The power of recognition

The premise is simple, if you recognise and reward good behaviour, it will be repeated. If you publicly recognise exemplary behaviour, other employees seeking similar recognition will repeat it, and a culture of recognition will attract and retain the best talent.

Most important, is to implement a recognition framework that not only aligns employee performance with value creation but also embeds a structure to ensure consistent application, monitoring and control.

An example of what can be achieved when you combine all the right ingredients is that of Connex – the operator of Melbourne’s rail network, which services more than 300,000 commuters daily.

The Business Issue:
When in 2006 an internal survey revealed that staff felt they were not being adequately recognised or rewarded for their efforts, Connex immediately set out to find a solution. Until then, employee recognition and reward consisted of a $50 store gift voucher given at Christmas time.

Identifying they needed a more structured approach, Connex engaged the services of Accumulate. Together, we worked to develop and implement “Exceed” – a structured reward and recognition program based on Connex’s values and strategic drivers.

Connex’s CEO, Bruce Hughes, says the challenges were many. “We wanted to find a way to engage and motivate all Connex staff from office-based employees, to drivers and station personnel, which was a major logistical issue. We have a diverse workforce and for many of them, a program like this was a completely new concept,” says Hughes.

The Solution:
Accumulate’s Chief Executive, Adrian Finlayson, says “We knew the only way to get everyone’s buy-in was to provide the infrastructure to give all staff – regardless of geographic location - the ability to participate in the program. We recommended an online solution.

Staff nominated by their peers through “Exceed” are recognised personally by their managers, with top performers presented framed certificates at weekly and quarterly meetings. Rewards are issued in the form of points, which can be redeemed from a broad range of gifts, including books, electrical goods, frequent flyer points, vouchers or even experience-based events like hot air ballooning.

Each quarter a peer committee meets to review nominations for the quarter. Six employees judged as going ‘above and beyond’ are then invited to attend a Quarterly award ceremony and an annual gala dinner celebrating their achievements and contributions made during the course of the year.

Aligning performance with company values:
Formal consulting and research sessions exposed that Connex’s existing method of recognising and rewarding staff had little consistency across departments and had no formal structure.

Linking the new reward and recognition program to Connex’s revamped company values (Safety, Respect, Commitment, Integrity and Innovation) was critical.  Now being recognised were performance and behaviours that were clearly aligned with outcomes the company was seeking. Those employees nominated had to be demonstrating behaviour that was aligned with one of the company’s values.

One year on:
“The program has been well received by staff. One year into the program, there have been more than 5,000 nominations so far. Staff satisfaction has soared and there is a real buzz about the office now.

Importantly, we now understand who is being recognised for what, and how often. This improved visibility helps us better understand how well the program is performing in different parts of the business, so we can continue to evolve it to meet emerging needs in the business,” says Hughes.