Above and Beyond: Everything You Need to Know About Choosing an Employee of the Month
A great way to boost morale around the office is to have a contest. These are fun for everyone and can also help to improve productivity.
One contest any company can have is an employee of the month program. This allows you to highlight one employee each month to publically acknowledge their achievements.
However, if you don't set up your program correctly in the beginning, it can do more damage than good. That's why we've put together this simple guide for you.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about choosing an employee of the month.
1. Selection Criteria
The first thing you need to do is choose the selection criteria. Having these written down will ensure that every month, an employee is chosen for the right reasons. You don't want this to turn into a popularity contest.
Some criteria you may consider include:
- Work performance
- Respectability
- Timeliness
- Personal growth
- Teamwork
These criteria can either be made known to your employees so they know what you're looking for, or can be kept so only those making the decision are aware.
2. Selection Method
Next, you need to decide how you're going to select the employee of the month. There are several methods, so you can pick one that works best for your company.
One way to do this is to have a person in leadership of each department nominate someone from their area. Then, you'll have a meeting during which each person presents their nominee, and a winner is decided.
Another option is to allow all employees to participate in the nomination process. This works best if you have employees write out their nominations and reasons why they chose that person rather than a large meeting.
Whatever selection method you choose, be sure it's one that can be easily done every month. If you start an employee-of-the-month program, you need to continue it.
3. Employee of the Month Reward
All that's left once you know how you'll be selecting your winner is to pick a reward. People love rewards, which makes having a prize for being employee-of-the-month an essential part of the program.
There are two rewards that each person should get for becoming employee of the month.
The first one is public acknowledgement. Clearly state to the rest of the company what you saw in that person that led to you deciding to pick them. Then, keep their name and picture on display as a constant reminder.
You'll also want to provide them with a tangible reward. Something they can display on their desk is another way to remind them of how hard they work which will encourage them to continue to live up to that expectation.
Ready to Start Your Employee of the Month Program?
Now you know how to start an employee of the month program that will engage your employees and encourage them to continue to work harder.
If you're ready to get started or have already chosen your first winner, then head over to pick up our employee-of-the-month mini trophy. It's the perfect personalised prize to let your employee know they're going great!
