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Organizations introduce employee recognition and reward programs with the best of intentions. Not only does celebrating employee achievements improve engagement and motivation, but simultaneously strengthen other areas such as culture and retention. In fact, recognition has been proven to contribute to higher employee engagement, performance, and to help boost other positive behaviors. 

We know that recognizing victories both big and small can drive organizational success. So why are so many teams still feeling less than jazzed about their work? It’s a problem that comes with a hefty price tag - to the tune of $500 billion dollars annually, actually. Uninspired employees can leave with you with high turnover, poor workplace morale, and cost you in time, money, and resources. 

Related Article: Benefits of positive reinforcement in the workplace 

So, implement any old recognition program and wait for the benefits to roll in - right? 

Not exactly. In order to see the best results, there needs to be a conscious effort to align your recognition process with your team and organizational goals, specifically. If employee engagement and performance remain at a standstill, this may be an indication that you have a lackluster recognition program.

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While every program will vary slightly, here are some common culprits that may leave your team wanting more : 

Not approaching employee recognition holistically 

Let’s move away from the traditional notion that recognition can only travel from management downward. Peer recognition can be just as powerful! Encouraging positive interactions between employees at all levels improves transparency, relationships, and culture. This also means that your team has more to celebrate - like work anniversary milestones and birthdays. 

Inclusion is now more important than ever since remote work has become the new norm. A company-wide recognition program streamlines internal communications by bringing team members together and keeping everyone on the same page. We all know that staying connected has been a challenge this last year, and a full-circle recognition program is an effective way you can bridge the gap.  

Not letting people choose their own rewards

We’ve all been there - unwrapping a present someone gave you and pretending to love it. They’re sitting right next to you and you don’t want to hurt their feelings, but you're also mystified as to their thought process behind the gift (which will never see the light of day). 

Employee rewards aren’t that different. People are motivated by different things, and there’s nothing particularly inspiring about the same cookie-cutter rewards for every employee and every milestone. Opting for a program that allows employees to choose from a selection of rewards or prizes adds an extra personalized touch that will leave your employees feeling even more valued. Not only does this enable you to truly discover what motivates different team members, it also allows you to keep a pulse on employee engagement in real time. 

Related Article: Customize your rewards and recognition program with Qarrot 

Doesn’t support or reflect your team's unique needs

The ultimate goal of any recognition program is to drive both employee and organizational success. Keyword here, ‘success’ - which looks different to every employee, team, manager, and company. Is your current recognition program effectively taking those measures of success into account? To truly make waves, recognition programs should be customizable. This can be anything from integrating your branding into the recognition platform to launching incentive campaigns based on specific team performance metrics. However you choose to use a recognition program, ensure it can accurately capture your specific needs and goals. A good rule of thumb is to relate how the program feeds into your mission, vision, and values. If they’re in sync, you’re on the right track. 

...it just isn’t that fun 

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Employees are only going to be responsive with a recognition program if they enjoy using it. Getting employees excited about celebrating each other doesn’t have to be complicated either. Ever thought about exploring gamification? Something as simple as a points based system - where employees receive points alongside recognitions to redeem for rewards - can easily raise the stakes. Although adding gamification features will instigate friendly competition, everyone comes out a winner. Employees will feel supported and empowered by their peers while managers will reap the benefits of a motivated team. Ironically, fun and games are a serious solution to an uninspiring recognition process.

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Related Article: Spice up your employee engagement with gamification

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To improve the effectiveness of employee recognition programs, companies can take the following steps:

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Define Clear Objectives and Metrics

Companies should define clear objectives for their recognition programs, such as improving employee engagement or increasing sales performance, and develop metrics to measure their success. This will help ensure that the program is aligned with the company's overall strategy and values.

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Involve Employees in Program Design

Companies should involve employees in the design of their recognition programs, gathering feedback on what types of recognition they find most meaningful and what behaviors and accomplishments should be recognized.

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Make Recognition Personal and Timely

Recognition should be personalized to the individual and delivered in a timely manner. This means that recognition should be specific to the employee's accomplishments and delivered as close to the time of the accomplishment as possible.

