Do you have a gotcha culture where employees feel like they’re getting called out for doing something wrong rather than receiving recognition for doing something right?

How would your employees finish this sentence: the only time I see my manager is when I do something ______,  If they’re like many employees, they’ll say “when I do something wrong.”

Too often, we’re looking for things that employees do wrong instead of acknowledging and celebrating the things that they do right. Let’s change that.

The Ideal Time To Catch Employees Doing Things Right: Leader Rounding

Catching employees doing the right things is something that can happen anytime. But one of the best times to proactively look for these opportunities is during leader rounding. And while the primary goal of rounding is to focus on outcomes and areas of improvement, it’s also the perfect opportunity for leaders to recognize employees through a strong On The Spot Recognition program.

One of the most important tools our team teaches is how to create an effective On The Spot Recognition program. More than just atta-boy praise while walking by or a bells and whistles display at the annual employee appreciation ceremony, a good On The Spot Recognition program does three things. It recognizes employees for going above and beyond to create a better experience; it rewards employees by notifying their immediate supervision and documenting the action in their personnel file; and, it reinforces the organizational culture by tying the employee’s actions back to the organization’s mission, vision, and values.

On The Spot Recognition In Action

Here’s one example from one of our client hospitals. It all started at the front reception desk. One employee noticed that patients and visitors were entering the building with wet umbrellas. Some people would shake out their umbrellas and others would just wrap them up leaving a trail of raindrops behind them. A perfect opportunity for a slip-and-fall incident and a potential liability. Note: The hospital was in the northwest where it rains a good number of days each year. So rain is a common occurrence and most people carry umbrellas with them.

The employee decided it would make sense to offer plastic bags or a leave-behind container right at the front door so people have the option to either put their umbrellas in a clear plastic bag and take them with them or leave the umbrella in the bin while they conducted their visit and pick it up on the way out. A very simple solution to what could have been a bigger problem.

The employee’s leader noticed his efforts (recognize) and using our on-the-spot recognition process wrote up that employee right there on the spot. The recognition forms are in triplicates so one copy (digital or printed) is sent to the employee, one copy is given to their leader (reward), and one copy is put in their human resources file as a reference for performance reviews (reinforce).

The employee was happy for being recognized for his efforts, the leader was happy that the employee was thinking outside the box and trying to accommodate patients and visitors while also protecting the hospital from a liability. And, as his recognition cards accumulated in his file the organization had proof that this one employee was living the mission and vision of the organization and fulfilling their goals.

An effective On The Spot Recognition program helps build trust between management and employees while also staying true to fulfilling the mission, vision, and values of the organization. Our team can help you develop one that is right for you. Contact us today for a free consultation.