At Blu Ivy, we have worked with many organizations, helping them to communicate their vision and build business strategies that will support their corporate goals. Our experience has been that every organization is willing to invest in their vision, and while most executives can immediately see the value in a pay for performance culture to support this vision; few of these organizations will explore this concept a little further, and take the time out to celebrate the small wins. It is easy to become so focused on the end point, that the milestones along the way slip by – but like life, work should be about the journey rather than the destination. To keep your team engaged all the way along, take time to recognize progress with these 3 best practices:
- Communicate
We talk a lot about communication because it really can give you the largest return on investment. It’s really that simple. Providing regular updates to your employees on how the organization is doing against their overall goals is the lowest-cost way to keep everyone working together.
If you aren’t on track to make targets, be transparent and explain why. Give as much data as you can. It gives everyone an opportunity to understand what some of the challenges facing the organization. Employees then have the opportunity to act like owners; to provide input on ways they can help address these challenges and be accountable.
- Genuinely Thanking Your Employees
Although goals might not have been fully reached, employees have still been coming in every day and working to get you closer to that end point. Find the behaviours that you want to see continued and take the time to recognize those behaviours with on the spot recognition.
The right kind of “thank you” can be highly motivating – and long-remembered. Rather than just telling someone they’re great, be specific about what you are thanking a person or a team for, and recognize how they have contributed to your overall goal.
It can be a long road to reach your destination, so make sure that you take the time to celebrate and thank your employees along the way.
- Be Creative
Think outside the box when it comes to celebrating those small milestones. Think about how you can align your rewards with your employer brand and your corporate culture. Make it a fun activity that people can easily participate in, like arranging for an ice cream truck to come to your office one day. Plan an employee appreciation week where there are small surprises for employees every day. They don’t have to be giant gifts; perhaps they are simple things like a hand-written thank you from their manager, or a small bag of candy. Give employees an extra day off after a particularly important milestone has been reached.
It’s important to remember that often, it’s your employees that make your company unique. Be different, have fun, and don’t forget the importance of celebrating the small stuff!