Revitalizing your employee recognition experience by ITA Group

Revitalizing your employee recognition experience

2-4 Business case

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6-8 Activate

9-10 Optimize

Recognition influences employee sentiment No matter when, how and where work happens, the ability to recognize any worker, anywhere is an employee expectation. Employees who are highly satisfied with recognition are more likely to

feel satisfied with their organization,

believe their employer is committed to keeping them and recommend their workplace to others. In a competitive talent market, those attitudes matter.

Employees who don't feel adequately recognized

are 2x as likely to say they'll quit in the next year —GALLUP

Increased recognition spend doesn't guarantee greater impact

Forrester reports budgets for recognition programs are up to 2% of total compensation

for the most committed organizations. But if that spend is put toward a one-size-fits-all

approach, even well-funded recognition programs underperform. And those that fail to invest properly in recognition risk missing out on attracting and retaining talent.

Recognition programs often resonate the least with remote and frontline teams. These

employees are at a disadvantage because it can be harder to observe and acknowledge their efforts when they go above and beyond.

2-4 Business case

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Program clarity creates employee buy-in When work gets rewarded, people notice. But some employees might start to ask:

"Why not me?" For a recognition program to be meaningful, employees must believe in its intent.

AVAILABILITY

UNDERSTANDING

FAIRNESS

Can every employee earn

Are eligibility, criteria and

Are steps taken to remove

recognized, irrespective

recognition clearly

opportunities and ensure

the opportunity to be of role or location?

processes for earning communicated to

bias from recognition equitable access?

all employees?

EMPLOYEES WHO RECEIVE FULFILLING, INDIVIDUALIZED & AUTHENTIC RECOGNITION AT WORK ARE

as likely to feel connected to their work culture, and ...

as likely to be engaged —GALLUP

Perceived inequity hinders adoption and issuance

Employees who question the fairness of the recognition process are voicing these concerns. In response, many organizations make bias mitigation a priority. Equitable recognition is both an employee expectation and a business priority. When recognition is consistent, clearly understood and fair, it reinforces three critical cultural behaviors: showing

appreciation for effort, recognizing contributions in meaningful ways and building trust in

leadership intent. So how do we improve employee perceptions of recognition processes and programs?

2-4 Business case

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9-10 Optimize

All employees seek recognition, regardless of environment Employee attitudes toward recognition are heavily influenced by job function, work location

and interpersonal relationships among peers and leaders. With more hybrid and remote jobs available, companies must focus on improving recognition availability for all workers.

Traditionally under-recognized workers Improving equity for under‑recognized employees requires more than expanding access to tools. Managers must consistently practice appreciation and recognition in ways that build trust, regardless of where work happens. REMOTE, DESK-BASED EMPLOYEES

Connect team members to your brand emotionally

Increased flexibility in where and when work

is completed is an employee win. But hybrid, remote and deskless work can reduce

visibility into day-to-day contributions,

ultimately exacerbating existing issues (e.g; trust in recognition and rewards programs).

DESKLESS EMPLOYEES Communicating with on-the-go workers forces employers to rethink accessibility

Make communication easier for people managers

and workflow nuance. If your engagement strategies rely heavily on desktop

Build trust with accessible engagement strategies

engagement or routine check-ins online, your program won't resonate or feel

equitable. Instead, it's an opportunity to

align with how deskless workers already collaborate with peers.

ITA Group's A.R.T. approach improves the quality of recognition The A.R.T. approach becomes a consistent framework for sustaining engagement while improving how leaders and employees recognize peers. Appreciation

Recognition

Trust

for who they are

people deliver

and consistency

acknowledges people

reinforces what

creates inclusion

2-4 Business case

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Use journey mapping to revamp employee recognition Journey mapping gives you a comprehensive idea of what matters, and what doesn’t,

to employees in their recognition experiences. First, understand the recognition journey and perceptions of specific employee segments. SURVEY EMPLOYEES 1. Collect both qualitative and quantitative

feedback to understand when, how

Quantitative

currently recognized.

you know how

feedback helps

and why these workers are

employees feel.

