Looking for an easy, economical way to enhance your employee recognition program? The resources are right in front of you. They’re sitting in your cubicles and offices…greeting you in the hallway…maybe even pulling into your favorite parking space! That’s right, they’re your employees.

The Basics of Peer-to-Peer Recognition

About peer-to-peer recognition: Peer-to-peer recognition is gaining more attention among organizations of all types and sizes. It’s a perfectly natural behavior that just needs a little nurturing to yield lots of positive results. A recent Globoforce survey indicated that 57% of companies that implemented peer-to-peer recognition experienced significant increases in employee engagement…which has been shown to boost productivity, profitability and employee retention, among other benefits.

We’re wired to connect with one another, both psychologically and now, technologically. Peer-to-peer recognition is exactly what it says it is: fellow employees spotting exemplary work and behavior and saying, “Good job!” It can be as simple as encouraging them to offer spontaneous acknowledgment or thanks, which in itself is a great indication of employee engagement. Or it can involve broader recognition via email or social media.

What makes this type of recognition so effective is its sincerity. It’s not an entitlement, like a years of service award. It’s not tied to salary increases, like a performance review. Coming from someone who performs similar work and understands the challenges involved, it carries the weight of authenticity. Plus, it naturally leads to reciprocation — a sort of “pay it forward” mentality — that catches fire quickly and contributes to employee engagement.

Three Keys To Successful Peer-to-Peer Recognition: First things first. The beauty of this type of program is that it’s totally customizable to every organization. However, there are three key elements every program should incorporate:

1. Procedures 2. Rewards 3. Communication

Procedures Keep it simple. If the program is too complicated, employees won’t bother with it. Some easy ways to provide recognition include posting cards on a bulletin board or in a box. At the end of the month, the employee with the most kudos wins…or a winner can be drawn at random. Or use social media — Facebook, Twitter and e-cards.

Rewards The personal satisfaction of being recognized is a given. And you’ll see, as your program progresses, that it’s contagious! But be sure to supplement emotional rewards with tangible ones, based on what you can realistically afford. Maybe only certain accomplishments warrant additional recognition — that’s fine. Rewards can range from items in a recognition program catalog to gift cards to paid time off or even preferred parking.

Communication This is a biggie. No communication = no participation. All-employee meetings are a perfect forum to kick off the program. If that’s not feasible because you have a large number of employees, your directors or managers can handle it on a departmental level. Employee newsletters are another useful outlet. Email campaigns are easy and effective: Start by announcing what the program is, why it’s great and when it begins. Follow that up with particulars — what employees are expected to do and how to do it. Finally, make a plan for ongoing communication, including a platform for sharing accomplishments.

Tips For Maintaining and Sustaining Peer-to-Peer Recognition: 1. Acknowledge those who participate in the program (especially those who have

taken the lead) and reward departments that achieve 100% participation.

2. Communicate frequently and on a timely basis — this includes disseminating recognition throughout the company.

3. Congratulate recipients with a personal phone call, email or a brief visit.

4. Tie peer-to-peer recognition to an employee of the month program.

5. Organize staff appreciation events like pizza parties and informal outings.

6. Celebrate employee birthdays and service anniversaries.

7. Introduce monthly or quarterly themes for employees to watch (and strive) for — like time or money savers, productivity boosters or extra-mile achievers.

8. Expand the boundaries of the program to recognize outstanding contributions to the community.

9. Survey employees to see if they’re finding value in the program and solicit suggestions for improvements and additions.

10. Keep the creative juices flowing by coming up with your own ideas!