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Employee Service Awards During a Provincial Lock Down

Employee service award programs are integral to the success of any business and the overall productivity of its employees. The way businesses operate during this pandemic is unique to each organization, where some must isolate and work from home, others practice the rules of physical distancing on a daily basis as their doors remain open. During the province-wide lock down, we must adopt the mindset that we are all in this together. It is imperative that we work together and respect the needs of others, and above all remember the value of employees who remain true to any organization. During these unprecedented times, employees still want and perhaps need a sense of normalcy. Although adjustments have had to be made within any given company, it is important to keep things as normal as possible. Service award programs must remain strong and continue to celebrate employees that dedicate their skills and loyalty to your organization. It is important to recognize that employees not only want to continue to receive good pay and benefits, but they also want to be treated fairly, to make substantial contributions to the organization through their work, and to be valued and appreciated for their efforts. Employers, now more than ever, should maintain their employee service award programs to show that they still value their employees during these trying times. Effective employee recognition programs ensure that employees are not forgotten while they work remotely. This second provincial lock down forces people to conduct business differently. Companies must force their employees to work from home as much as possible in an effort to protect people, while maintaining productivity. This mandatory isolation can be quite daunting, as employees attempt to navigate through these trying times. Working from home can make people feel lonely, as they already had to endure one lock down earlier in the pandemic. Keeping employees happy and engaged is vital to furthering business in these times of struggle. Employees have the added pressure of staying home once again to work, as well as having to look after their children; this can be overwhelming and may result in added stress. This is where an employee recognition program is vital and should be maintained. Service recognition awards in Canada are a meaningful way to show employees that they are valued and that their hard work is appreciated. There are many ways to acknowledge the well-being and dedication of your employees. Use face-to-face technology like Facetime or Zoom or Skype and invite many employees to sign in so that they have some time to socialize and connect, as well as to be celebrated for their accomplishments in these challenging times. You may be able to congratulate an employee through your employee service recognition program for their years of service or a milestone anniversary. Even though it may seem less personal, virtual reality may in fact be the new normal and an acceptable tool to demonstrate that you care. Virtual employee recognition may encourage fellow employees to publicly recognize the achievements of their colleagues. By doing so, they create a culture of unity; we are all in this together mentality. Recognize your employees immediately. Do not wait until day's end. Make acknowledgements timely as part of your employee recognition programs across Canada. Do so through team email or voicemail or video chat. Time is of the essence, in the most positive way.