subject: Getting The Most From Corporate Awards [print this page] To beat their competition, companies need efficient, reliable employees that consistently do their jobs well in a timely manner. Unfortunately, the daily grind can sometimes lead even the best employees to underperform. When even one worker fails to do his or her job adequately, the whole business can suffer. While some companies employ oppressive techniques to hold their staff accountable, others use encouragement and rewards to get a full effort from their workers.
Almost everyone seeks recognition for their achievements and hard work. Corporate awards offer companies an ideal way to recognize their workers when they meet or exceed expectations. When used appropriately, these awards inspire employees to do their best. On the other hand, when used incorrectly, they inspire animosity and resentment.
To effectively utilize awards to encourage better performance, businesses should only recognize the most deserving. When companies create recognition awards that recognize trivial things, such as strong attendance or "best smile," they make the award seem relatively meaningless. It may seem smart to give recognition to as many people as possible; however, this can ultimately make the award appear less valuable. Companies tend to see the best results when they keep their company awards exclusive, instead of handing them out to anyone and everyone multiple times a month.
Just as businesses should avoid saturating the office with relatively meaningless awards, they must also avoid playing favorites. When one employee is singled out too many times, resentment can build among coworkers. Ideally, awards should create a stronger, more productive workforce. When used incorrectly, they may create unexpected problems that can actually hurt the company in the long run. To ensure that they aren't tearing at the fabric of the workplace, businesses must award recognition in a fair manner. Otherwise, a good idea can quickly turn into a surprisingly destructive problem.
Awards cant appear to be meaningless attempts to patronize. They must appear to be authentic attempts to reward outstanding work. Ultimately, companies can get more out of their employees by encouraging them to covet awards that recognize a job well done; however, businesses must use care when implementing and executing their award policies, or they could end up patronizing and alienating their staffs.
