Effectively Reward Employees

Here are some important tips when recognizing employees:

1. Establish and clearly articulate performance criteria for rewards

2. Everyone in the organization should be eligible to work toward the same reward(s)

3. Individuals should be specifically told why they are being rewarded

4. Anyone/everyone who exhibits the levels of excellence required to receive the reward, should recieve the award

5. Employers should not wait to recognize achievers. Do it asap to reinforce the desired behaviors employers wish to see exhibited more often.

Employee of the Month mechanisms are largely ineffective. This 'monthly selection method' may do more harm than good as these employees are usually hand-picked by management, which may leave co-workers feeling resentful and powerless.

Perhaps Squidward dislikes Spongebob so much because Mr. Krabs has awarded Spongebob the Employee of the Month award more than 27 times in a row.