Employee of the Month Awards: 10 Ways To Celebrate Employee Achievements
Employee recognition plays a crucial role in maintaining motivation and boosting morale within an organization. Programs like employee of the month awards foster friendly competition and help create positive work environments where staff members feel appreciated.
In this guide, we discuss various aspects of employee of the month awards, from understanding their importance to exploring creative ways to celebrate awardees in your workplace. These ideas cater to different preferences and offer unique methods for making recipients feel genuinely valued, enhancing your workplace culture, and promoting productivity.
Contents
What is an employee of the month award?
Why should you create an employee of the month program?
3 Things to avoid when rewarding employees in the workplace
10 Different ways to celebrate your employee of the month
What is an employee of the month award?
An employee of the month award is a special recognition given to outstanding employees who go above and beyond. This award typically selects one employee each month for exceptional performance, dedication, or achievement within their role. Organizations use this award to motivate employees, foster team spirit, and promote a positive work environment.
Why should you create an employee of the month program?
Nowadays, employers are expected to develop some type of rewards program, but how do employee of the month awards benefit the organization and employees? Let’s take a look.
- Rewards improve employee engagement: An employee of the month program helps create a work environment where recognition and appreciation are deeply valued. Acknowledging employees’ efforts and achievements fosters higher engagement levels, greater job satisfaction, and increased motivation. Giving employees something to strive for can raise their performance and ultimately lead to better organizational outcomes. According to the Society of Human Resource Managers, reward programs increase employee productivity by 63% and profit margins by 58% on average.
- Rewards programs are cheaper than turnover rates: High employee turnover can be quite costly for businesses in terms of recruitment, training, and decreased productivity during transitions. In fact, an employee’s turnover cost can be 30% to 400% (or more) of their annual salary to replace (or $10,000 to $400,000 or more). However, the average budget for employee recognition is 1% to 2% of payroll, meaning an employee who earns $60K would cost a business $1,200 per year for rewards and recognition. Implementing a rewards program that highlights valued team members is a small investment with significant potential returns. Plus, it makes it less likely your employees will quit.
- Rewards create healthy competition: When done correctly, an employee of the month program can promote friendly competition. This sense of competition helps drive productivity as employees try to outperform others. Moreover, it encourages peer recognition when colleagues nominate each other for their contributions. But you have to be careful here. If workers feel pitted against each other, your program could backfire. The best way to prevent this is by nominating more than one person or by offering many ways to earn rewards. You could also create a collaborative “Team of the Month” award.
- Rewards programs are easy to administer: One of the benefits of creating an employee of the month program is its simplicity in execution. From management selecting winners based on set criteria to adopting a democratic voting system, administering these programs can be straightforward. Rewards programs also don’t have to be expensive. For example, you can highlight employees on your social media pages every week without a graphic designer’s help. You can either take candids or use BeFunky if you need premium-grade features for enhancing pictures. Once the rewards system is in place, you can refer back to it and tweak it as necessary, but it should be good as is. Be sure to listen to your staff to avoid common reward program pitfalls.
- Rewards instill your company values: By rewarding employees who embody your company’s core values, you reinforce their importance within your organization. This motivates existing employees to live up to those principles and sets clear expectations for new hires joining your team. Regularly celebrating examples of these values in action contributes significantly towards establishing a strong company culture that resonates with both staff and stakeholders alike.
3 Things to avoid when rewarding employees in the workplace
Before we get into how to reward your employees, it’s important to touch on the pitfalls some employers run into when creating these programs.
Here are 3 you should avoid:
1. Always giving rewards to the same people
There’s nothing more demotivating than constantly seeing the same people getting recognized. Not only could this lead to burnout, but it could also discourage others from participating in the program. It also creates this culture of unfairness, and that could build resentment in your staff.
Ensure a level playing field by recognizing diverse talents, achievements, and contributions across your team by giving out all kinds of awards. This helps maintain fairness and prevents any perception of favoritism, allowing all employees an equal opportunity to shine.