2. Ask about both informal and formal

recognition employees receive from their leaders and peers. Breakroom

shout-outs, platform-based spotlights and performance-based rewards can all factor into the overall recognition experience.

3. Seek sentiment around employee

recognition experiences currently

happening within your organization but don’t forget to dig into employees' prior

Qualitative

feedback helps

you uncover why they feel that

way—and what to do about it.

experiences, too. You want to learn

> Current recognition experiences that meaningfully convey your company’s appreciation > Factors contributing to poor recognition experiences > Ideas for new types of recognition that could resonate more effectively based on where

your employees work

COLLECT FEEDBACK BEYOND SURVEYS Survey tools are a starting point to uncover consistent themes around employee perception. But qualitative methods like focus groups, interviews, meetings with local-level leaders and

site visits will contextualize perceptions. The stories that direct feedback provides can better illuminate how to improve rewards and recognition within your organization.

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Identify employee personas to learn motivators and pain points Persona development is an important next step in your strategy. It prevents you from overgeneralizing employee experiences and needs.

Craft a persona for an employee segment that includes specifics about their work experience (e.g., function, location, motivations and pain points). Outline how these attributes should guide why, when and how similar employees should earn recognition and rewards.

DESKLESS RETAIL ASSOCIATE Salary: $14–19/hour Work location: Retail store Sample employee persona

MOTIVATIONS > Public recognition in

front of peers, such as on radio headsets

> Individual rewards for

going above and beyond

> Helping peers > Being knowledgeable

PAIN POINTS > Lacks access to technology

to send/receive recognition

> Works a shift-based

schedule, which limits team connection

> Doesn’t understand store

goals/metrics and how

for customers

they relate to them

COMMON QUESTIONS

PROGRAM FEATURES

> Can I send recognition

outside of my break time?

> Can a customer

recognize me?

> What do I need to do to

earn associate of the month/quarter?

> What do I get from being

recognized?

> How do I really impact

the store goals, and do I receive a reward if we achieve them?

Formal

> Platform with e-cards that

can be sent from a kiosk in a shared breakroom

> Associate of the month/

quarter nomination-based recognition

Informal

> Peer and manager

shout-outs on radio headsets

> Food-based rewards and

swag in breakroom

Effective recognition journeys ensure appreciation feels genuine, recognition feels relevant and trust is reinforced through clarity and follow-through. But personalization doesn't have to mean endless customization. Personas spot shared needs, motivators and barriers, so brands can create more relevant recognition experiences.

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Use segmentation to improve relevance and impact Group personas into segments according to similarities in how, when and why they should be recognized. For example, while the job functions of various types of deskless workers

differ, their work environment and motivations are aligned. Many organizations need more

than just segmented tactics. They need a consistent framework that ensures appreciation, recognition and trust shows up across every segment, role and experience.

Segmenting helps streamline the number of personalized recognition experiences you offer.

SEGMENT 1 DESKLESS INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS

SEGMENT 2 ON-SITE DESK-BASED WORKERS

SEGMENT 3 REMOTE DESK-BASED WORKERS

Role types

> Retail associates > Warehouse workers

> HQ-based individual

contributors

> Production staff

> People managers (HQ

Personalized strategies

> Spot recognition

> Print communications

> Recognition and

rewards platform

> Environmental

> Team-based awards

> Combination of

> On-site swag

> Field sales

+ retail + warehouse)

and environmental branding

> Corporate

branding

discretionary and

performance-based recognition criteria

Personalized strategies > Recognition and

rewards platform

> Home-based mailings

with program

communications and swag

> Video-based

promotional messaging

2-4 Business case

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Create your own employee segments Although your goal is to consolidate

personas into common segments for

program development, hold on to the full

range of personas. Share these details with managers as a tool to help build empathy.

