Spike’s believes that companies should show appreciation to their best employees with recognition programs that reinforce and showcase your company values.  A well thought out recognition tactic to emphasize a value or action that is important to your company, will spread and assist to improve your company culture.

In their “10 Proven Tactics for Rock Solid Recognition,” Recognition Professionals International (RPI) mentions that part of growing a wonderful employee recognition program is learning from the best. Look at companies that are known for their recognition programs for inspiration, and choose the tactics that will work best for your company culture.

You can start your search for inspiration with TELUS Communications, the winner of the    2011 Best Practice Standards® Award for Best Overall Recognition Program.  The key to the success of this program was the companies commitment to create a culture of appreciation and motivate their employees in order to promote values the company upholds: corporate citizenship and environmentalism. TELUS tailored the rewards of their employee recognition programs to fit their values: employees could choose to donate recognition points to charities in their communities, or they could have a tree planted to celebrate career milestones.

A reward that reflects company values can prove more significant and memorable than one chosen at random. How can your company provide meaningful rewards that are aligned with your values?

Knowing I was in the Recognition and Appreciation businesss, a  freind recently forwarded an article by the editor of the Chief Learning Officer magazine.  The article starts with the question “Remember the Gold Star?   The editor goes on to back up his feelings about being acknowledged and the feeling of importance he recieved by “seeing a gold star on my paper”.

Current findings in positive psychology and organizational development suggest that people and organizations flourish when they focus on achievements and best practices.

The editor’s letter states that “In her thought-provoking book The Power of Acknowledgment, Judith W. Umlas maintains that acknowledging each other’s accomplishments, talent and wisdom on a continuous basis is the grown-up equivalent of the grade school gold star and can revolutionize the workplace.”  To read the article please visit http://clomedia.com/articles/view/got-acknowledgment.

If you would like to acknowledge someone in your organization with a “Gold Star” click here.