Introduction
The rewards and recognition system is an important element of an organization interested in retaining its employees. It is used to improve their job performance, morale, and motivation, all of which may require certain incentives (Kanwal & Syed, 2017). Even implementing fringe benefits, such as cash gift cards, will show that a company cares (Kanwal & Syed, 2017). Unfortunately, the system’s quality can be disregarded, leading to employee unproductiveness, ineffectiveness, and unhappiness (Salazar, 2020). In some professions, such as healthcare, where people are responsible for saving lives, encouragement is crucial, even if they are willing to accomplish their mission unconditionally. This paper aims to assess the rewards and recognition plan of the Legacy Community Health clinic, a respectable organization with a history of helping the underprivileged, and suggest a new one due to employee complaints.
The Organization’s Information
Background and History
The Legacy Community Health clinic is a full-service center in Houston, TX. It targets the population’s unmet needs in such fields as pediatrics, dental care, and maternity, engaging in health promotion (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). It covers most of the city, which is made possible by its constant expansion (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). While the center under the current name is relatively new, established in 2005, the precursors, the Assistance Fund and the Montrose Clinic functioned for 27 and 17 years, respectively (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). The latter’s original purpose was to combat sexually transmitted diseases in the gay community, which became more urgent with the AIDS crisis (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). It was one of the pioneers of HIV testing, developing special programs to conduct the procedure and support patients and their families (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). The Assistance Fund pursued similar goals, explaining why the two eventually underwent a merger (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). However, the Montrose Clinic gradually expanded its services, including women’s health (Legacy Community Health, n.d.a). Nowadays, the clinic addresses more needs than ever, although the HIV legacy is also preserved.
Mission and Vision
The Legacy Community Health clinic has well-defined statements regarding its mission and vision. The former is formulated in the following way: “Driving healthy change in our communities,” suggesting the center’s leading role and considerable patient base (Legacy Community Health, n.d.b). Meanwhile, its vision statement is “Connecting our communities to health every day, in every way,” implying that the clinic will continue to make the services accessible (Legacy Community Health, n.d.b). The sentiment is reflected in the primary value, claiming that healthcare is a right, so everyone is entitled to it, paying or experiencing discrimination (Legacy Community Health, n.d.b). Other relevant moral priorities include the focus on the community, the willingness to address inconvenient issues, and the careful management of the center’s resources (Legacy Community Health, n.d.b). The clinic positions itself as a last resort for those rejected by other organizations, which requires great responsibility from the staff.
Organizational Culture
Organizational culture is a relatively new concept for the Legacy Community Health clinic, which explains several flaws in the rewards and recognition program. As admitted by the center’s CEO, she underestimated its importance, especially during such landmark events as the merger and the acquisition of more buildings (Harms, 2018). Organizational culture usually reflects a company’s values and facilitates the desired behavior in employees (Warrick, 2017). The clinic’s staff appears to be devoted to the community and willing to make sacrifices to help the vulnerable. However, the organization does not always treat the employees with respect and fails to create a sense of unity. Simultaneously, the main source of change and recognition is the clinic itself, undermining the community focus, as some specialists are its patients. Uniformity is also flawed due to the number of centers, and different areas require a specific approach, ideally reflected in unique instances of organizational culture even within one city. A noticeable advantage is the persistence of the organization’s past contributions and core values. Generally, discord between the leadership and the staff may exist, but the latter is more focused on fulfilling the mission.
Personal Viewpoints on the Current Rewards and Recognition Program
The current rewards and recognition program at the Legacy Community Health clinic appears flawed from a personal perspective. When analyzed according to the SMART approach, the drawbacks become apparent. For instance, the sincerity aspect is inconsistent: some are rewarded genuinely, while others may be mentioned in passing, undermining their achievements. Much also depends on external recognition, as those who become noticed on the statewide and nationwide levels are particularly celebrated. The meaningful element is preserved, as rewards are tied to health promotion, accessibility, and innovation in the community, coinciding with the organization’s vision and values. The adaptable quality is questionable because the categories have remained the same throughout the years. However, they are already comprehensive, and the diversity aspect is fully represented, reflecting the staff’s demographics. The relevant component is partially preserved during the official part, but rewards are not necessarily personal except for special occasions. The timing could be improved, although the employees are aware of why they are recognized. Altogether, following the SMART approach and personal perception, the current program needs an upgrade.
Other aspects, such as rewards themselves, are also not without flaws from firsthand experience. Although both monetary and non-monetary types are present, the preference is towards the latter, which may have the opposite effect of discouragement on an employee (Kumari, 2019). The rewards and recognition process appears mostly transparent, although it is not entirely clear how the internal voting procedure occurs. Nominees tend to anticipate something in return for their efforts, and surprises are rare. On the surface, the program appears viable, rewarding those deserving of recognition and facilitating positive behaviors because achievers continue to exhibit the same diligence. Still, the employees who receive nothing are also affected by the system, and their perspectives should be considered.
Survey-Based Perspectives on the Program
Research Design
Primary research was undertaken through a fifteen-question survey, aiming to under the nature of the current rewards and recognition system, its basis, and the impact on the employees, including mutual encouragement. The respondents had to answer each question using a scale from 1 to 10, which indicates whether certain points pertaining to the program are present in the organization. An opportunity to comment on the score was also given to clarify the choice. Three employees participated in the survey, and they will be labeled as Coworker 1, Coworker 2, and Supervisor.