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Provide a Variety of Recognition Options

Companies should provide a variety of recognition options to meet the diverse needs and preferences of employees. This could include verbal recognition, public recognition, monetary rewards, or time off.

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Train Managers on Effective Recognition

Managers should be trained on effective recognition techniques, such as providing specific and timely feedback and delivering recognition in a personalized manner. This will ensure that recognition is consistent and aligned with the company's objectives.

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Regularly Evaluate and Adjust the Program

Companies should regularly evaluate the effectiveness of their recognition program and make adjustments as needed. This will help ensure that the program continues to meet the needs of employees and achieve the company's objectives.

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Related Article: Building a business case for employee recognition

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Here are some examples of companies that have implemented effective employee recognition programs:

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Salesforce

Salesforce has a recognition program called "The Power of Us" that allows employees to recognize their peers for their accomplishments. The program includes both public recognition and monetary rewards, and employees can earn badges for their achievements.

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Cisco

Cisco has a recognition program called "Connected Recognition" that allows employees to recognize their peers for their accomplishments using a mobile app. The program includes both monetary rewards and non-monetary rewards, such as extra vacation days or access to training and development programs.

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Google

Google has a recognition program called "gThanks" that allows employees to send thank-you notes to their colleagues. The notes are delivered both publicly and privately, and employees can earn points for their participation that can be redeemed for rewards.

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Don’t be caught empty handed - a recognition and rewards program is one of the most powerful tools a leader can wield when it comes to employee engagement. Uncover how your team can benefit by fostering a recognition rich environment with Qarrot - book a demo today!

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What are you doing to boost employee engagement, drive results, and build culture? Here at Qarrot, we believe that peer recognition is an effective tool for achieving employee and organizational success. 

Peer recognition varies from the traditional sense of recognition, which usually travels from manager to employee in a vertical direction. Instead, peer recognition challenges that process by encouraging colleagues at all levels to celebrate each other. This is a far more inclusive, collective, and horizontal approach. Remember how daunting public speaking was as a child in school–having to speak in front of our peers? Receiving feedback, thanks, or recognition from colleagues can be just as motivating as those from leaders. 

Encouraging team members to celebrate and reward each other's achievements is a great way to get people excited about work (which we could all use now and then). One of the biggest benefits organizations see as a result of peer recognition is increased employee engagement and morale. How important is employee engagement, you may ask? A staggering 85% of employees are not engaged in the workplace–that’s a lot of room for improvement. Recognition has been a long time source of motivation for cultivating a supportive environment–69% of employees admit they would work harder if they felt like their efforts were better appreciated. Indeed, empowering employees with the proper tools to celebrate each other's achievements will benefit your team tenfold. 

Related Article: Benefits of positive reinforcement in the workplace

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The benefits of a peer recognition rich environment 

Improve workplace culture 

Employees' interactions and attitudes are great indicators of how they feel about their work and identity within the organization. Fostering a recognition-rich environment where peers can celebrate wins and share feedback creates a culture where your team will love to work, develop, and grow. And the numbers don’t lie–74% of companies who have an existing process in place report a correlation between recognition and a more positive workplace environment. By recognizing desired outcomes and behavior, leaders can further steep workplace culture in the mission, vision, and values of the company. With peer recognition, you can create a place where your employees truly want to be. 

Optimize internal communications

Who says that only manager feedback is important? Recognition and praise from peers can be just as powerful. In fact, recognition is an innovative tool for uncovering insightful feedback in addition to sharing accolades. By introducing peer recognition, managers can see employee engagement in real-time. With personalized rewards and crafting objective-driven campaigns–both of which you can find in Qarrot–leaders can finally identify what truly motivates their team members. Peer recognition also enables a positive feedback loop between team members–increasing the likelihood that employees will continue to perform and deliver results. Is it worth the investment? 46% of managers consider a recognition process an asset, rather than an expense–and a disengaged team will most likely cost you more in the long run. 

