Best Employee Recognition Software in 2023

What Is Employee Recognition Software?

Employee recognition software helps improve an organization’s corporate culture by recognizing the achievements of employees and significant milestones accomplished at work. Companies can use employee rewards & recognition software to honor their workers not only for successfully completing assignments, but also to wish them for a significant life event such as an anniversary.

The employee rewards and recognition platform help managers recognize and reward their employees through different methods like performance points, gift cards, presents, recognition, digital badges, and achievement certificates. Simply put, such a software program enables employers to boost their employees’ morale and make them feel valued for their concentrated efforts.

How to Use Employee Recognition Software

Employee recognition software aids in increasing employee motivation and performance through rewards & recognition. Using such software, the management can recognize employees for their performance and reward them accordingly.

Employee recognition software helps improve the work environment by recognizing, acknowledging, and appreciating employees' contributions in a fair manner. This software not only helps in boosting your employees’ morale and confidence but also enhances their overall productivity.

Why Use Employee Reward and Recognition Software?

Employee recognition software can prove to be an extremely useful tool for HR departments and managers in creating a state-of-the-art employee recognition program. Such software can help gauge the performance of every employee and reward the deserving ones.

Employee recognition is not an overnight phenomenon. Instead, it is a long-term endeavor that requires optimal planning. In order to make your team feel appreciated, you should have a reward & recognition program in place. It helps organizations reinforce their employee-centric values and motivate them to continue performing exceptionally well.

Types of Employee Recognition Software

• Peer to Peer Recognition Software: Team members and colleagues can use the software to acknowledge their peers and reward them with certain performance points or an acknowledgement note.
• Employee to Peer Recognition Software: Team leads and supervisors can recognize top performers in their team through exciting reward options and performance points. The software allows creating different reward options and setting performance metrics.

Key Features of Employee Recognition Software

Before you opt for employee appreciation software, there are several software features that you should be aware of. More importantly, you should also have a clear idea of the particular type of recognition you want to focus on. There are two types of employee recognition frameworks popular among companies: (i) peer-to-peer acknowledgment, and (ii) management-to-employee recognition. Here are some common features you get with employee recognition software.

• Pre-determined criteria for rewards & recognition: Most employee recognition software platforms allow companies to come up with a set of criteria. Following these guidelines, employees would work towards collecting reward points. Depending on the software of your choice, incentives could be in the form of gifts, coupons, points, etc.
• Automated performance tracking: Employee recognition software aids management in automating the process of performance tracking of employees. Managers can set predetermined standards, and after employees meet those requirements or achieve certain milestones, they can receive an automatic message from the software, congratulating them for their accomplishments.
• Multiple reward options: Most modern-day peer recognition software comes with customizable options. Depending on the occasion, managers can set different rewards for employees. For instance, over-achievement at work can lead to certain rewards while different recognition methods can be set for overtime, punctuality, meeting deadlines, etc.
• Managing employee profiles: Top employee recognition software keeps your employees at the forefront. The employee rewards and recognition platform allow you to create individual profiles for each employee. These profiles often serve as a social intranet, with their overall achievements and awards being publicized. In short, employee recognition software creates a sense of community in the workplace.
• Apps for mobile devices: The best employee rewards software programs are compatible with popular smartphone operating systems, i.e. Android and iOS. Employees can conduct a plethora of actions, such as updating their profile information, submitting feedback, checking recognition and awards, and utilizing e-gift cards, right from their smartphones.
• Integrations: Many staff recognition software solutions can be integrated with a variety of third-party platforms. With the right software, companies can integrate everything, from their core HR tools to social collaboration software as well as business workflow systems.
• Key metrics: Employee appreciation software programs provide companies with elaborate reports that allow managers to keep track of their employees’ performance. It helps monitor how each employee contributes to the organization's overall culture and goals. The management can gain valuable insights into workforce productivity.
• Catalog of rewards: It helps create a customized catalog of records, and lets employees redeem their performance points through their preferred mode.
• Gamification: You can create performance points and give badges to make the entire employee recognition process exciting.

