Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we’ve provided answers to the most frequently asked questions we get from current clients. If you have a question that is not answered, please contact us.
Q: How do I turn in winners?
A: You have several options for turning in your monthly winners. The best (and quickest) way is to email, text, or call your Engagement Coach directly. You can also submit your winners through one of our mobile apps (“Rise” for iOS and “MyEmployees” for Android) or by fax.
Q: What time of the month should I turn in my winners?
A: The best time to turn in your winners is as soon as the month closes. Gather up your metrics, decide who were the top performers, and submit your winners. Whenever possible, try to have this done by the 5th of the month, or at least the first full week.
Q: Is there a cutoff time for turning in winners?
A: There is no cutoff time for turning in your winners. However, in order to get your nameplates in time for your awards ceremony each month, you’ll want to turn them in as soon as possible.
Q: How do I receive my nameplates?
A: Your nameplates will arrive at your business location USPS, in a small yellow envelope.
Q: When do I get the year-end award?
A: Your year-end award is not included in your initial shipment. It has a custom, one-piece top-plate so there’s no nameplate to ship separately later like the smaller plaques). It is engraved at the end of the year when you select your employee of the year.
Q: Can I order more awards than the amount that comes with my program?
A: Absolutely! You can order specialty awards for employees who deserve praise and recognition outside of the normal employee of the month program and criteria.
Q: How do I come up with the titles for my awards?
A: You can use the traditional “Employee of the Month,” or get as creative as you like. Many of our clients like to tie their award titles into a company initiative. McDonald’s has a “VOICE Superstar of the Month” and Walmart has a “Happy to Help Associate of the Month.” Other clients will use titles like “Rockstar of the Month” or “Sales Champion of the Month.” Your Engagement Coach is also available to brainstorm other options with you.
Q: Do I have to start in the same month that I place my order?
A: Most of our clients do, but it’s not a requirement. Sometimes it makes sense to order the program right away and wait to start at the beginning of the calendar or fiscal year. Other clients retroactively start their program by ordering and then submitting winners for months that have already passed.
Q: Do you offer anything besides employee awards?
A: You’ll find several other items in our online store including Manager On Duty plaques, desk plates, and special occasion recognition. Plus, we’re the only company offering awards AND providing follow-through with our one-of-a-kind reminder service and by giving you an Engagement Coach to help get your program started the right way, troubleshoot, and keep it on track all year!
Q: What should I do if I’ve fallen a month (or two) behind?
A: Don’t worry! Contact your Engagement Coach and work out a plan to get caught up. Most often it’s simply a matter of submitting the winners for the overdue months and getting back on track. Your Coach will normally contact you first in this situation and that safety net is one of our clients’ favorite aspects of working with MyEmployees! Our reminder service and EC’s separate us from other companies that ONLY offer awards.
Q: Do I have to keep the same criteria I started with forever?
A: While consistency is important so employees know what is expected of them, your criteria doesn’t have to remain the same for the life of your program. When a company initiative changes, or goals change for whatever reason, adjust the criteria for your monthly program along with them.
Q: How do I share my winners’ pictures with you?
A: We love seeing winners’ pics! When you take a picture of your winner, post it to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram and tag @myemployees. We’ll share the pic with our network and community, and may even include it as a feature in our Customer Stories section of the Learning Center.
Q: Do you offer other tools to help me with my program?
A: We have several resources available for managers that will help you maximize your program’s effectiveness including videos for suggestions on criteria, metrics tracking sheets, mobile apps, and the Kickstart reference guide. Contact your Engagement Coach for details.
Q: Can I get more copies of Built to Lead?
A: You can order more copies of Built to Lead: 7 Management REWARDS Principles for Becoming a Top 10 Manager by our CEO, David Long, by either contacting your Engagement Coach or on Amazon.
Should Ask Questions
In this section we’ve added answers to questions we believe are important, but not as commonly asked. This information is helpful to both current and prospective clients. If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact us.
Q: Should an employee be allowed to win an award more than once?
A: Yes, it’s okay for employees to win an award more than once. Allowing an employee to win an award every time they’ve earned it shows everyone that the team’s leaders have a solid system in place for awarding top performers.
Q: How soon can new employees receive an award?
A: The most important time to engage employees is in the beginning stages of their journey with your organization. Employees who are new to your team should be able to receive awards as soon as they complete their initial training.
