Employee Recognition Programs can help retain Good People

Don't think for a moment however that a simple "atta boy" will by itself keep high caliber people. People work for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to pay their own expenses. Employee recognition only goes so far. Pay and benefits must reflect the market and if the employee is particularly valuable, even a bit higher.

Many business owners mistakenly think that cheaper is better when it comes to their employees. The expense of replacing those trained and motivated people however is extremely expensive and costs much more that a raise.

Still the employee recognition program is one of the greatest inventions in motivating an already good employee. Remember I said people work for a variety of reasons? How about recognition and the feeling of importance!

All other things being equal, an employee will stay where he's appreciated instead of moving. Employee recognition programs also keep workers motivated, progressively changing and improving, and steady on their course with a high sense of self-worth and company devotion.

Think off time perks and benefits that aren't very expensive. How about movie tickets for the family, or a concert, or sporting event. These have important value to an employee especially if they're high quality. Getting nose bleed seats to a third string baseball team is not going to do it.

A Plaque with their name posting in a public place at work is also a good motivator. And who ever in human resources that said that money wasn't a good motivator was an idiot. A bonus of an extra 100 bucks will go a long way toward getting and maintaining those good feelings between business and employee,

In one respect, there are those like Alfie Kohn who say that rewards are likely more punitive than praiseful, as they are insulting to people who have an innate desire to learn, to grow, to work and who do not need to be tempted or bribed.

But in another respect, those like the experts at The Business Research Lab find that productivity goes hand in hand with rewards, incentives, and a decent employee recognition program. As they put it, In the employee satisfaction studies we have done, we've never found a firm with low employee recognition scores and high employee satisfaction scores. In other words, the only outcome of an employee recognition program is a positive one.

Further arguments in the corporate world hold a different view.

1. group thinks money is the ultimate motivator so it's the best reward. Though true to a point, recognition is also a strong motivator if added along with the money!

2. the other group thinks employees care about the bottom line more than their own personal position. This is fallacy from the word go. These guys, who by the way are mainly motivated by their bonus MONEY checks believe the rubes below them are motivated by a paper certificate with their name on it.

In any event, the program should be appealing, should be effective as a motivator (should be cash if they need cash or creative rewards if they have enough cash, for example), and in turn should reward and compensate positive behavior and positive results gleaned from that employee action/behavior. Money matter most to those at the bottom of the pay scales while other non monetary recognition program perks are valued by those at the upper end of the pay scales.

Any employee recognition program should be consistent and fair to a fault. Any hint of favoritism will poison your employee pool and make matters worst throughout the organization no matter how big or small. You will find that an ongoing focus on a well designed employee recognition program will go a long way toward employee retention of your best and brightest people.

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