Today, most companies have employee recognition programs, but not all are equal. The strongest ones align with values, deliver tangible results, connect to career development, and foster engagement. However, creating such programs often involves trial and error, as I've experienced firsthand at my current company.

In my time at ADP, from Consultant to CIO for the regions Europe, Middle-Est & Africa (EMEA) and Latin America, one thing has always stood out: everyone loves this company. But what makes it special? It's the empathy, positive culture, innovative tech, exciting ideas, commitment to customers and ample resources that attract people. Everyone wants to be part of our success story.

What truly sets us apart, though, is our dedication to employee recognition. We move mountains to acknowledge our team's efforts because we know it fuels growth – for both colleagues and the company.

Here are the top lessons I've learned, which your organisation can also implement, to transform employee recognition from a nice-to-have to just the way you do business.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel.
  When building or expanding your employee recognition program, you don't have to start from scratch. Begin by examining successful practices outside and within your department and organisation, whether they've grown organically or through structured efforts. While many organisations follow top-down approaches led by executives or HQ, the most successful programmes often stem from what's already working well and what associates would like to hear and see.
  I had the opportunity to help structure our recognition efforts at ADP. We noticed a gap between how the team recognises associates, and how associates would like to be recognised. We decided to launch a dedicated program to enhance the associates’ recognition practices. Don’t be shy to seek insights from peers, HR, and leadership, or explore collaborative platforms to discover existing channels to share recognition across the organisation. Try reusing effective frameworks and tailoring them to align with the unique requirements of your service and department’s expectations.
  
  
• Align recognition with values.
  Aligning recognition with company values is crucial for fostering a cohesive culture, engagement, and focus among employees. Recognition initiatives should seamlessly integrate with your company's vision, purpose, and values, rather than existing in silos. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) should also be embedded from day one so everyone is included. In a large, geographically dispersed organisation like ours, uniting around shared values is essential for getting everyone moving in the same direction.
  
  
• Establish measurable criteria.
  If you're not sure what success looks like from the start, how can you celebrate it? We've set clear guidelines to clarify and show everyone what success looks like and what we expect from them. For example, as part of our Recognition program, we choose three areas of focus such as celebrating “The Stars”, i.e. people who contribute to major innovation; “Stronger Together”, for associates who heavily collaborate and solve problems together; “Extra-mile”, approach involves acknowledging associates who went above and beyond to provide exceptional customer experiences.
  This process helps everyone in understanding the desired goals and prevents confusion, promoting fairness across the business. We give specific definitions, expectations, and examples, spotlighting the opportunities created by the achievement and the long-term impact. While celebrating success isn't an exact science – nor should it be – giving guidance while encouraging autonomy and creativity is vital. Clarity helps people take informed risks and succeed. So, when in doubt, be clear.
  
  
• Focus on value creation.
  The best recognition programs focus on concrete business results. Look for opportunities to spotlight employees or teams that have delivered substantial value to the company, whether through, developing unique solutions to longstanding issues, creating innovative processes or tools to improve operations, or ensuring client satisfaction.
  We recently celebrated a diverse team from security, IT, product development, and project management who collaborated on a high-value GenAI project. Their combined effort resulted in a tech breakthrough with significant potential to enhance our business. Achieving remarkable results in just a few weeks, they showcased the power of teamwork and innovation.
  
  
• Co-create with employees.
  Whether you’re developing a new recognition program, or refining an existing one, continually seek feedback from your colleagues. What aspects do they want to see more or less of? Is the program diverse enough? How can it be enhanced further?
  Consider leaning into other groups or departments at the organisation for additional insights. You can always learn from colleagues from other services, with their different issues and ways of working. For example, at ADP, we create synergies within teams around core company values. Some Business Resource Groups (BRGs), voluntary employee-led groups, are organised around a shared interest or issue, like Diversity and Inclusion topics. It encourages individuals to develop their networks among associates who would never have met otherwise, to share ideas and best practices. Besides, it creates a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
  
  To be continued…

Author:Erik Palvadeau, VP Chief Information Officer, ADP EMEA & LatAm