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48 The PCB Magazine • May 2017 Employee recognition extends beyond dol- lars and cents. Today's workplace requires more than gifting monetary rewards, gold watches, and restaurant cards. These isolated acts are im- portant, yet need to be part of a comprehen- sive, results-driven program that is both mean- ingful and engaging for all team members. Sup- ported by visual and digital communications that showcase each achievement, employee recognition programs are instrumental in help- ing to create and maintain a high-performance culture. Defining Recognition Recognition fuels employee motivation to increase productivity and teamwork. However, recognition can backfire if employees don't un- derstand the "rules of the game." Even worse, it can be viewed as unfair if employees witness the same folks being regularly feted, while they never get toasted. Therefore, it's essential that every employ- ee understands exactly what performance areas are recognized. The recognition should be clear- ly defined and reflect a key performance objec- tive of the company. To illustrate, a top corporate priority for a manufacturer is workplace safety: • The production team is recognized for no accidents in the last 90 days • A production worker is recognized for completing a forklift driver safety course • Corporate communications produces a video on workplace accident prevention All of the above actions exemplify positive behaviors that contribute towards the perfor- mance objective of workplace safety. Tactics that range from achievement certificates, spe- cial parking space privileges and bonus incen- tives, to pizza parties and president's awards by Barry Lee Cohen LAUNCH COMMUNICATIONS Employee Recognition: More than Money FEATURE COLUMN: LAUNCH LETTERS