Related Article: Recognition and retention: the perfect match 
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Increase employee retention  

As we explored above, peer recognition can do wonders for workplace culture–which in turn will also boost employee retention. People don’t leave jobs–they leave poor workplace culture and lackluster leadership. A company's ability to attract and maintain talent is a telltale sign of how things are operating internally. If turnover is high, that’s a big red warning sign for prospective employees to keep moving. Lack of recognition is one of the top reasons people leave an organization–but companies who have an employee recognition program in place report a 31% lower turnover rate. Getting employees involved in the recognition process is an effective way to attract and retain talent. 

From reinforcing core values to increasing employee engagement and morale, peer recognition is one process that can reap multiple benefits. Discover how creating a recognition rich environment can help your team–book a demo with Qarrot today!

The future of remote work has been a hot-button issue for managers ever since working from home became the new normal. The number of businesses operating remotely has skyrocketed in the last number of months—leaving leaders scrambling to figure out how this transition has impacted their employees. A large chunk of whom may have never worked virtually before. Transparent, honest, and open communication can be tricky on the best of days face to face —let alone remotely. 

You’ve heard the saying, “No news is good news”—and while that may be applicable in some situations, remote work is not one of them. Effective communication, whether between managers or colleagues, is of the utmost importance for successful remote work. Feedback is one of the best, and often overlooked, indicators of gauging employee well being. So how can managers streamline communication and use feedback to optimize remote employee experience? 

Regular touch-bases 

If you start to feel anxious or nervous when you hear the words “performance review”, know you are not alone. When managers only allocate individual meetings with employees once a year, or even quarterly, it can create a lot of stress. Going several months or longer, without discussing feedback on work or progress? Talk about intimidating. Instead, schedule regular check-ins with your employees. These do not have to be formal meetings. Rather, casual conversations to see if employees need any additional help or support. Not only is this a great addition for employee engagement, but anticipated discussions also empower employees to bring forward any concerns which may seem out of place in a traditional performance review. Managers want input and feedback from everyone. However, if an effort isn’t being made to include remote employees in that conversation, it’s easy for virtual team members to feel overlooked. 

Related Article: Spice up your employee engagement with gamification 

Empower with collaboration tools

Odds are your team was already using collaboration tools to some extent, but this year has kicked everyone’s reliance on such platforms into overdrive. Introducing tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts is an easy way to keep everyone informed and on the same page. Encouraging employees to stay connected despite distance boosts employee engagement, experience, and overall well being. Collaborative tools encourage all colleagues, not just employees and supervisors, to communicate with each other. In fact, 39% of remote employees cited difficulties in collaborating with team members during quarantine. The reality is that even after stay-at-home orders have ceased, many teams will continue to work virtually. Adopting tools that help streamline collaboration will help keep your team agile and connected. 

Recognize and reward employees 

While office gatherings and parties may be on hold for now, that doesn’t mean employee recognition needs to go out the window. Celebrating important milestones and achievements is a great way to keep employee morale up during these strange times, while simultaneously boosting motivation and productivity. Regularly socializing and recognizing team members fosters a culture of trust, transparency, and inclusion—which can be hard to achieve when team members are dispersed geographically. In addition to bringing remote employees together, virtual recognition programs enable managers to witness employee engagement in real-time. Employee recognition, or lack thereof, is a good indicator of how interested an employee is with their colleagues and the organization as a whole. By introducing peer recognition, leaders can collect insightful feedback to help spot wins or opportunities for improvement that may otherwise go unnoticed. Peer recognition is a great solution for strengthening internal communications while also keeping the pulse on employee engagement. In addition to strengthening workplace culture and motivation, recognizing and rewarding employees is an easy way to boost employee experience remotely.

Related Article: Overcoming remote employee burnout 

What it means for (digital) employee experience 

Employee experience was the top trending employee topic of 2020 and it isn’t hard to understand why. After the year we’ve had, and the likelihood of remote work staying around, many are now referring to a “digital” employee experience instead. In fact, 98% of employees would like to continue working from home in some capacity following the pandemic. While we wait for life to return to some form of normalcy, leaders need to use their employee feedback strategically so the employee experience can remain flexible. Strive to build employee experience strategies that consider remote team members so your organization can support virtual teams while staying ahead of the curve. 