Benefits of Employee Recognition Software

There are numerous benefits of using employee recognition software. Here are some of them:

• Recognize employee efforts: Peer to peer recognition software or the management to employee recognition platform makes it easier to acknowledge top performers and reward them for their valuable accomplishments. This entire process enhances overall employee satisfaction and boosts their morale, which, in turn, can lead to higher productivity.
• Take the pressure off management: It is possible for the team leads and managers to miss out on the small but significant achievements of their team members. This is where employee recognition software comes into play. The software takes the pressure off by recognizing the efforts of front-line employees and automating the organization’s reward and recognition processes. This not only saves time but also ensures that none of the excellent work goes unnoticed.
• Insights into employee performance: Unless companies are aware of the achievements of every employee, it gets hard to recognize the winners and reward the excellent performers. Thanks to employee recognition software platforms, company can measure the performance of every employee against the set parameters. This helps them acquire a more detailed, accurate, and comprehensive picture of who the top performers are.

Key Considerations When Buying Employee Recognition Software

Before you go ahead and purchase an employee recognition software license, make sure that you consider the following factors:

• Examine your present HR software environment: Employee recognition software solutions are undoubtedly a valuable addition to an organization’s operation. However, as a general rule of thumb, managers should not acquire such a solution unless they have HR software in place. Without functioning HR software, companies might find it difficult to manage fundamental functions like recruiting, payroll, and personnel monitoring.
• Consider your requirements: Every reward & recognition tool comes with a few essential and a few unique features. It is critical that you consider your requirements before settling for one. In this regard, a thorough discussion with your HR team can solve a number of mysteries.
• Check out the software’s integration capacity: You wouldn’t want to switch to different applications simultaneously in order to get your employee recognition process going. Make sure that you subscribe to the software that allows the integration of multiple third-party software and ensures smooth organizational operations.
• Determine whether you require a stand-alone application or a complete software suite: Employee recognition software can be acquired as either a stand-alone product or as part of larger talent management or performance management suite.If you don't have the necessary technological infrastructure to support a standalone solution, go for a broader software category with reward & recognition management as one of its features.
• Check out reviews: Before you decide which software to buy, make sure you prepare a shortlist. Once your list is ready, consider browsing through multiple reviews to see which solution is a perfect match for your organization’s requirements.

What Is Employee Recognition?

Employee recognition is an act of acknowledgement of employees' efforts and contribution towards the company’s goals and objectives. The main purpose of employee recognition is to make the employees feel appreciated and valued for their contributions and to further boost their performance.

Generally, employee recognition is given in terms of monetary benefits. However, employee recognition can also be informal like a pat on the back, a thank you note on the email, certificates, etc.

What Is the Best Way to Recognize Employees?

There are different ways to recognize an employee's contribution. Apart from monetary rewards, there are other thoughtful and unique ways to recognize employees such as surprise lunch treats, social media recognition post, longer lunch breaks, throwing recognition party, professional growth opportunities, sending a handwritten thank you note, creating a hall of fame wall, etc. All of them are employer’s options to acknowledge an employee's contribution and boost their morale.

What Should Employees Be Recognized For?

There are multiple occasions on which the organization employees should be appreciated and acknowledged for their efforts such as:

1. Taking initiatives to resolve issues that are outside their job profile.
2. Motivating their peers to perform better within their organization.
3. Quality work that has received positive customer response and for enhancing business operations.
4. Accomplished business targets in a short period of time.
5. Outstanding work performed for a prolonged period.

Why Is Employee Recognition Important?

A well-implemented recognition program can influence an organization in multiple ways such as:

1. Retain the existing employees
2. Improving the productivity of the employees
3. Boosting employees' morale
4. Create a positive work culture
5. Make the employees feel appreciated and valued for patronage
6. Boosts employees' engagement
7. Motivate employees to learn 

However, the non-implementation of the recognition program regularly might affect the employees' productivity, leading to absenteeism, and may also push the good performers to leave the organization. Therefore, it is important to recognize the employees' contribution and efforts regularly whether in the forms of macro or micro recognition to

Types of Employee Recognition

There are three different types of employee recognition such as-

1. Informal recognition: It is a type of micro recognition where employees' efforts are acknowledged on a regular basis. The recognition comprises of small appreciation notes, verbal appreciation, small gifts like goodies and food hampers to employees. Under this recognition, the employees are recognized on a verbal basis.
2. Formal recognition: The formal recognition comprises of different forms and takes place in a scheduled manner. It generally includes awards, certificates, recognition ceremonies, etc. Since the formal recognition occurs on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. Hence, the employees feel appreciated performing better and earning more recognition.