As we step into spring, it’s that time of the year where you hit the refresh button whether that is with a big closet cleanout, reorganizing your desk, or reevaluating your company's employee recognition program. An employee recognition program should be built to evolve over time and to fit your team’s needs. Now is the perfect time to assess its effectiveness, find areas of improvement, and ensure that it is aligned with your company’s culture. Take a look at some ways you can approach this task to make sure your program is engaging and impactful.
Assess Your Program Goals
Go back to the basics and look at what your goals were when you launched your program. Are you using this program to increase morale, retention, or overall performance? Maybe all three? Your goals should be measurable, and it should be easy for you to look at your data and determine whether the program that you have in place is helping you reach those goals.
If your goals have evolved, your program should too. Take time to reassess what success looks like today—and what areas need improvement—before diving into a refresh. This will help you avoid unnecessary changes and focus your efforts where they’ll make the most impact.
Reevaluate Your Rewards
It’s important for you to regularly check your rewards and see which ones are motivating your employees. What was exciting for your employees a year ago might not be the same today. Look at redemption trends to see what's working and where there’s room for improvement. Look into mixing in more personalized rewards or even experience based rewards to add variety. If your employees aren’t motivated to work towards rewards then the program will lose its power.
Get Your Team’s Feedback
One of the best ways to determine how your program is landing with your employees is to ask them directly. Your recognition program is designed for the employees so getting regular feedback is crucial for making it worth it for them.
A quick survey or a feedback session can uncover insights about what they like, what they don’t, and what they wish was different. It ensures your program stays aligned with what truly motivates your team and avoids falling flat.
Leverage New Platform Features
Your recognition program should always be evolving but new features can go unnoticed if they aren’t communicated clearly. Regularly send out highlights for what’s new to make sure your employees (and leadership) are getting the most out of the platform.
You can also use this as a way to highlight existing features that may be underutilized. A quarterly update or newsletter is a great way to drive awareness and encourage stronger engagement across your teams.
Just like any other part of your business plan, your recognition program needs regular check-ins to stay effective. By taking the time to revisit your goals, refresh your rewards, and gather feedback, you are ensuring that your program continues to drive engagement and keep your employees motivated. This “spring cleaning” doesn’t mean starting from scratch, it just means making small adjustments that will make your teams feel valued in the long run.