Employee feedback is the most powerful resource when it comes to understanding employee engagement and employee experience. While things may not necessarily be "business as usual", including your employees in the conversation is paramount. By simply listening to team members and giving them opportunities to articulate themselves, anyone can craft a killer remote employee experience. 
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Amplify your employee experience with recognition - request a demo with Qarrot today!

Even the best and brightest of employees can hit a slump now and then when it comes to being motivated. Employee motivation has always been a key concern for managers, this year especially. And it’s not simply keeping employees motivated enough to hit their goals. Effective leaders will approach employee motivation with a long term vision in mind, rather than a flash in the pan that falls to the wayside once a goal has been met. This ensures that employees continuously work towards new achievements and develop their skills while feeling supported. 

Infamous culprits that hinder motivation include things like stress, fatigue, and burnout. A lesser known, however equally as impactful factor on employee motivation, is recognition. Can you believe that 40% of Americans say they would put more energy into their work if they were recognized more often? While this isn’t exactly great news, just imagine how much more a team could achieve when adding recognition to the mix! 

We know that employees respond well to recognition and that these processes are even more effective when done in a group setting, also known as social recognition. Research suggests that employees are no longer driven by monetary incentives, and that assuming as such can hinder their performance. Instead, employees should have the option to choose the rewards associated with their recognition. After all, as different as your employee's goals are, so are the incentives that motivate them. So how can you recognize and support employees in a way that motivates them individually while delivering results? 

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Related Article: Create engaging incentive campaigns with Qarrot 

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Driving employee success with Qarrot incentive campaigns 

Motivate objectives with awards 

Our incentive campaigns are totally customizable to nurture and reflect the employee goals that are unique to your company - anything from lead generation to employee wellness. By participating in a campaign, your employees can earn additional forms of recognition for reaching goals, like badges and points which they can redeem for their choice of reward in the Qarrot catalog. By giving employees the agency to choose their own rewards, managers can make their recognition process feel a lot more personal while simultaneously motivating employee and business success. 

Engaging gamification features 

As explored in our previous blog post, gamification is the newest trend for boosting employee engagement and performance. Our minds, quite literally, are wired to respond positively to processes with game-like features. So adding them to your recognition process is a no-brainer. Throughout Qarrot incentive campaigns, participants can avail of gamification features like the leaderboard or trophy case to keep track of their progress towards any campaign’s objective. Campaign participants can also see when others earn awards for reaching campaign goals and celebrate each other’s achievements. Gamification means that employees can enjoy their progress towards accomplishing their goal, rather than simply counting down the days until a goal has been met.

Related Article: Benefits of positive reinforcement in the workplace 

Easy campaign administration 

You might be thinking, “Gamification? Points and badges? Incentive campaigns? That must be an administrative nightmare!”. On the contrary, there is no reason to lose sleep over employee recognition. Qarrot takes any administrative burden off your shoulders when it comes to the recognition process, including our objective-driven campaigns. Participants can enter their own campaign results and redeem their collected points for rewards instantly through the Qarrot catalog. This makes it easy to target and motivate specific teams or individuals within your company while requiring minimal involvement from management.

Discover how to motivate your teams while simultaneously reaching business objectives with Qarrot incentive campaigns - book a demo with Qarrot today! 

Of all the challenges the pandemic has brought, it’s also arguably forced many to focus on what is truly important. The initial lockdown days of virtual happy hours and team get-togethers seem like a distant memory since the realization that we’re in this for the long haul. The same can be said for businesses. While many workplaces have shifted from cubicles to dining room tables, it's employee wellbeing that has taken center stage this year. Employee experience - the summation of everyday employee interactions and experiences that occur within an organization -  has come sharply into focus during these unprecedented times. 

Why you can’t dismiss employee experience

Even before the pandemic, fostering a positive environment for teams has always been a worthwhile investment. Employee experience is directly related to how internal and external audiences view your company - which has a very strong influence on your ability to attract and retain top talent. The pandemic has put employee experience under a microscope. So what’s the cost of not prioritizing your employee experience? 

