Page 117 - Retaining Top Employees

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Employee Recognition: What Works, What Doesn’t 105

to recognize a behavior that deserves a reward, not just because
someone came closest to what was desired.
Awards are given out automatically; rewards are not.
Awards are planned; rewards are spontaneous.

Designing Recognition Programs
to Enhance Behaviors
So, to be effective, recognition programs targeted at retaining
your best employees should focus on rewarding behaviors that
are related to retention. Here are various ways of achieving the
same thing:
• Design the recognition program so that, rather than say-
ing to the employee, “Thanks” (for making sales, hitting
product quality, maintaining workplace safety), it says,
“I like the way you did that. Do it more.”
• Focus on the people in the recognition program and less
on the outputs.
• Reward the how, not the what.
OK, now what “retention-related behaviors” do we wish to
encourage?

Negotiable and Nonnegotiable Behaviors
The first distinction to be made is between negotiable behaviors
and nonnegotiable behaviors.
Nonnegotiable behaviors are those actions that are expected
of any employee, irrespective of “retention status”; it’s the con-
duct you or your organization expect from all employees on all
occasions. Although these will vary from organization to organi-
zation, characteristics such as behaving ethically, professionally,
and with care and consideration for others are generally non-
negotiable behaviors.
Retention-related behaviors—behaviors that indicate and
strengthen a commitment to the organization—are generally
negotiable behaviors; they’re attitudes and approaches that an
employee may choose to exhibit at his or her discretion.