Recognition and Rewards: Research and Results of a System in a New Zealand Organisation

Abstract

The challenge for employers is to identify and implement recognition and rewards programmes that are not complex, yet effective, and which support a working environment that improves motivation and staff morale, whilst at the same time impacting positively on organisational performance. Research into recognition and rewards programmes would indicate that there are a number of options available and that successful programmes and current approaches need to include certain fundamental requirements. This paper investigates and provides the results of feedback from staff surveyed in relation to an existing recognition and rewards programme at a large food-manufacturing organisation in New Zealand with a view towards improving the current system. Based on the research undertaken changes were made to the existing programme and a revised recognition and rewards system was implemented. Employees were again surveyed within a year o f the revised system being introduced in order to assess the effectiveness o f the changed programme. The authors purport that initial results of the survey would indicate that most recognition related variables have improved with the changed programme and that the revised system can be regarded as successful.