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Do you know how much your organization spends on employee recognition each year?

Best practice organizations are spending 1% or more of payroll dollars on an increasingly diverse range of employee recognition programs.

As more companies realize the strategic value of recognition for reinforcing particular behaviors, practices and activities that result in better performance and positive business results, budgeting has become much more strategic.

It’s been a national holiday for 125 years now. Labor Day is something that many people look forward to as it marks the beginning of one of the best seasons of the year – football. The first Labor Day was celebrated in 1882, and it took 15 years for this day dedicated to the achievements of the American worker to catch on and be acknowledged nationwide. According to the Department of Labor, the “nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.” On Monday, September 2^nd, city streets will be filled with parades and festivals honoring the contributions of our workforce.

Every week, more than 150 million Americans go to work with the expectation that they will make decisions that are in the best interest of the company they work for and its customers. Employee recognition plays a vital role in influencing the attitudes and actions of employees, motivating and celebrating behaviors that bring company values, aspirations and policies to life.

In our latest best practices report, Great Recognition Moments, we showcase insights, strategies and examples from eight Engage2Excel clients that do an exceptional job at integrating recognition into operations and the daily experiences of employees. The programs represented include different types and styles of recognition for performance, safety, demonstration of core values and employee loyalty.

Janice makes a good salary at her job and she routinely delivers excellent work that improves her company’s bottom line. But recently she’s been feeling underappreciated. Her results are often attributed to her managers and her superiors rarely pay attention to her achievements. It’s frustrating. In fact, she’s thinking of looking for a position elsewhere because she doesn’t think her current employer values her contributions, and she wants to be in a place where she can grow.