Do remote recognition programs perform?
Three years after the breakout of COVID, we thought it might be a good idea to reevaluate the performance of remote recognition programs. Though we’ve seen an increase in the business sector calling employees back to the office, there is still data that suggests a robust remote workforce is here to stay.
Based on a 2021 study by Upwork, an online platform to connect larger Fortune 500 employers with freelancers, it is estimated that nearly 40.7 million Americans will be fully remote by 2025. Interestingly enough, that is an increase of more than 20% from their previous study in November of 2020.
So what does this mean to a new generation of managers that need to find ways of keeping employees motivated and productive?
Let’s look at employee recognition and the importance of having a solid program to recognize and reward employees. In a work from home corporate structure, a viable, well received reward system may be even more important now than ever before.
Though every company is different, the frequency of employee recognition comes down to the same principles – it’s not how often you present corporate awards, but how the awards are presented and received. The most important things to consider are that hard workers should be rewarded and that they should be recognized in front of their peers.
How does recognition improve motivation and employee productivity?
An interesting article by the US Chamber of Commerce which documents a reduction in the number of available employees in the workforce shows that since February 2020 there are 3.4 million fewer Amercians in the job pool. Fewer employees points to the fact that the likelihood of replacing a lost member of your organization becomes more difficult every day.
So in order to eliminate the necessity of replacing a lost team member, focusing on motivating and keeping your existing employees should be a priority for any organization that wishes to stay productive.
One of the best ways to motivate your employees is to develop a tradition of employee recognition.
How to develop a tradition of employee recognition.
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of motivation and its importance in keeping your employees motivated, let’s discuss some practical ways to continue or establish a recognition program for your organization.
Employee morale
It goes without saying that a happy employee is more likely to be productive. High morale may help employees feel respected, fulfilled, involved and ultimately focused on their work. Adding a recognition program pointed at the changing needs of employees and seeking opportunities to celebrate and acknowledge their wins is always a great place to begin.
Let’s dive into the area of your team's changing needs and how to best present awards in a virtual world.
First off, working from home can deliver a whole new level of frustration for employees and managers alike. Technical issues, how to present, and most importantly how to make it special all play a significant role in any virtual or in person awards presentation.
Technical issues
Technical problems like a poor internet connection can easily occur which hinder good job performance. Though it’s impossible to guarantee any connectivity to the world wide web, understanding a recipient's inability to log into a virtual awards presentation would be frustrating and disappointing – especially if they happen to be one of the recipients.
Make it an event
Just because your employees are logged in virtually doesn’t mean you can’t make a special event out of the moment. Here are a few ideas to help make the presentation special to all of those attending.
* Send a food gift to each attendee to eat while connecting with those logged in before the presentation.
* Send a nice gift of corporate branded merchandise to all of the attendees with the intention of having everyone open the gifts at the same time.
* Suggest the team pick-up or make a special treat like an ice cream sundae before logging in.
Show appreciation with a purpose
Presenting awards virtually is in many ways similar to in person meetings. It's still important to stay focused on the basic principles of recognition. Here are a few basics of showing public appreciation.
* Prepare a speech to reveal the winner at an opportune time during the meeting
* Order personalized awards and have them sent to the recipients prior to the meeting so they have a physical item to appreciate.
* Create virtual graphics of the awards to display to the entire team while the presentation is happening.
For more ideas, check out our article on ‘Presenting like a pro…’ to pick up some great pointers on planning, ordering, and presenting awards at your next event.
A frequently asked question presented to our design team is – What should I present to my team?
This is a question not easily answered without understanding more about your intended recognition program. Since each event is and should be unique, selecting the right acrylic award, trophy, or plaque for the occasion should take some careful thought. If you have questions about recognition awards, our design and customer service team specializes in helping you find just the right trophy for your event.
Here are a few good questions to ask yourself before you place an order.
- Why is the award being presented?
- How many recipients?
- Will all of the awards be the same?
- How quickly do I need the awards?
- Is there an item or completed product that needs to be embedded into the acrylic?
- Does the trophy need to have a colored accent?
- Will they be personalized or generic?
- Does the trophy need the company logo laser engraved or ultraviolet printed?
- Will this award style need to be available for future events?
As a manufacturer of fine corporate acrylic awards, trophies, and plaques – US Acrylic Awards produces everything in our product line right here in the United States. That takes the guesswork out of the big question above… will the award style be available for future events?
Since we are the only direct to consumer US manufacturer of acrylic awards with a line made up 100% of our exclusive designs, you can be assured that what you order today will be available in the future.
We carry a full line of acrylic recognition products with full descriptions of how they are made on each category specific page. You may also read more on acrylic award selection by clicking this link and reading one of our most recent blog posts on How to select acrylic awards.
Give us a call and let our team get you started on creating a virtual recognition program that will get your team pointed in the right direction.
Written by noptim… unleash the power
