What would be a good employee of the month program that is not costly?

Question

I work for a non-profit organization. We have 9 group homes with approximately 110 direct care staff. We are wanting to do an employee of the month. What would be a good way to acknowledge someone each month for their hard work and dedication? We are on a 50 dollar budget per month. We thought about having a quarterly employee of the month who would get 150 dollar gift card. Then the months in between having an employee of the month where someone from upper management would do the staff persons job for a couple of hours and let them sit and relax. This is the problem, our group homes are in 2 cities and it always seems as if one city receives all of the employee of the month recognition. We want to have it where both cities have an employee of the month and then everyone is up for the quarterly employee of the month for the 150 dollar gift card. How would you determine who receives the quarterly employee of the month? Another thing is that it sucks because we have so many direct care staff that only 12 people will be recognized for the whole year. Or 20 people for the whole year if we do an employee of the month for each city for 8 months and 4 quarterly employee of the month. Is there a way to recognize more people without it being really costly? Does anyone have any suggestions on something else that might work? Any ideas would be appreciated!

Answer 1

How about contacting local businesses about donating small items or gift certificates. Often times, the smaller businesses are willing to do this because it is advertisement for their business, especially if it's a gift certificate, because then your Employee of the Month is likely to come to them, and then they may discover that they really like that business and come back.



Some ideas of local businesses to ask:

Drycleaner

Salon (hair styling/manicure/pedicure)

Car wash

Small shops (these are often found in groupings like a flea market...they are small shops just starting often, but some have some really great stuff, from clothes to jewelry to religious products)



It all depends on what's in your area. It's more fun to have a gift basket type of thing...you could add simple things like candles ($1 each at the dollar store), bath beads, a 'Good job' card, and mamny other things...use your creativity!



This takes more work than a simple gift certificate, but people appreciate it more because it shows you really care enough to take the time to coordinate this Employee of the Month basket. Dress it up in a little basket (easily found at the dollar store or a thrift store) with ribbons and maybe even a good job baloloon if you want (again, a dollar at the dollar store), and you have something that shows everyon THIS is the Employee of the Month!



Then take a picture of them and hang it up somewhere prominent, such as in the main waiting room or the main office.



If you don't have time to coordinate this yourself, ask for a volunteer for it. Make them the EoM coordinator officially and let them go at it. Some people are really good at being creative and would love the chance to show that.



Hope that helped!