Recognition Podcast

Incentive Insights hosts a monthly podcast full of great information on incentives. I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by writer Margery Weinstein where we discuss the difference between rewards and recognition, and the roles each play in an effective incentive program.

Click here to learn how simple, cost effective and rewarding recognition can really be.

Recognition's Kiss of Death

Over 90% of all North American companies have recognition programs. Yet 60% of all employees do not feel recognized.

These stats speak volumes and are a powerful indictment against how we have traditionally approached recognition in the workplace.

I believe most companies are way too concerned with “what” rewards they give as opposed to “why” they give them in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong. Rewards are very important. However, they must be strategically thought out. They must complement the recognition that is being given. Many times, companies will offer rewards that are inappropriate to a recognition program’s objectives.

What drives companies to include inappropriate rewards in their programs? Often, it’s simply a case of employees pressuring senior management. Program administrators should push back on “shot gun reward” requests by explaining the strategy behind their recognition strategy. Make sure that your senior management understand that their job is to explain “why” these rewards are being given in the first place.

Don’t let inappropriate rewards become your recognition program’s kiss of death!

Recognition 24/7!

I believe recognition is one of, if not THE most important tool in building relationships.

While most professionals focus their work on “employee” recognition, we should never forget the lessons we teach should extend far beyond the workplace and into our day to day lives.

When someone quits an organization, most of the time it’s because of a failed relationship between the employee and the manager. Research has shown the leading cause of this failure is because employees don’t feel recognized and appreciated.

Now just think about all the failed relationships that we have known and experienced in our own personal lives.

Could those relationships have failed because we never took the time to appreciate and recognize each other?

While I don’t have any research to back me up, I’ll bet the answer is “yes”!

I’ve always said that one of the most powerful recognition "rewards" are words used with sincerity and appreciation.

We should use recognition at work to build better workplaces.

We should use recognition in our day to day lives to build better personal relationships.

We should use recognition all the time!

Recognition 24/7!

Read Roy Saunderson in the Boston Herald

Hello Folks!

My colleague Roy Saunderson from the Recognition Management Institute wrote an interesting opinion piece in the Boston Herald about his take on Senator John Kerry’s planned TARP Taxpayer Protection and Corporate Responsibility Act. Click on through and let me know what you think!

The Evolution of Recognition

I'd love it if someone would write the history of the recognition industry.

If they did, it would have to come from two completely different aspects.

The first, would be from the perspective of Academics and OD types who realized that recognition played a key role in a person's individual well being and collectively, to the well being of an organization.

The second would be from the perspective of companies supplying recognition and reward programs. Many of these suppliers got into the business because they were seeking an outlet for their manufactured products.

I confess that my company was no different... we were a manufacturer of emblematic jewelry and corporate award programs were a great outlet for our products.

I think there was and still is a wide gulf between the two groups and is reflected by the fact that over 90% of corporations have recognition programs yet 60% of employees don't feel recognized.

There has been far too much focus on the material and not enough on the ethereal.

Fortunately people are starting to connect the dots. People like my colleague Roy Saunderson of the Recognition Management Institute and Christophe Laval of VPHR are teaching people that recognition is about feelings and emotions.

What Makes A Recognition Expert?

All too often I have attended industry conferences and seen many so called "recognition and reward experts."

Scratch a bit deeper and the veneer comes off! I don't mean to demean, but there are a lot of people out there who are "reward" experts but they sure aren't "recognition" experts.
Recognition and rewards are very different things.

Rewards are material things. Cold hard cash, merchandise, gift cards are all examples of rewards. They are easily understood because they cost a certain amount and are distributed a certain way. There are a lot of reward experts.

Recognition on the other hand, is a feeling, an emotion. It is not easily quantified... ever try measuring how deeply you love your wife? In many cases it is not easily distributed or given.
So how do you determine whether you are speaking to a recognition or reward expert? It’s relatively simple.

• Ask what trade organizations the person belongs to.
• Are these organizations focused on products or on the art and science of recognition?
• Do they have a professional certification? For instance, have they taken Recognition Professionals International "Certified Recognition Professional" (CRP) course?
• When they speak to you, is it about product and delivery or about emotions?

Remember, just because you give someone a gold watch, doesn't mean you have recognized them!