Well for starters, highly engaged employees are 75% less likely to look for work elsewhere.  There is no cookie-cutter formula for achieving an optimal employee experience, since every workplace culture is different, as are the needs of employees. However, common themes include employee recognition, open communication, or accessibility to employee support resources. In addition to improving retention, productivity, and performance, an improved employee experience helps reduce lurking threats like stress, exhaustion, and burnout. The important thing is to stay transparent with your team so they feel comfortable discussing options as their needs may change (should we happen to face a global pandemic, for example). 

Related Article: Overcoming remote employee burnout 

Mental health takes a front-row seat 

In the last number of years, we have seen society work towards dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health issues. This year, between lockdowns and isolation, has brought an onslaught of anxiety, forcing organizations to reevaluate their employee health and wellbeing. This plays a particularly crucial role as we enter the second wave of lockdowns, during a time of year where shorter days and limited sunlight are synonymous with seasonal depression. 

The World Health Organization estimates that every dollar spent on resources helping those struggling with common mental health issues see an ROI of 4 dollars. Considering today’s widely available telehealth and virtual access to health professionals, there really is no excuse for skimping on employee wellness. Establishing a playbook to support employees when they need a little extra help improves both transparency and trust. Although discussing mental health issues at work is never easy, providing your employees with the appropriate support systems should make the conversation less daunting. 

Related Article: Recognition and retention: the perfect match 

Flexible work environments become the norm 

While some people have grown to love working from home, others are itching to get back into their pre-pandemic office routine. In fact, remote working was one of the biggest trends in employee engagement of 2020 and likely won’t be going away any time soon. If possible, offer employees the option to choose between working remotely or at the office (with COVID precautions in place). Giving employees the agency to determine their own working arrangement means finding the work-life balance that best suits them. Work-life balance has also become a concern this year as it has become increasingly harder to separate work from the other areas of our lives. It’s estimated that 28% of employees report a lack of work-life balance as a reason to jump ship from an employer.

Today’s smorgasbord of working environments requires fostering a culture that can transcend geographical locations and computer screens. While team messaging tools have become the new go-to, we can all admit they can be exhausting at times. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call your team members. Furthermore, just because we’re in a pandemic doesn’t mean employee development has to go on pause. Encourage employees to take advantage of any training resources or courses online that grabs their attention to promote continuous learning.

Thanks to today's technological advances, you can engage employees and keep business going just about anywhere. 

Taking employee recognition online

Did you know that lack of recognition is one of the top contributors to employee turnover? I think we can all agree that everyone could benefit from some positive reinforcement after everything this year has thrown us - and there's no time like the present! According to research by Officevibes, 82% of employees would prefer praise for a job well done instead of money. 

The ideal rewards and recognition program? A customizable program to fit your company's unique goals and objectives. Reinforcing company culture is an important step in keeping employee morale high during these uncertain times, so choose a program that can engage employees through core values. By leveraging the power of recognition, you can motivate team members both in and out of the office while simultaneously driving productivity and performance. Encouraging positive interactions and celebrating achievements creates an environment where employees not only feel appreciated, but where they can also thrive. 

A company is only as successful as its employees, so it’s imperative to create a positive and supportive space for your team members. Employee experience is an investment that will return time and time again. Although this year has been one for the books, your best bet for remaining agile and adaptable is putting people first.

Optimize your employee experience with peer-to-peer recognition - request a demo with Qarrot!

Just like a house needs a solid foundation to build upon, core values lay the supporting groundwork for an organization’s success. Core values not only define what is important to your company, but also orient employees in their work . While core values are often associated with the “About Us” section on a company's website, they should play a far more important role. 

Core values impact decision-making and behaviour at all organizational levels and how an organization is perceived externally. Choosing your core values should be a rigorous and involved exercise, but it’s often putting them into practice that is the hardest part. How do you translate values into daily behaviours and actions amongst managers and employees? The answer can be found in your company's culture. 

Company culture is a combination of behaviours and attitudes found in an organization. Whether crafted intentionally or left alone to develop organically, every workplace has a culture of its own. You may not necessarily see it, but it is there. By anchoring your company culture around core values, your team will more strongly identify with the beliefs and attitudes that will help them be successful within your organization. So how can you create a culture that promotes your core values?

