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 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, it’s proven that homegrown programs rarely move the needle – regardless of the form they take. There’s often not much strategy behind them, which is a missed opportunity in terms of overall employee engagement, and what these organizations’ leaders believe to be a money-saving alternative could actually be doing the complete opposite.
If you already have a homegrown recognition program or are thinking about creating one, first ask yourself these eight smart questions.
