Proper Presentation of Recognition Matters! Guest post from Lisa Perez: Presenting recognition awards to your employee’s gives you the opportunity to celebrate more than just an accomplishment. You can use the occasion to reinforce those behaviors that make them a valued member of your team. Preparing an effective award presentation can be as easy as asking yourself a few simple questions. (Who, what, when, where, and why.) There’s much more to Who than the name of the recipient. Keep a note of when the recipient joined your organization. Highlighting loyalty to your company is a great way to celebrate an employee. Mention promotions and other significant career events that have taken place throughout their employment. Try involving members of the recipients work team. Ask co-workers to share or write down their own observations about his/her contributions to the organization. Describing the What of an award also plays a role in your presentation. Take the time to understand how the award ties to the individual. If the individual has chosen from a collection of awards, note how that choice ties to a hobby or a special interest. Find clever ways to compare the use of any precious metals or gemstones in the award to the ways that the recipient is “precious” to your organization. Demonstrate how the award ties to the behavior for which the recipient is particularly valued. When and Where you present the award is a very important aspect of the recognition process. Plan your award event in advance so affirms its importance to your staff. Present the award as close to the accomplishment as possible so that no one and nothing is forgotten. Try making the presentation of the award a public event but be sensitive to the recipients’ behavior style so as not to embarrass them. The recognition not only from you, but from your staff will prove to them that they are an important aspect of the team. Be sure to schedule the event at a mutually convenient time and place. It is the Why that lets you tie the award to the behaviors that benefit your organization. Communicating the significance of behavior that plays an important part requires you to give some thought to specific behaviors and achievements. Give examples of dedicated performance, extra effort to complete specific projects, and ways the recipients’ overall character/personality have been an asset. Explain specific ways the recipient has supported your organization’s vision, mission, guiding principles and values. Review the recipients’ support of new projects, new businesses and leadership changes. Show how the recipients’ personal goals have helped your organization to achieve its goals. Finally, Enjoy the Recognition Process!! Lisa Perez, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, brings 25+ years of HR experience as President of HBL Resources, Inc. HBL Resources provides various support and strategic Human Resource Services including consultation, administration, training and executive development to organizations such as Virgin Hotels, The Clevelander Hotel and Best Buddies International among others. Sign up for Teamphoria an employee recognition software. Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Republished by Blog Post Promoter