Related Article: How to keep a startup culture thriving 

First things first - clearly identify and establish your core values. Core values shape, influence, and ultimately guide your company identity. They should be used as a guide when it comes to directing business decisions and activities. In terms of choosing core values, consider what is important to you, your team, and your company as a whole. It could be anything from diversity and inclusion to transparency and sustainability. They should be specific and short enough that they can be understood easily, but consider both internal and external audiences. 

Now that you have core values established, put them into action. As the saying goes, “If you’re going to talk the talk you need to walk the walk”. Modelling core values is not limited to just managers or supervisors. Each member of your team has the ability to exhibit core values every day, but it’s particularly crucial that leaders set the example. Start prioritizing core values during onboarding - hiring those who genuinely believe in and respect those values. This not only sets the tone of importance placed on core values, but it also communicates your determination for the company, including its employees, to achieve success according to the standards expressed by those values. What about the roles within your organization - how do they align with those values? Being a core values champion means discussing how your company expresses those values and making choices that reflect them. If not, you run the risk of creating a rift between those values and the culture you are trying to create. 
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Related Article: Create engaging incentive campaigns with Qarrot

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Celebrate and recognize team members who exhibit core values. As previously explored in our blog post on positive reinforcement, praising employees clearly defines and communicates desired behaviours. When an employee is recognized and rewarded for a job well done - or for demonstrating one or more core values - they are more likely to repeat those behaviours. Leaders have the power to use employee recognition and rewards to build a culture that is steadfast in core values. Recognition also means optimized feedback, communication, and transparency. This leaves the doors open for ongoing discussions about opportunities for further alignment and possibly evolving core values. 

As the guiding principles for your company, core values cannot be underrated. Rather than leaving them to collect dust and only seeing the light of day when it comes to PR interests, turn the conversation inward. Empowering your employees to embody core values through leadership and recognition will foster a culture that will truly nourish success. Interested in discovering how you can use recognition to foster a culture that promotes core values? 

Unlock the power of peer-to-peer recognition - book a demo with Qarrot today!

As the world has shifted to a primarily remote workforce, employee engagement and motivation has never been such a top priority. By focusing on creating the optimal employee experience, organizations position their employees to bring their A-game more often. Engaged employees are more productive, achieve better performance, and provide better customer service - and who doesn’t want that? 

Gamification has become an increasingly popular approach to employee engagement and performance. According to a 2019 TalentLMS survey, 89% of employees whose companies use gamification techniques report feeling more productive at work. An additional 86% of employees feel happy. So we know that gamification translates into more engaged, productive, and happy employees - but what does gamification really mean? And what does it look like in practice? 

Related Article: Can gamification motivate your employees?

As the term suggests, gamification is simply the introduction of game mechanics and techniques to motivate the target behaviors. What separates gamification from other engagement strategies is that it works on a psychological level - tapping into our natural drive for feedback, instant gratification, and a sense of social belonging. This is also known as accessing our brains “motivation engine”. When we are rewarded or recognized, a rush of dopamine is released leaving us with a sense of accomplishment. Quite literally, your employees are already wired to be responsive to gamification. 

The technique can be exemplified through a variety of elements such as scoring, badges, awards, or points. While it isn’t exactly playing Nintendo at work, the idea remains the same - add some friendly competition, and things get more exciting. So exciting, in fact, that 83% of employees whose training involves gamification aspects feel motivated.

Gamifying a work environment is beneficial to employees and managers alike. Gamification improves feedback, transparency, and communication - all important contributing aspects to employee performance. It can also be used as a fun spin on traditionally mundane business activities like recruitment or employee onboarding. While gamification strategies and use may differ among organizations, it’s clearly a more effective and innovative approach compared to traditional methods. 

Related Article: Customize your rewards and recognition program with Qarrot 

Qarrot’s approach to gamification 

As part of our rewards and recognition program, Qarrot enables peer-to-peer recognition using a variety of game-based elements. By incorporating these gamification features into your engagement strategy, employees can motivate each other while working towards both individual and team goals.   

Leaderboard

The leaderboard is an easy and convenient feature that enables users to view the rankings of colleagues based on the number of points and badges earned. Employees can access the leaderboard from the home section and choose from a variety of filters in which to view rankings. 

