When your business is a leader in its field and you’re still relying on an outdated Employee Recognition Program, the best advice is to participate in a better one. How successful the new program is will depend on its leaders, which typically includes managers. So, when the current employee recognition program is not being implemented properly or no longer meets the needs of your staff it is time to find a solution.

Often this means motivating managers to recognize employees, and inspiring them to bring out the best in the staff. Managers are the ones that interact daily with employees, and set the tone and attitude at work. This makes them best suited to ensure that everyone feels like they are valued members of the team.

How to Motivate Managers to Participate in Employee Recognition

When the employee recognition program is simply to follow and managers understand the benefits, most are eager to participate. Some tips that can help make it easier for managers to understand the reason for them to use employee appreciation programs include,

• Making WebEx and other types of online training available for management can help them understand why it is important to make employees feel valued and appreciated. The online training also makes it more convenient for managers to fit into their busy schedules.
• If it is a larger company an email from the CEO to all managers stating that upper management supports the employee recognition program can help ensure that everyone is on board, and prevent any confusion due to miscommunication.
• A friendly banner on the company internal website thanking mangers for their participation can motivate them to participate in the recognition program.
• Online “quick start” guides are an effective way to introduce the employee recognition program and inspire managers to participate in it.
• Creating an eye-catching tab on the company’s website for managers to “click-on” can make participation easy for them, even with their hectic schedules.

Bottom Line

When these tips are implemented manager participation in employee recognition programs typically increases, and this benefits any business regardless of its size. Simply acknowledging that their participation is crucial for the success of any program, often makes managers more aware of the importance of recognizing their employees. After all, if the recognition inspires and motivates them it will do the same for their team.

Employees that are motivated typically reported higher levels of job satisfaction, and this generally leads to lower turn-over rates. They are also more productive. Keeping employees engaged can make them feel included, and improve their ability to make decisions on their feet. Motivated and satisfied employees can also make a manager’s job a little easier.

It is important to remember that while recognition from co-workers is also positive, it doesn’t mean as much as it does when it comes from a manager. Ensuring that the managers are participating in the company’s employee recognition program and giving them the tools they need to use it properly are the first steps towards creating a positive environment at work.