When used effectively, employee recognition programs are powerful tools. According to Recognition Professionals International, "formal, informal and day-to-day recognition programs, when linked to the organization’s values and goals, can create a culture of recognition that enhances employee engagement, performance and retention."

Immediate recognition helps engage employees and makes meaningful connections between their role and the company’s overall objectives. When rewards create lasting impressions on employees, those rewards reinforce positive behavior.

Here are 10 tips to find a recognition solution that works for your organization.

1. Do your research – Before you create a program, conduct employee focus groups to get a feel for what employees value and how they’d like to be recognized. Or, send out a survey to give all employees the chance to provide input on what they’d like to see in the program.

2. Get employees involved – Beyond providing information during your initial research, employees are an excellent resource to help design the recognition program. Create an employee task force or designate an employee representative to be on the project team designing the program. Providing a way for employees to be involved in the entire process creates buy-in and a sense of ownership and excitement when the program is launched.

3. Consider existing channels – You don’t have to create everything from scratch for an effective employee recognition program. Often, the best programs build on tools already in place. For example, start an employee-of-the-week award to present at a regular staff meeting. Or, incorporate recognition into existing staff newsletters or e-mails. Remember to start by evaluating existing tools to see what will work for a recognition campaign.

4. Be consistent – Be sure consistency is a main goal. In the minds of employees, nothing is worse than starting a new program with a bang and then, just a short time later, letting it fade away into recognition oblivion. Employees pay attention to follow through and take note if a program continues after the initial launch. Consistently remind employees of the program.

5. Cut through the clutter – In a world of e-mail, a handwritten greeting card speaks volumes and reaches employees on a more personal level. Writing a quick thank-you or note of encouragement to an employee for a job well done demonstrates you recognize his or her hard work.

6. Remember regular milestones – Naturally occurring events, such as birthdays, employment anniversaries or welcoming a new associate, provide ideal opportunities to recognize employees. Tailor this program to your workforce. Something as simple as sending a greeting card provides an authentic and pleasantly unexpected way to engage more personally with employees.

7. Remember the out-of-the ordinary – Be on the look out for employees who consistently go above and beyond to deliver excellent results for your organization. When you identify those over-achievers, recognize them.

8. Provide tangible rewards – If you use a greeting card as a tool to recognize employees, consider adding a gift card to a local restaurant, movie theater or other entertainment attractions. According to the Incentive Federation 2005 Study, given the choice between gift cards and any other reward in an incentive program, 62 percent employees preferred gift cards – more than any other type of reward.

9. Give the gift of time – Along with a greeting card as a recognition tool, give a gift certificate good for a longer lunch break or paid day off from work. Everyone will appreciate this reward, and it can be an excellent way to motivate your team.

10. Evaluate your success – Don’t stop talking to employees after your initial research and launch phases. Conduct regular check-ins with employees to make sure the program is still encouraging and to ask them what can be improved. You also can measure changes in employee productivity, customer satisfaction and employee retention to see if you’re getting a positive return on your investment in the program.

Creating an effective employee recognition program takes time and careful planning. However, the benefits of a successful program for the entire organization make the effort put into developing and maintaining the campaign well worth the energy. The Business Research Lab sums it up in a recent article on recognition programs, “…We’ve never found a firm with low recognition and high employee satisfaction scores.”

By Marc Wagenheim and Mary English. Marc Wagenheim is product marketing director for Hallmark Business Expressions (BusinessGreetings.com). Mary English is vice president of marketing and customer relations for Hallmark Insights (HallmarkInsights.com).