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How to create a Rewards and Recognition program for a company?

Updated: Apr 8, 2021


Employee appreciation

Employee Appreciation

We have heard of a very famous saying, “Appreciation delayed is appreciation denied” and we all would agree that to retain a good employee is very much necessary for a company to grow and reach heights of excellence.


Therefore, for HR to keep finding ways and solutions for employee satisfaction is very necessary because a wise and empathic HR knows that if employees of the organization are taken care of, the organization would automatically be taken care of by them.


And to achieve the loyalty of an employee or to help them build a connection with the organization, HRs should gear themselves up right from the onboarding process and dwell into certain rewards and recognition programs that would not only be beneficial for them but also for the organization.


Let’s take a run-through on certain initiatives that could be undertaken and practiced to revolutionize the entire system.


For creating and building proper connection and faith for the employees in the organization:


1) In an era where companies invest more in the acquisition and retention of talent, maintaining a checklist is necessary to ensure that nothing important is neglected right from the beginning. Assigning a buddy to the employee during the onboarding process where he/she can partner with the new employees amidst a group of new people and a completely new environment much before the employee joins, intrigues the new hire about the comfortable space of the organization and he/she understands that his/her joining has been recognized by the company.


2) A warm welcome of the employee and introduction with the team members and coordinating with other departments help the new hire to open up easily and approach them without hesitation for any work.


3) A good ergonomic onboarding kit having materials that are essential for the new hire, like the company T-shirts, tech necessities, stationery packages, safety essentials especially amidst the pandemic, and various other items constructed keeping in mind employee satisfaction and well being, can all help in adding a deep and impressive connect with the organization and we have companies like SmartQ who personally curate them assembling from a wide range of vendors because they care and believe in delivering the best.


4) Introducing the vision statements and core values of the company are important because not only does it serve as a sustainable strategic plan for success but also acts as a guide for employees facing challenges and this triggers in building a strong connection with the organization to ensure that all the employees are on the same page and working towards the same goal. Also, the culture and the outlook of the people working for any company speaks a lot about how enjoyable work could be or how much job satisfaction one can achieve.


5) A company should start practicing providing reading materials to employees since small little practices not only win the employee confidence and trust in the organization but also inspires and retains them for a much-predicted longer duration.


6) Monthly interactive sessions virtually or inside the office premises not only helps in personal growth but also provide better mental health, lightens the mood, and keeps the employee happier in the workplace. It also promotes a sense of safety, security, and belonging inside the office premises.

Interactive Sessions

Introducing rewards and recognitions:


A good employee is like a four-leaf clover- hard to find and lucky to have, and therefore a good appreciation and recognition of the work done, or about the tasks and responsibilities carried out, or challenges faced and resolved should be a practice for the companies because that not only triggers the happy hormones in the employees but also motivates and inspires them to work better and harder in the future.


Recognition for new age Employees:

Employee recognition

  • Public recognition- In today’s fast-growing corporate world, recognition is not only good but also very critical and a huge percentage of the employees like it publicly. Zoom, skype or google sync up meetings on the last working day of the month, keeping in mind the work-from-home scenario can be a medium that would help in keeping the employees engaged in a lighter mood and appreciating the deserved employee for his achievements.


  • Private acknowledgment- Some companies like to keep certain things private. An e-mail or a call to congratulate the employee for his/her success and to convey how their presence in the organization has been fruitful in the growth of the company is an immediate practice that every HR should begin for starters.


  • Instant wishes- Whatsapp is now a part of our daily lives and statistics tell that more than 70% of WhatsApp users check their notifications a little too frequently. Therefore, however unprofessional it might seem, a WhatsApp wish on the core team group or dedicated project group acts as swift applause for the execution of the effort and hard work. Such instant wishes catalyze the moment of success.


  • Social media validation- Leveraging professional platforms like LinkedIn is a very professional way of appreciating the employee from either the team leads or the CEO of the company through the dedicated company page, thereby letting their connections also know about the same. Besides accrediting the employee, this also acts as a boon for the company which grandly tells people on the social media platform that the company not only values but also cares for its employees.


Rewards for appreciation by creating brand reality:

  1. Personal touch- Apart from the recognitions passed on to the employees, sending over a bouquet of flowers, or any ergonomic gift item along with accolades and praise-worthy notes to employees especially during the Covid-19 situation where the employees are working from home, adds a personal touch to the entire reward system of the organization. SmartQ becomes the rescue partner here for you, Providing gifting solutions to corporates and being the angel in disguise for the admins and the HRs.

  2. Prize money, coupons, or bonus- Many employees find happiness when awarded with prize money or a one-time bonus amount for his/her success paved through hard work. Coupons/vouchers for food, travel, clothing, or gift cards too can be a friendlier mode of rewarding the employees, celebrating their success and achievement.

Employee Gifting

  1. Assigning designations- With higher designations come greater responsibilities and this can act as a passive modus operandi for the company where bestowing new roles and assigning bigger responsibilities aware others of the milestone covered to reach that position that he/she is in.

  2. Flexible leverages- For bigger and impactful accomplishments by the employees, companies can think of providing certain flexible and employee-friendly leverages, like allowing them a 3-day work-from-home where offices are on the verge of reopening again or granting them a week’s leave to spend some quality time with family and friends. This would not only help the employees to maintain a balance in life, but also restore their faith in the company that they genuinely care about. This in turn, charges them up and helps them work better and perform better.

The success or failures of the employees become very personal to the recruiters or the managers who hire them because more than anyone else the one who hired the one hired understands the skills and effectiveness. A good HR is just not a bridge between the employee and the employer but deals with enormous hard work of identifying, recruiting, interviewing, and helping the right talent grow despite the talent crunch. And streamlining a solid employee onboarding and rewards-recognitions process where employees of the organizations will take pride in and connect better is a need too important.


The HR of any company plays a key role in building, maintaining, and developing the brand and culture of the organization, and has a plethora of tasks and responsibilities assigned. They always have to be ahead of the automation, improving the hiring process by not only hiring the right people but also molding the candidates to superstar employees, cultivating passion, and thinking out of the box.


Besides being the partners for the gifting solutions for the employee rewards and onboarding packages, the page of SmartQ not only exhibits but also provides solutions/ways of how the admins and the HRs can stay ahead in their game by constantly encouraging and motivating the employees for their personal and professional growth, both at the same time.


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