2. Having no rubric or a biased recognition party
To preserve transparency and credibility, it’s vital to have clear criteria for selecting employee of the month winners. You and your employees should know the eligibility criteria for every award, who picks the winner, and how employees who don’t win can improve their chances.
Above all else, avoid arbitrary selections or basing recognition solely on personal opinions. Instead, use a well-defined rubric encompassing various performance aspects that align with your organization’s values and objectives. Don’t rely on one single person to evaluate who can get a reward. Get feedback from reports, peers, customers, and managers to avoid bias.
3. Using the same recognition strategies
The best rewards programs reinforce company values and are timely and frequent.
If you only offer an employee of the month award and nothing else, those rewards will become stale. Businesses should adopt a total rewards strategy that highlights top performers all year.
Not only that, but rewards should be timely (i.e., given shortly after the reason for the award was achieved) and personal (i.e., specific to the employee’s likes and interests). Otherwise, your employees will check out of the program. Standardized rewards might fail to address individual preferences and motivations, so switch up your strategy and reward more often!
10 Different ways to celebrate your employee of the month
With so many great reasons to celebrate your employee of the month, it’s now time to consider what type of things you’ll do when the time comes. Here’s how to reward your best employees.
1. Share their photo on social media (with their permission)
Recognize your employee of the month internally and externally by posting their photos and accomplishments on your company’s social media channels. Ensure to ask for their permission before doing so, as some employees might prefer to maintain their privacy.
2. Host a team building event in honor of the winner
Celebrate the monthly winner by organizing a team-building event that fosters collaboration and camaraderie. This can be as simple as an in-office game or as elaborate as an outdoor excursion. Aligning your staff’s efforts with recognition fosters a sense of unity and appreciation.
3. Give them something useful
Reward your employee of the month with practical items such as high-quality stationery, electronics, or other work-from-home gear to enhance their daily productivity and remind them of their achievement. Journals and calendars are often a big hit with employees.
4. Offer them a trophy, plaque, or certificate
A tangible reminder like a trophy, plaque, or certificate can make employees feel acknowledged and proud. Consider creating specialized awards with your organization’s branding for added personalization. They can put these rewards on their desk or their mantlepiece at home.
5. Create a custom video with all of your staff
Put together a heartfelt custom video featuring clips from colleagues congratulating the employee of the month or use a service like Cameo. This bolsters affection among coworkers and serves as a virtual “pat on the back” that they can cherish for years to come.
6. Take the team out for a celebratory lunch
A group lunch is an informal way for staff members to interact while celebrating someone’s achievements. Opt for different venues each month to keep things fresh and interesting! If possible, find a location that offers privacy so you can loudly boast about your staff.
7. Give them a day off or a one-time bonus
Offer additional time off or financial incentives like bonuses that show genuine appreciation for hard work. These come across as meaningful rewards that provide instant gratification. Keep everyone’s bonuses the same to ensure transparency and fairness.
8. Pay for a unique and memorable experience
Gift them an experience they won’t forget, like a spa day, cooking class, or hot air balloon ride. Such unforgettable encounters will leave them feeling truly valued and appreciated. Keep this gift personalized by asking your staff exactly what they want to do or see on their day off.
9. Ask if they want to pursue a personal project
Encourage personal growth by offering opportunities to pursue passion projects that align with the company’s vision. Giving employees the time and resources to explore their interests within the organization delivers long-term benefits, such as increased creativity and productivity.
10. Donate to a charity or cause they respect
Consider making a charitable donation in the employee of the month’s name to their preferred cause. This gesture highlights your company’s social responsibility and inspires others to contribute. Make sure to give everyone who donated a tax receipt!
In conclusion
Now that you’re equipped with the necessary knowledge and ideas to create a great rewards program, it’s time to implement them! With these tips, you can cultivate a thriving workplace culture and an employee of the month program tailored to your organization.
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