Dr. Bob Nelson visits I Love Rewards

On Thursday April 22, Dr. Bob Nelson best-selling author of three million books on management and motivation including, 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, visited the InCentre to speak to a group of HR professionals and business leaders about how to create exceptional performance within their organizations. One of the many compelling take-aways was Dr. Nelson’s technique on creating a successful culture of recognition.

What is recognition?

Recognition is acknowledging and appreciating people for their accomplishments and rewarding them for achieving the behaviors most important to your organization’s success.

The Elements of Creating a Culture of Recognition

1) Management Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the executive team and HR leaders to drive performance and results within their organization by inspiring employees to succeed through appreciation. It is up to these key people to create an employee recognition rhythm based on the foundation of their existing values. To begin creating a culture of recognition, try implementing recognition into daily, weekly or monthly meetings.

2) Strategy and Commitment
A solid recognition program requires a strategy. Identify which behaviors are important and recognize when those behaviors are achieved. Continue to evaluate the program and make adjustments where necessary, but keep the same foundation of recognizing based on performance.

3) Measurement and Tracking
Tracking recognition is imperative to drive performance and results for many reasons. Firstly, when it comes time to do performance reviews, HR mangers can use recognition from managers and peers to incorporate into feedback. Measurement can also be achieved by providing employees with engagement surveys. Use employee feedback to enhance the program. After all, it’s about them so incorporate how they like to be recognized when you evaluate the program.

4) Management Training
Train your leaders to provide recognition that is going to ultimately drive performance. Employee recognition needs to be specific, timely and meaningful.

As soon–Timing is very important when using positive reinforcement. You need to give praise as soon as the achievement is complete or the desired behavior is displayed.

As sincere–Words alone can fall flat if you are not sincere in why you are praising someone. You need to praise because you are truly appreciative and excited about the other person’s success.

As specific–Avoid generalities in favor of details of the achievement. “You really turned that angry customer around–you let him unload all of his emotions and then focused on making him happy.

5) Communication and Branding

Create hype within your organization by communicating and branding the new program to employees. Perhaps create posters, movies or a skit to display how rewards and recognition will impact them including: why they should care, what it is, who it will impact and lastly, don’t forget to show them the great stuff they can redeem for.

6) Rewards

The fun part! Use rewards in conjunction with your recognition efforts, but like recognition make the reward meaningful. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to rewards and recognition, standardized rewards won’t work. Empower employees to choose their own reward that is individually meaningful to them will encourage repeat behavior within your company.

Click the link, to learn more about Dr. Bob Nelson

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