NO ENTRY FOR MOST OF YOU. We Recognize only the Very Best!!

I have noticed that a very large number of companies do not have a well thought out Recognition Program that can offer a large number of employees in the organization an opportunity to win awards appropriate for their contribution levels and get recognized in a meaningful manner. The programs typically tend to be elitist in nature with only the very best getting the recognition and the rewards.

Imagine if in tennis, the only tournaments were the 4 grand slam events. Would there be the same kind of enthusiasm and interest in tennis from budding tennis players? There are a number of tournaments at the country level, state level, district level and even at the local club levels. Each of these tournaments offer opportunities for a large number of players to win and get recognition for their skills and efforts and gain the confidence to aspire for the bigger tournaments/awards.

In organizations, the HR leaders and the senior managers need to put in the effort to create opportunities for the non-superstars to get recognized and win awards at various levels. By doing this, if they can increase the confidence and engagement levels of the larger employee population, the business benefits from the increased value the larger employee population would add, will be sizable.