Managing and monitoring an employee recognition program is now much simpler because a well-designed system essentially runs itself. Program stakeholders can instantly monitor program activity and results by clicking into an administrative portal that features a dashboard with real-time reporting and graphs that address all recognition activities.
This data not only helps manage the program, it also allows human resources leadership to hold all managers accountable for growing recognition activities within their teams. Leading recognition technologies also make the recognition process itself easy, facilitating all forms of employee, manager, customer, and patient recognition.
Peer-to-peer recognition which used to take days or weeks to process through manager approval steps now takes only seconds. Technology also can make nominating employees for recognition simple by streamlining the nomination process and forwarding electronic applications directly to the team members responsible for approving nominations.
Because site contents are unique by participant group, employee data is managed in a way that allows members of every participant group to access reports that are relative to them. Participants can easily see the programs and administrative groups that are unique to their needs.
While technology can vary between different vendors, the best employee recognition and engagement platforms offer the following eight features:
- Basic Tactical Recognition Programs – Standard but customizable modules to facilitate peer-to-peer recognition, spot recognition, manager recognition, nomination recognition, service awards, and performance incentives
- Device Access Flexibility – A system that’s accessible via computers, smartphones, and tablets either through a mobile responsive site or a native app
- Branding and Communications - Customized with your company’s branding and includes areas for posting recognition awards and achievements, allowing an organization to quickly send messages to all or targeted program participants
- Social Recognition and Gamification – Helps to drive performance and appreciation in ways that align with today’s use of social media outside the workplace
- Recognition Training for Managers - Educational components that range from simple presentations to true e-learning modules that include videos of an organization’s “recognition champions” sharing their passion and showing appreciation
- Improved Rewards – An effective award mall – an Amazon-like destination that offers a wide variety of merchandise, travel, and experiential choices, as well as gift cards that are redeemable at hundreds of online or brick-and-mortar retailers
- Analytics and Reporting - Back-end tools that provide easy access to a wide variety of metrics, reports, and graphs that tell the story of how a program is progressing
- API Integration – Integration with the HRIS or payroll software for easy data sharing
In conclusion, to institutionalize recognition and eliminate program administrative time, you’ll need an employee engagement platform that integrates all of your reward and recognition programs, communications, training, rewards, and reporting into one easy-to-use package.
The right technology gives equal access to all employees and can expand recognition by up to 10Xs, and you can have an effective, new engagement platform up and running in eight weeks. Give Incentra a call today to get started.
