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Recognizing Greatness and Creating Brand Ambassadors

February 17, 2015 Branding 0 Comments

Look around you. What do you see? BrandingDo you see the potential to build a really great team of recruiters and sales managers, or is the perception that everyone is just waiting around to collect their next paycheck? There is greatness in every team; you just need to recognize it as it happens in order to bring it out at every level of your staffing firm. When looking to create staffing firm brand ambassadors, it is important that you develop clear recognition guidelines and work from the top down to express the importance of creating a motivational environment. A successful recognition program must be designed to specifically address the needs of your employees, so pay attention to what is important to your team and build morale by keeping the following points in mind.

Establish Recognition Guidelines
In order to create staffing firm brand ambassadors, it is important for you to design a recognition program as a way to show your team that you appreciate all of the hard work that they do. Make sure that your program rewards people who are going that extra mile, not reinforces the idea that they need to simply complete their assigned tasks and show up on time. Establish recognition guidelines that set achievable goals and realistic performance expectations, in order to encourage team members to step outside their comfort zones and take on new responsibilities. Successful recognition programs are able to link extraordinary achievements with recognitions that are appropriate in volume and scale. If the reward does not match the level of effort expended by the employee, the program is not going to be effective.

Recognition Comes in Many Forms
Many recognition programs are based on monetary rewards because after all, who doesn’t appreciate a bonus check or a gift card? While many programs include monetary rewards, keep in mind that there are other incentives that are much more budget-friendly for your staffing firm. Use positive praise and feedback as a way to increase workplace morale and inspire team members to become brand ambassadors for your staffing firm. Establish an employee of the month program to motivate employees and encourage them to take a sense of pride in their work. Be vocal and be visible when sharing the praise.

Be Genuine
Let’s face it; people know when their boss is being genuine. Don’t hand out recognition awards simply because it is the last Monday of the month and you need to hit a certain managerial quota. If you truly mean it when you give your team recognition, they are going to feel that they are part of something bigger than just their own individual role. Being authentic is the best way to make your team understand that they are an integral part of the organization. When people feel that their input is valued and appreciated, they are much more likely to become true ambassadors for your staffing firm brand.

It’s all in the Timing
The timing of an acknowledgement is extremely important, especially when your goal is to create staffing firm brand ambassadors. Verbal praise must be delivered in a timely manner in order to ensure that it is directly tied to the behavior you are trying to recognize. As much as is possible, try to acknowledge exemplary efforts in real-time. Ensure that there is not a huge time lag in between extraordinary efforts and employee recognitions, as memories sometimes fade and great work then goes unnoticed. Frequency matters as well. Recognitions that come too few and far between are not going to encourage your team to work to their fullest potential. Employee of the year, while being a distinct honor, is not viewed as being as achievable as employee of the month. Share the wealth and make sure that your recruiters and sales managers have ample opportunities to be recognized by upper level management.

Engage Your Team
Demonstrate to your recruiters and sales managers that you understand how much extra effort they have been putting in by assigning the top performers to a special, high-priority project. Sometimes employees need to be challenged in order to feel like they have accomplished something important. Show them that you value their abilities by asking them to lead a team tasked with setting new business goals for the upcoming year. Tie your recognition into a business-focused activity as a way to engage your team and to reinforce the idea that you see how hard they have been working to create a better, stronger staffing firm brand. Keep in mind that employees who are engaged in the workplace perform better, and are able to add to the business value of your staffing firm.

Key Takeaways for Recognizing Greatness and Creating Brand Ambassadors:S.J.Hemley Marketing

  1. Establish recognition guidelines that set achievable goals and realistic performance expectations
  2. Keep in mind that there are budget-friendly incentives that are not always linked to monetary rewards
  3. Being authentic is the best way to make your team understand that they are an integral part of the organization
  4. The timing of an acknowledgement is extremely important, especially when your goal is to create staffing firm brand ambassadors
  5. Tie your recognition into a business-focused activity as a way to engage your team

About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations.



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