Do you have an Employee of the month scheme? Are you working in the Care Sector? Then Employee of the Month Schemes maybe working against you.
You will probably have introduced an Employee of the Month Scheme to recognise good performance. The Scheme praises an employee’s ‘external’ performance, often to other staff. If you are working in the Care Sector, your best staff will be relationship focused people. People who do much of their work away from direct supervision and other staff, especially in a domiciliary care setting. To these staff, Employee of the Month Schemes can feel like schemes that recognise performance based on what was observed. Therefore, they can seem arbitrary and unfair. In fact, by trying to recognise good staff, you may actually be demotivating the very staff you are trying to motivate.
Because care sector staff get much personal satisfaction from building relationships, genuinely caring staff will be far more appreciative of a personal communication. This tells them how valued they are within the organisation. Consider sending a personal note to the staff you value every year. Maybe send it to their home address where their families will see it. After all, many decisions to leave employment are driven by family pressure.
What to Do Next.
If you have an Employee of the Month Scheme, ask your staff what they feel about it. Is it doing what you intended? Are your staff motivated by the incentives of the scheme? Furthermore, review what you are doing then consider introducing a mechanism for a more personalised appreciation of their contribution.
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. Call us now to discuss your employee engagement challenges on 01706 565 332.
Thank you to Neil Eastwood of Sticky People Ltd for his insight into this topic