Points

Points are a ‘rewards currency’ that managers, employees, or both can include when sending recognitions and can be redeemed for a variety of rewards in the Qarrot catalog. Employees are issued a monthly point budget which they can use to recognize and celebrate coworkers. Users can view their points budgets and transaction history through their Qarrot profile. 

Badges

Badges are the metaphorical swag employees are awarded as part of a recognition when they exhibit desirable behaviors, hit milestones, or reach objectives. They can be customized to reflect your company's unique core values and culture. Team members can view each others' badges by clicking on their colleagues' avatar. 

Incentive Campaigns

Whether you’re looking to increase deals closed or promote employee development, Qarrot incentive campaigns are a great way to motivate employees to achieve results. Your team members can partake in some friendly competition while simultaneously reinforcing company values, accomplishing goals, and strengthening teamwork skills.

Discover how your team can benefit from gamification - request a demo with Qarrot! 

The idea of planning, implementing, and monitoring an employee recognition process may seem daunting at first, however, that doesn’t have to be the case. It’s the combination of knowing what makes your employees tick and aligning employees' engagement with your organization's values and goals. 

Here at Qarrot, we believe that incentive campaigns are a staple when it comes to driving results from a rewards and recognition program. Whether they’re crafted to motivate employees to achieve goals or complete tasks, incentive campaigns can tailor any recognition process to fit your team's unique needs. Qarrot makes motivating improved performance with campaigns easy - from our fun gamification features to effortless campaign administration. Our campaigns feature customizable badges and awards, further reinforcing your company's core values and culture.  

Related Article : Customize your rewards and recognition program with Qarrot 

Manual vs. Automatic Campaigns 

When creating incentive campaigns within Qarrot, users have the choice between two types of campaigns - automatic or manual. It will ultimately depend on how you would like awards to be paid out to the participants of your incentive campaign. 

If you select 'Automatic', the campaign will let participating employees enter their results data. If an employee's results meet the award rules you set up, then the corresponding badges and points will be given to them. 

If you choose “Automatic’, then you need to decide what awards (points and/or badges) will be given to participating employees for accomplishing the campaign goals, KPIs, or targets. Awards can be given in three ways :

• Ongoing earn : Employees can earn awards throughout the campaign
• Threshold bonus : Employees can earn awards when a specific threshold is achieved within the campaign timeframe 
• Winner takes all : Like a contest, this format rewards one top performer at the end of the campaign 

Alternatively, if you select 'Manual', then you will have to create the award(s) and decide who deserves to be given the award(s) during, or at the end of, the campaign. You can give employees awards any time by closing the campaign and selecting winners.

Related Article : Dell Technologies cuts admin tasks by more than half with Qarrot 

Whether you’re new to creating objective-driven campaigns or just looking for some fresh ideas, we’ve got you covered. From customer support to employee development, you can create customized campaigns for just about anything - here’s some inspiration to help you get started!  

Example Manual Campaign : At the end of the campaign, you manually award every employee who has received a 5-star review in the last 30 days.

Example Automatic Campaign; 

Ongoing : Every employee can earn an award for receiving a 5-star review.

Threshold : The whole team is rewarded when participants have accumulated ten 5-star reviews.

Winner Takes All : The employee/team with the most 5-star reviews wins. 

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Example Manual Campaign : At the end of the campaign, you manually award every employee who has completed one training/development course in the last 30 days. 

Example Automatic Campaign; 

Ongoing : Every employee can earn an award for completing one training/development course.

Threshold : The whole team is rewarded when every participant has completed one training/development course.

Winner Takes All : The employee/team with the most training/development courses completed wins.

Example Manual Campaign : At the end of the campaign, you manually award every employee who has attended a company yoga class. 

Example Automatic Campaign; 

Ongoing : Every employee can earn an award for attending a company yoga class. 

Threshold : The whole team is rewarded when every participant has attended a company yoga class. 

Winner Takes All : The employee/team that attends the most company yoga classes wins. 

Example Manual Campaign : At the end of the campaign, you manually award every employee who has closed a new deal in the last 30 days. 