Q: Is compensation the best way to reward employees?
A: Some managers may view compensation as the most effective incentive, but according to scientists and engagement experts, the long-term solution is well-executed awards and recognition programs.
If you’d like to read scientific research that further explains why non-cash incentives are more effective than cash, continue here.
Q: What are the secondary benefits of awarding an employee?
A: Awarding employees benefits you, your leaders, and the entire company. How? Public recognition of high achievers shows everyone on the team (1) what’s possible, and (2) the specific actions/behaviors that lead to success.
To learn more, read How Top Performing Companies Continue to Be Successful
Q: Is recognition needed during transitional periods?
A: Absolutely! Employee experience is even more important to focus on during times of change. The impact (higher customer satisfaction & better reviews, lower turnover, and increased profitability) of consistent recognition is too great to neglect during a transition.
Read further about how In Times of Transition, Employee Recognition is More Important Than Ever
Q: Should I let employees “take turns” winning awards or select winners randomly? Won’t everyone be happier this way?
A: No. Here’s 3 reasons why trying to keep everyone happy by taking turns or selecting winners randomly hurts more than helps:
- Awarding someone who didn’t earn it destroys the credibility of the recognition program (and your credibility)
- Your most engaged team members will:
- Probably be upset
- Have no incentive to keep working for you
- Have no motivation to continue on their path of excellence
- You will not create a culture of continuous improvement.
Q: Should I allow employees to decide who wins monthly awards?
A: You shouldn’t let employees alone decide who wins “Employee of the Month” type awards. Employee awards should be earned based on the things leaders have decided to be important, not what friends/peers are thinking about that day.
Q: How should I celebrate employee award presentations?
A: Present awards in a group setting with as many employees as possible. This lets everyone in attendance know what actions/behavior you want to see repeated. Public award presentations confirm to those watching that they too can be appreciated for their achievement.
You can also read about Employee of the Month Presentation Essentials
Q: What’s the ROI of employee recognition?
A: ROI achieved from employee recognition depends on proper planning and execution. Consistently recognizing top-performers leads to higher productivity and increased profitability. Identify actions that affect the bottom line and commit to recognizing your employees when they deliver on those actions.
We’ve created a free tool for you to calculate the cost of employee turnover at your organization, and how much money you could save by reducing your turnover percentage with employee recognition. Check out our turnover calculator here.
For more on ROI, including a testimonial, check out this post we wrote: Looking for ROI? Focus on RESULTS!
Q: Can I still use the employee recognition program for employees who aren’t performing as well?
A: Yes. Waiting for employees to do a great job before you recognize them is a common misconception. Recognition programs do not start and end with the actual recognition; it’s a process. We recommend using employee recognition to identify training opportunities for team members who come close to winning or not being recognized at all.
For more on this topic: Think of Your Employees First to Achieve Employee Engagement
Q: Is there any way an employee recognition program could hurt my team?
A: Yes. A poorly managed recognition program can hurt. Recognition and awards are just tools. Think of all the things you can do with a hammer. You could build a home or break a window to rob a house. Even someone using the hammer for the right reasons could get it wrong and make the tool less effective.
Check out this article for tips on how to handle common challenges experienced when using recognition with your employees, shared by our very own leadership team.
If you liked that, you may also like…
Why Does Strategic Employee Recognition Work?
Attention and appreciation motivate people, and strategic employee recognition is what our clients use to get more out of individuals and teams alike. Find out more HERE.
How to Start an Employee of the Month Program
Find answers for your questions on how to start an employee of the month program in the “3 R’s of Employee Recognition Done Right.” Read more HERE.
3 Simple Steps to an Effective Employee of the Month Program
An effective employee of the month program is a way to improve your company’s culture and workplace environment. Do it right with 3 simple steps. Read the full post HERE.
Check out more posts from the
MyEmployees Learning Center
Recognition ABC’s
Peep these recognition tips and tricks and get rolling with employee recognition. Read more here.
Leadership Training
Become a top 10% manager in your industry and get the promotion you’ve always dreamed of with some of the tips and training you’ll find HERE.
Customer Stories
Get inspired by some of our most successful customers HERE.
Our Culture
Yes, we’re unique. Learn all about the fun and adventures that make us who we are HERE.