How do you keep track of employee performance so you know whom to recognize?
Reward those who make a difference. Keep a personal log of significant contributions your employees make to your company from day one. For example, how they saved the company money or boosted sales, how they handled a project successfully from start to finish or how they showed leadership under pressure. Use as many details as possible, with corresponding data. Remember to base their salary increase on the contributions made to the company.
If you don’t have the funds for bonuses or raises, you may want to consider offering other incentives like flextime, extra vacation time, stock options or telecommuting from home. Even if you cannot offer your employees pay increases, it’s important to show them you are sensitive to the tough times. Find ways to help them, short of spending more money on a raise right now, but always acknowledge they do deserve a raise if the money were there. Taking that approach and working with your employees will allow you to retain and motivate good employees.
You can also include employees in your company productivity planning; you might be surprised at the ideas they may bring forward. Those employees will feel more engaged and appreciated in the company, instead of discouraged because they are not receiving pay increases. Establish criteria for what performance or contribution in the meeting constitutes employee rewards. Ask employees to come to the meetings prepared with suggestions and ideas for increased productivity for the company.
How can you help employees understand the use of these recognition tools instead of pay increases?
There is always room for employee reward and recognition activities that build positive morale in the work environment — you just have to work on these programs. For example, you could have company lunches on Fridays, or prize drawings for those employees who met their goals for the week. Or give your team members who go above and beyond a new job title. Job titles don’t always mean more money, but sometimes receiving a title means more than getting a few more dollars in the paycheck. It show that’s you’re pleased with their performance.
How can you use these tools to leverage your company during the hiring process?
Point out to the potential employee your company recognition program and show you are committed to your employees’ well-being. A well-designed peer recognition program promotes organizational values. Candidates will want to work for a company that recognizes employees for their hard work.
M.J. Helms is the director of operations at the Ashton Group. Reach her at (706) 636-3343 or [email protected].