Example Automatic Campaign; 

Ongoing : Every employee can earn an award for each new deal closed. 

Threshold : The whole team is rewarded when every participant closes a new deal.

Winner Takes All : The employee/team with the most new deals closed wins. 

Example Manual Campaign : At the end of the campaign, you manually award every employee who has completed all tasks on time in the last 30 days. 

Example Automatic Campaign; 

Ongoing : Every employee can earn an award for completing all tasks on time.

Threshold : The whole team is rewarded when every participant has completed all tasks on time.

Winner Takes All : The employee/team with the most tasks completed on time wins. 

These campaign examples, and their corresponding rules for award distribution, depend on campaign format (individual vs. team), units tracked, and how results are recorded (employees vs. manager). To learn more about incentive campaigns and how your team can benefit from some friendly competition, visit the Qarrot help centre.  

Discover how you can align employee engagement with your organizations core values - book a demo with Qarrot today!

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Although the future of the workplace remains uncertain, one thing is for sure - flexible and remote work options have become the new normal. In our unforeseen pandemic reality, companies are faced with redefining the notion of “business as usual” - as business activities are now happening at dining room tables and living room couches. Although remote work is nothing new, the number of companies that perform business operations outside of the traditional office has skyrocketed. 

While the shift towards remote work is a learning curve for both employers and employees alike, with the right tools in tow, work can happen just about anywhere. In addition to being productive, keeping employees motivated and engaged can also be achieved while working from home. For example, Qarrot let’s managers and colleagues recognize great work no matter where they’re working. Plus, our automation makes it easy to keep your program running even when you’re not all under the same roof.  So, you’ll be well-armed to keep both your employees and business thriving in our new remote reality. 

Foster a digital workplace culture 

The task of creating a workplace culture is no longer constrained to office parties or casual Fridays. Instead, companies now have to craft the same experience, digitally - a culture that can exist without geographical limits. Luckily, with Qarrot, you can create a recognition rich environment that encompasses every member of your team near and far. A collective approach to rewards and recognition is a sure-fire way to keep your employees engaged while fostering a supportive work culture. During these unfamiliar times, streamlining internal communications and transparency is imperative. Qarrot also features custom badges and rewards you can create to further solidify your organization's unique core values. 

Related Article: Customize your rewards and recognition process with Qarrot 

Reward employees instantly  

Celebrating employees when they achieve goals both big and small is a great way to boost confidence and morale. When it comes to choosing a rewards and recognition process, the most effective ones will deliver rewards promptly. If there is a lag time between recognizing and rewarding an employee, there is a loss in momentum that can sidetrack future employee motivation. When employees redeem their points earned in the Qarrot reward catalog, digital gift cards are immediately sent to their email. If they are redeeming a company-provided reward, the details are instantly sent to the appropriate contact who is responsible for reward distribution. You can also update your rewards catalog and budget at any time. Qarrot makes rewarding your employees easy and instant - no office required. 

Incentivize employees with objective-driven campaigns 

Qarrot makes keeping track of multiple incentive campaigns and teams a breeze - no matter how widely dispersed. You can create incentive campaigns that measure whatever objective you like and award your employees with both points and badges. Campaigns are conveniently enabled with gamification features - so employees can keep score with their colleagues through the leaderboard and see each others’ campaign awards and recognitions. Managers can easily create incentive campaigns for their own teams, and team members can upload their own results. 

Related Article: 6 mistakes that kill employee motivation 

Monitor campaign and employee progress 

Keeping track of your employees’ progress - whether that's individual accomplishments or campaign performance - can also be done remotely with Qarrot. Admins and Team Leads in charge of automatic campaigns can view both the progress reports and results of their respective campaigns. They also have the option to export that information to Excel. You can review all points and badges earned by an employee through an employee's activity history, or by generating a points/badges earned report. No matter how many employees, teams, or incentive campaigns you may be juggling, Qarrot makes it easy to monitor everyone's progress. Plus, keeping an eye on employee activity means you can learn exactly what motivates your team members and drives performance. 

Discover how your team can benefit from peer-to-peer recognition - book a demo with Qarrot today!