Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER November 28, 2016 FEATURES 19 RECOGNITION 6 ways to evaluate recognition platforms By Vanessa Brangwyn E mployee recognition is key to fostering an engaged and motivated workforce, but the technology used can help — or hinder — those efforts. As more companies acknowledge the need for a more holistic ap- proach to employee engagement, the market has become flooded with solutions providers claiming they can deliver the goods. How- ever, delivering on the promise of employee engagement requires more than just flipping a switch. A successful approach requires a mix of measurement and ac- tion, planning and execution, and should integrate health and well- ness, performance management, learning management, alongside recognition and rewards to be considered fully baked. Above all, an effective employee engagement solution must actu- ally be used by employees to have the desired effects. Without wide- spread adoption, even the most expensive, attractive, whiz-bang platform will end up as unused "shelfware," and serve only as a reminder of a failed effort. Choosing the right recognition platform, along with a provider that can help assure widespread program adoption, can mean the difference between success — in the form of a positive workplace where people are eager to per- form at their best and receive accolades for their accomplish- ments — and failure — when the program doesn't take hold, and employees remain disengaged and uninspired. Six questions to ask Given the choices available when it comes to adopting a recognition system, employers must perform due diligence to ensure they adopt one that can truly deliver on the needs of their entire organization. e following are six important questions companies should ask recognition platform providers to help select the best option for employees: How does the system integrate with existing HR processes and solutions? e average company today man- ages several different HR systems, as well as a growing collection of job-specific software and com- munications platforms, so any recognition system should be able to communicate easily with the human resources information system (HRIS) and other existing employee applications to ensure a seamless flow of data. is will facilitate administrative use, such as employee benefit reporting and payroll, and performance evalua- tion, succession planning and workforce analytics. Is it mobile app- and platform-based? It may seem smart and economical to adopt a simple mobile recogni- tion app rather than an enterprise- level platform, but doing so can introduce several problems down the line. For one, most single-pur- pose mobile applications struggle to drive behaviour and engage employees over the long term — initial interest tends to cool off and companies miss out on the most impactful synergies delivered by a full-fledged software platform. Moreover, in the age of the bring- your-own-device workplace, em- ployees must be able to access the platform seamlessly on any device, rather than being limited to smart- phones or tablets. How does the platform impact reporting and budgets? A complete financial picture of the recognition program should include real-time access to re- porting on all program financial activity. However, programs can often go over budget or be under- utilized, leaving the investment languishing rather than making a difference in employee recogni- tion and engagement. e right platform should offer full report- ing on financial activity, includ- ing points liability, utilization and spend, as well as filters to analyze spend by program groups such as organizational unit, location, department, people leaders and recognition modules. Such platforms allow the organi- zation to define recognition spend budgets for every employee level, and enable managers to cascade budget to team leaders, and reas- sign budget when necessary. In essence, the organization should be able to optimize the expected distribution of its recognition and rewards program budget across the entire company, from the start. What does it offer in terms of configuration flexibility? Every company is unique and a one-size-fits-all recognition plat- form won't work well for most. An effective recognition program should be tailored to the specific needs of the company, support- ing and reinforcing overarching values and goals, and connecting them to the employee attributes and workflows that deliver the desired business outcomes. Tailoring a recognition pro- gram to best meet a company's unique needs and corporate cul- ture requires an enterprise-level solution, offering a flexible service CHOOSING > pg. 20 Canada's Premier Human Resources Conference 140+ learning sessions; 8 inspiring keynotes; 200+ trade show exhibitors; 20 industry panel discussions; 2500+ delegates & peers. Register Today at hrpa.ca/AC2017 #HRPA2017 METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE

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