Employee Recognition on Little to No Budget
Employee Recognition on Little to No Budget By April Christiansen
Even in good budget years, it is often difficult for courts to allocate adequate funding toward employee recognition programs. However, considering the current state of the economy, where most courts have been faced with more cuts than increases to their bottom line, it’s virtually impossible to justify spending tax dollars on programs other than those that are absolutely necessary.
That being said, this should not serve as a deterrent to supervisors. A decrease in your employee recognition budget should not mean an equal decrease in your employee recognition efforts. According to Recognition Professionals International, an international, non-profit association that studies employee recognition; formal, informal and day-to-day recognition programs, when linked to the organizations values and goals, can create an environment that enhances employee engagement, performance and retention. These increased levels can directly result in increased morale, teamwork, productivity, and customer service.
Many studies have shown that achievement in the workplace should be recognized on a variety of levels, including formal, organizational recognition, as well as informal, individual or team-based recognition. Accordingly, many recognition programs employ three levels, with Level 1 recognizing individual achievement, Level 2 recognizing team achievement, and Level 3 recognizing organizational achievement. For many courts, Level 3 recognition will be managed by their City management, or HR Departments. These can include pancake breakfasts (with supervisors serving the food), employee appreciation parties, free or reduced-rate access to City facilities, length-of-service awards, or other city-wide celebrations. For Levels 1 and 2 however, Court Supervisors and Administrator can take the reigns, and they can do so without breaking the bank.
According to Bob Nelson, Ph.D., an expert in employee motivations, reward, and recognition, it’s those informal recognition efforts that are both the lowest-cost and most desired types of recognition. In a survey conducted by Nelson, he found that 92% of employees thought that “support and involvement” from their manager was extremely important. These included involving employees in decision-making, asking for the employee’s opinions, and supporting the employee when they make a mistake. Coming in second in Nelson’s survey at 79%, was “personal praise.” These included things such as being thanked or praised for doing good work, and being praised in front of others. In comparison, “cash or cash substitutes” was only deemed extremely or very important to 43% of the population surveyed. Nelson also reminds supervisors that it is very important to find out what actually motivated their staff. It’s important to offer options and be flexible, as what motivates one employee may not motivate another.
This article includes specific examples of individual recognition. While the list is specifically aimed at individual recognition, many of them could be modified for team recognition as well. Additionally, there are other low cost options that can be effective. For examples, studies show that employees want to be informed; they want the opportunity to learn new skills and participate in professional development. In fact, this was the fifth most important form of recognition in Nelson’s survey. This can include discussing career options, providing training, and encouraging professional growth. This should be exciting to court supervisors! Employees want to learn, and can actually consider it a form of recognition if done correctly!
Keep this in mind when scheduling your clerks training. If a clerk has a specialized interest, see if you can find a relevant training. Or, plan your own training, and include your staff in the planning. Ask them what topics they wan to learn more about, and then schedule some time, possibly monthly or quarterly , to cover that subject. Make it fun; Municipal Court Jeopardy for example, or include teambuilding exercises. Ask a clerk if they would like to help plan the training session. This can foster a stronger sense of responsibility and pride in their work.
To make sure your recognition efforts don’t get lost at the bottom of a stack of files consider forming a committee of a small group of volunteer employees who meet regularly to discuss recognition efforts. Give the committee an identifiable name so that staff knows their purpose. Work with your Finance and HR Departments to determine if fund are available for a small budget that the committee could use for specific rewards or events. Also, keep in mind that training and communication are critical in making sure that your recognition efforts are effective. Supervisors should know what types of behavior or performance to reward. Over-recognizing staff or recognizing the wrong behavior (“Hey, gold star for getting to work on time today!”) will likely backfire. Also, communicate with your staff regarding recognition efforts. Seek their input, and ask for their feedback. If something isn’t working, you want to know about it, so you can implement something that does.
So, with all that in mind, what exactly are some of these inexpensive, yet highly effective ways to recognize your staff? Well, although it’s likely to vary, depending on your organizational culture, and the specific people who work for you, the following provides you a few ideas to get your started. In reading these, make sure that the recognition effort you employ is done on a timely basis, not two weeks after the fact.
* Personal recognition given directly to key employees by city management. Involving the City manger’s office is a great way to show your clerks that not only their Supervisor values them, but that the City recognize and appreciates their efforts as well!
* Bouquet of thank you’s (cheaper than a bouquet of flowers, and more meaningful)!
* Recognition in your City newsletter
* Don’t forget to recognize improvement, not just top performers! This can provide encouragement to new or struggling employees, and is a good way to include more people in the recognition effort.
* Post a letter of thanks from a customer on a “Way to Go” bulletin board, or read it aloud in front of your team.
* Lifesaver Awards, Rolls of decorated Lifesavers candy given to high achievers with an announcement as to their achievement. Sending an email announcement and copying the City Manager will remind them they are a part of the City, not just the Court.
* Use colored name tags indicating years of service.
* Email message with copy to manager.
* Extra Lunch Time.
* E-card or virtual flower bouquet( numerous website offer at no cost).