Encourage leaders to explore how they can best support the various worker types and

empower them to acknowledge individual contributions in personally relevant ways.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY

reinforcing the same core behaviors over

time, equipping leaders to consistently show

Modernizing service awards through personalization

appreciation, recognize contributions and

Challenge

build trust as programs scale and evolve.

Tenure-based recognition is common

Personalize recognition experiences

research showed us that a traditional

Sustained recognition success comes from

DATA AVAILABILITY

within nearly all organizations. But program recognizing tenure with

commemorative pins was misaligned with the motivations of an employee

Do you have the basic quantitative

segment comprised of customer-

segmentation based on job function,

workers, what mattered was knowing that

information available to facilitate

oriented achievers. For these deskless

work location, program eligibility, etc.?

they were doing a good job because

UNDERSTANDING OF ROOT CAUSES

to return to their shop, and even ask for

Have you conducted qualitative research to “read between the lines” of survey data? What can you discover about underlying causes of friction and personalization expectations? CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT Is your journey map for implementation clear? Which segment(s) will you launch first, and

how will you expand the program over time?

they’d see the same customers continue them by name. Solution

We created a more relevant program

tied to workers' ability to retain customers. We traded that five-year pin for the

opportunity to earn higher-end tools of their trade, a status symbol that could also improve service. It was a swap

that showed real results in satisfaction all around.

2-4 Business case

5 Listen

6-8 Activate

9-10 Optimize

Sustain momentum with a phased launch Your research, persona creation and segmentation exercises will help you identify which

areas of your workforce are most in need of a revamped recognition strategy. As you see

success with your initial implementation, shift toward improving the recognition experience for your next priority segment. Don't forget to regroup with each segment after your changes are in place. This process should be iterative and evolve as you collect feedback.

Phase 1 > Research > Create personas > Develop segments

Phase 2 > Start prioritization

assessment

Phase 3 > Improve experience

for second segment

> Select first

focus segment

> Improve experience

for first segment

Use the A.R.T. approach to keep engagement high post-launch A.R.T. transforms your recognition program's success by embedding everyday habits vs. measuring against static benchmarks. CLIENT SUCCESS STORY 4M+ recognitions later, the A.R.T. approach continues to build momentum for a Fortune 500 financial institution. Like many organizations, their recognition

program was established but inconsistent. Creating an enterprise-wide culture of appreciation with performance-based recognition turned peer and leadership trust into a habit.

2-4 Business case

5 Listen

6-8 Activate

9-10 Optimize

Modernize your recognition program In matters of recognition, perception is reality. Great leaders must remain open to hearing when their employees are unsatisfied by current offerings or believe they’ve been overlooked by a biased process. Failure to seek and act on feedback puts you at risk of losing high performers.

When recognition systems are designed to intentionally reinforce appreciation, recognition and trust, organizations move from one-off initiatives to a sustainable culture. Refreshing or revamping

recognition programs opens an opportunity to engage workers across roles, geographies and levels. Segmenting helps ensure the solutions you design are a hit with each of them, no matter where they work or what job they do.

Prove the business impact of your recognition investment

LISTEN

ACTIVATE

Ask your people what’s

Prioritize and act on what

Continue to source data

Employee willingness to

new and different ways of

recognition experiences.

working and what’s not. share signals openness to co-create a more fulfilling experience. The feedback

will kick-start your discovery process and should be embedded into the

program to ensure the

strategies you implement continue to meet their needs.

you hear to experiment with recognizing and rewarding

various workforce segments. This should involve adjusting reasons for recognition, how you increase awareness

and excitement for various recognition experiences , and the opportunities themselves.

OPTIMIZE

to strengthen employee

Look for opportunities to proactively engage

leadership to recognize

people on a personal level.

Measure the organizational impact of the changes

you’re making by tracking trends in retention, eNPS,

profitability and customer experience outcomes to validate investments in targeted segments.

Let’s talk—itagroup.com