How to Reward Employees in Meaningful Ways
Internal Program Announcement
Implementing a Peer-to-Peer recognition program is an exciting event. We strongly encourage you to make sure all your teams are aware of the new program.
If no one knows about the program, people will not log in and use it. It's as simple as that.
As such, it's absolutely critical to the success of your program that your entire company knows about the launch and is given a nudge in the right direction.
That's why we recommend you draft two separate announcement emails:
- One announcement email for employees.
- One announcement email for managers.
Depending on your business's size, you might also choose to make an in-person announcement if you have a weekly town hall meeting, for example.
That said, we've come up with a welcome message template to help guide you through the big announcement to your organization.
Best Practices for Your Announcement
Feel free to modify or edit the templates below to reflect your company's voice and values better.
That said, if you don't use these templates, we still recommend you stick to some of these best practices to ensure the successful launch of your program.
Make sure to include the following in your announcement:
- Why is this recognition initiative important to your business: Explain the goal of the program; what is your business hoping to achieve. Give reasons why they should participate.
- What are the next steps: People need concrete next steps. Should they log into the platform, upload their profile pictures, write a recognition message, etc.
- Point them to resources: Point your employees towards external resources like the Applauz blog or articles about recognition to help kick-start the program.
Remember: If you explain clearly what they need to do next, they are more likely to take the action you want.
Template For Managers
"Copy" & "Paste" the message below into a new email. Make sure to adress all variables marked by "[...]". You can also write your own message using this one as a guide.
We are excited to let you know that we have officially rolled out a rewards and recognition program at [company name]!
The goal of this initiative is to show our employees that they are valued and make them feel genuinely appreciated. Managers such as yourself are instrumental in initiating recognition and maximizing the program's importance.
The program will be a dedicated space for managers to continuously offer support and encouragement to their teams with public recognition [and Points (if points are applicable to your program)].
To kick-start the program, once you receive your email invitation from Applauz on [launch date], please take a few minutes to complete the following steps:
- Log in to the platform: Open the “Welcome to Applauz” invitation in your inbox. Click on the “Get Started” button, and log into Applauz with the temporary password given.
- Bookmark the platform on your browser: While logged in, save the current URL to your browser’s bookmark bar for quick access.
- Upload a profile picture: Hover over your profile image in the top right and select “My Profile”. Click the “edit” link under Personal Information and click on the profile photo circle to upload a new one.
- Write your 1st Recognition or Post: Navigate to the Newsfeed (homepage of the platform) and write a simple post to say hello or select a peer you’d like to recognize!
In the meantime, we encourage you to get familiar with the platform and its features. Visit the Applauz Help Center and Blog for inspiration and information.
Template for Employees
"Copy" & "Paste" the message below into a new email. Make sure to adress all variables marked by "[...]". You can also write your own message using this one as a guide.
We are excited to let you know that we have officially rolled out a rewards and recognition program at [company name]!
This is a Peer-to-Peer recognition program. That means all employees are encouraged to express appreciation to their peers, manager, or anyone you feel deserves recognition!
The platform will also allow your managers to express public recognition [and give Points (if points are applicable to your program)] for your work accomplishments. The goal is to support a company-wide culture of gratitude and recognition.
To kick-start the program, once you receive your email invitation from Applauz on [launch date], please take a few minutes to complete the following steps:
- Log in to the platform: Open the “Welcome to Applauz” invitation in your inbox. Click on the “Get Started” button, and log into Applauz with the temporary password given.
- Bookmark the platform on your browser: While logged in, save the current URL to your browser’s bookmark bar for quick access.
- Upload a profile picture: Hover over your profile image in the top right and select “My Profile”. Click the “edit” link under Personal Information and click on the profile photo circle to upload a new one.
- Write your 1st Recognition or Post: Navigate to the Newsfeed (homepage of the platform) and write a simple post to say hello or select a peer you’d like to recognize!
In the meantime, we encourage you to get familiar with the platform and its features. Visit the Applauz Help Center and blog for inspiration and information.
External Program Announcement
A public announcement is recommended if your company has a public presence on social media such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or if you want to inform your company's external partners about this new initiative.
Below you will find an example of the content you can use for your program announcement. Adapt it to fit the voice of your company, or use it as is.
Optionaly, you may also download one of the following graphics to enhance your public announcement:
Template for Social Media
"Copy" & "paste" the above message into a new social media post (on the platform of your choice). You can also adapt this message to fit the voice of your company, or use it as is. Make sure to add your company name in the provided space and tag Applauz Recognition.
We are pleased to announce the launch of our very own peer-to-peer recognition and rewards program Applauz Recognition at [company name].
We are committed to the well-being of our employees, and we believe that gratitude and appreciation are vital for creating a positive work environment. This program is a testament to our mission to keep our employees feeling valued, happy, and healthy!
