is fair and unbiased.  An EOM program that is seen as a way of reinforcing a “clique” will actually hurt overall employee morale and motivation. 

4. Create an Open Nomination Process

Make sure it’s easy for people to nominate coworkers for the monthly employee awards.  A company-wide website, an e-mail form, or just a paper award nomination form that can be slipped into a box are all ways to ensure that everyone feels that they are a part of the award process.

5. Define Rewards and Recognition

Before you select the rewards for your employee of the month program, make sure you understand what feels like a reward to your employees. One of the best ways to find out what will motivate your employees is to ask.  A simple survey with a few choices, such as cash, gift cards, paid time off, desktop awards/plaques, etc., will give you a good feel for what your employees would value most.  Use the results to select the monthly award.  You may want to allow the winner to select from two or three predefined choices – a wonderful way to keep the incentives personal and effective.  Just make sure all winners get to select from the same items, to avoid potential charges of discrimination.

6. Publicize the Program

 Spread the word! Tell your employees about the program, the process and the awards they can win.  Post the information throughout your company, including in newsletters and on company intranets, if you have them.

 Also be sure to publicize the winners.  A photo with winner standing by the employee of the month plaque or sign, and then added to the company newsletter or website is a great way to share the celebration with the whole company. 

--------------------------------------

BIOGRAPHY

Lindsay Shugerman is a writer, researcher and online development professional at G. Neil, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected suppliers of HR information and materials including labor law posters, attendance trackers, compliance products and employee motivational tools.

A graduate of the University of Miami and the University of Utah, Lindsay uses her degrees in English, Psychology, HR/Organizational Development and Training, and Political Science to help employers understand their obligations under state and federal labor laws and industry guidelines.  A former newspaper feature writer, restaurant owner, and retail manager, she can now be found writing about human resource issues, employment law and management skills with a combination of academic expertise and real-world experience.

When she’s not writing, she’s researching social marketing trends and new developments in human resource management, participating in G. Neil’s product development or sharing the latest online connection tools with her colleagues.

Comments: