Employee recognition can be so difficult. Even the best-intentioned attempts can go awry.
At one company where I worked early in my career, we developed a product called the “STAR”. A team of us worked hard to hit some aggressive timelines. We produced a very good product. It was also a lot of fun.
Shortly after the product was launched, the company held a small celebration to recognize our contributions. As a reward, each of the key people on the development team was presented with their own STAR. Apparently there is an International Star Registry where you can have your name attached to some obscure otherwise unnamed star.
For the record, my star is Hercules RA 18h 0m 40sd 38(degree) 10.
Oh, what the heck, here’s a photo of my certificate:
I thought this was pretty cool when we received these. So cool that I had mine framed and it has hung in my office at work in every job I’ve had since then.
One of my coworkers was less thrilled. His exact comment was, “I wish they’d just given me the $50.”
The point? Any employee recognition needs to take into account the personalities of those being recognized. For some, being called up onto a big stage under bright lights in front of their peers is absolutely the worst thing you can do. They would rather be strung up and have their toenails pulled out one by one. For others? A moment in the spotlight is a fantastic reward.
One last thought… Just because it’s hard to get it right, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. The thought behind the effort really does count. In my experience, keeping it simple is usually the best choice.