8 Smart Questions to Ask About Homegrown Recognition Programs

May 24, 2024

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Many organizations run ad hoc recognition programs, such as throwing a monthly pizza party or passing out gift cards from a stack in the VP’s office. Others see a recognition program as a piece of software, either designed in-house by their IT department or managed internally via a third-party messaging service such as Slack, Teams, or Yammer.

These organizations understand the power of gratitude and are looking to increase employee engagement, trust, productivity, and retention, and they believe using in-house resources is a cost-effective solution. However, homegrown programs rarely move the needle – regardless of the form they take. There’s often not much strategy behind them, and what leaders believe to be a money-saving, engagement-increasing alternative could be accomplishing the complete opposite.

To see real, measurable results, companies need to invest in strategic recognition – that is, recognition that is fulfilling, authentic, personalized, equitable, and embedded in company culture. As this gratitude-rich culture pervades your organization, you’ll begin to see the immediate and profound impact on employee engagement and productivity.

This is what we at Workhuman® call recognition done right. And it’s why we’re ranked as the #1 vendor of employee recognition by G2.

The numbers don't lie: Doing recognition right and prioritizing what’s good for your people is also good for your business. World-class companies have seen the following results with Workhuman solutions and expertise:

Eaton: Employees who receive monetary recognition are 2x more likely to stay. Adding recognition data to the predictive turnover model increased accuracy by 10 points.
LinkedIn: 96% retention rate for all employees who receive 4+ awards. 54% of employees increase their performance rating after receiving 3+ awards.
Merck: New hires that receive recognition are 5x less likely to leave within the first year. Engagement surveys show an increase of 12 percentage points related to recognition.
Morgan Truck Body, LLC: 70% of sites with effective recognition score high on engagement surveys and have seen YOY improvements in productivity, safety, and quality. If you already have a homegrown recognition program or are thinking about creating one, first ask yourself these eight smart questions. There could be an opportunity to drive improved business outcomes – and reduce absenteeism, safety incidents, and voluntary attrition.

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