Firms stressing staff recognition as key HR tool

Most companies are now focusing on the recognition of individual and team achievements and the celebration of significant milestones in the life span of an associate's engagement with the company as an important means to motivate and continuously engage associates, as per human resource consultants.

The recognition can be as simple as a manager remembering to wish his direct report on his service anniversary date. Also, it can be more formalised in terms of various recognition programmes that a company may launch.

Research has shown that high performing organisations have significantly higher levels of employee recognition compared with others.

Consultants say the focus needs to be on creating and nurturing a culture of recognition, where people are recognised for their contributions and thus feel good about the work they have done.

Companies like eFunds, which are plagued by high level of employee turnover, are focusing more on recognising significant service milestones. Three key service anniversary milestones are recognised through a global corporate programme called the career milestones programme.

These are: 1st service anniversary; 3rd service anniversary and the 5th anniversary. The 10th anniversary and then every subsequent 10th anniversary is also recognised. Recognition is in the form of special gifts that are common at a service anniversary level.

Another global programme that companies like eFunds take up is the e-cubed recognition programme and the chairman's award.

Globally, any associate can nominate another associate such as a peer, boss, subordinate or someone who he/she believes has demonstrated good performance.

In the case of e-Funds, nominations are completed on-line in the company's intranet web-site.

The nominations go through a rigorous evaluation process. The nomination evaluation committee member reads through every nomination, collects supporting information or validation from peers of the nominee. Detailed reports are reviewed by the CEO himself along with the executive team of the company.

This is a quarterly process and global awards are declared on a quarterly basis. There is no limit to the number of nominations that can be sent in, or the number of winners that are to be declared.

The specific achievements are declared globally, along with the names of the winners and each winner receives a gift hamper, an award and a certificate of recognition.

At the end of the year, chairman's award winners are chosen from among the quarterly e-Cubed award winners. eFunds also supports many local recognition initiatives.

Team of the Quarter award goes to a team that has demonstrated the best process improvement or goal achievement in a quarter. Others like Champion of the Month is an award given to the best individual contributor in a work unit in a given month.

Spot Awards are used to recognise critical achievements on-the-spot. Team Celebrations are held to celebrate significant team achievements.

Most HR departments of the companies say that it is important to have a celebratory event around this recognition. Being recognized in "public" and with a celebratory event adds further value to the program.

However, the HR companies will have to look at ease of process "� nomination, evaluation, declaration, celebration for the success of such programmes. A lot of administrative efforts also needs to be put in at the back end to ensure success.

Repeat communications of the program is also important to ensure top of mind recall. This the companies try to achieve by incorporating information about the various recognition programs in the new hire orientation, conducting periodic refresher re-orientation sessions and communication of the program, and training of the evaluators.