Results
The survey’s results demonstrated several negative trends in the organization’s rewards and recognition program, as the maximum score given by the participants is 6 out of 10, as seen in Figure 1. The average one is 54 out of 150, and Supervisor even used 0, which was automatically transferred into 1, as the scale did not include it. According to the survey, the organization has major issues with such aspects as transparency, mutual recognition, and consistency, which coincide with the scores of 6, 4, and 6, respectively. Additionally, most averages are below 50%, so almost everything, except for the fact that rewards are tied to achievements, appears flawed. The employees are unsure about occasions, do not fully share the sentiment that their efforts are appreciated, and struggle with feeling valued by the organization. Communication, a sense of ownership, and mementos appear more or less adequate, as the scores are higher than the rest and consistent. As mentioned, the employees link rewards with achievements, meaning that unexpected and random acts of recognition are rare. Overall, the survey reveals several issues with the company’s current program.
Certain answers were accompanied by comments, which allows for a clearer picture of what the rewards and recognition system represents. For instance, the co-workers believe that both monetary and non-monetary means are present, but the Supervisor contradicts them by claiming that only the latter is used. As far as mutual encouragement is concerned, the Supervisor denies that it ever occurs, while Co-worker 1 feels as if teams are supportive. The Supervisor also reveals that rewards are not based on outcome or effort, so only a small portion of employees feels valued, as the majority tends to complain about the system. The respondent also criticizes the management by highlighting its favoritism and close-mindedness, which prevent innovations in the system from being introduced. Simultaneously, the Supervisor is unsure of how managers are evaluated and feels skeptical towards the clinic’s ability to host hold parties and communicate the process, as other organizations are responsible for those. Altogether, the additional comments attest to the flawed state of the current system.
Plan Strengths
The current system lacks any particular strengths, although the fact that rewards are tied to achievements can be considered one. It means that the employees are more or less aware of the occasion, and the same is true for those who are not recognized in any way. Although the situation is not perfect, such a semblance of transparency prevents potential conflicts and allows for occasional first-time bonuses. Unfortunately, one advantage is insufficient to sustain the entire system.
Areas Opportunities
Opportunities exist in such aspects as communication, a sense of ownership, and mementos. The clinic mostly relies on other organizations to supply rewards and raise awareness among the staff. The collaboration can be expanded to include more types of recognition and facilitate transparency. A sense of ownership is a powerful tool for encouraging those employees who do not feel valued. As mementos tend to be memorable, it is possible to emphasize them even when rewards are monetary by adding a card, a badge, or any symbol to ensure that the receipt remembers the occasion. Overall, the described points have some potential to be particularly effective in the new plan.
Recommendation
Based on the responses, the rewards and recognition program is in need of a complete overhaul. It fails to make employees feel appreciated or provide concrete indicators according to which the system operated. The staff is barely involved in the process, relegating most decisions to external organizations, which deter mutual encouragement and focus on few outstanding achievements, ignoring individual efforts and successes. Unfortunately, the management appears satisfied with the status quo and uninterested in retaining the employees, who choose to remain due to their obligation to the patients. The in-team relationships may eventually deteriorate, considering that the respondents do not rate the program as being particularly fair. Only one apparent strength exists, although several opportunities are also present, and the new plan can focus on them.
R&R Plan Outline
The SMART Approach
The new program should comply with the SMART approach to enhance the recognition aspect and make employees feel valued, which is almost absent under the current system. For sincerity and meaningfulness, a reward may acknowledge small achievements of an employee who cared for a challenging patient and ensured their recovery. Some tasks can be particularly taxing, so their acknowledgment is necessary. Although the existing categories are exhaustive, unique ones targeting a specific person are likely to make them feel appreciated, ensuring adaptability. Being rewarded for the same aspects many times also renders the act meaningless, so creating opportunities for an employee to excel in various roles can be encouraging. The current program lacks informal recognition in the relevant aspect, so the plan should include them to encourage the staff to view the entire system in a less formalized way. If possible, patients should be able to present some rewards for specific care providers. Lastly, while the current system does not have delays, the practice deserves to continue in the future. Thus, the described aspects are to be considered while designing the plan.
Factors Influencing the Program
As the program exists within organizational culture and targets people of various backgrounds, certain factors influence its implementation. For instance, the staff includes Latinos, Black Americans, Whites, and representatives from other ethnic groups. Some might have experienced undervaluation throughout their lives due to racism and encountering the same behavior at the workplace could be extremely discouraging. Thus, such sensitivities cannot be ignored, and it is possible to uplift minorities without tokenizing them. Some people are used to being recognized due to being A+ students and overachievers, although school behavior does not always translate to job performance (Negru-Subtirica & Pop, 2016). Still, it is important to pay attention to those individuals and offer certain incentives, as they might become disillusioned with their abilities (Negru-Subtirica & Pop, 2016). Generational specifics should also be considered, as Millennials, for instance, attribute less value to financial returns (Tirta & Enrika, 2020). Spirituality may facilitate the rewards and recognition system, as it also impacts engagement, resolving such issues as the absence of mutual encouragement. Altogether, the organization should consider an employee’s background and personal qualities to maximize the plan’s effectiveness.
The Plan’s Specifics
The new plan aims to encourage the organization’s employees, retain them, and increase their job performance. It will include various extrinsic rewards, the value of which will be linked with efforts, outcomes, and recommendations (Elmadağ & Ellinger, 2017). The employees will participate in revising the criteria and selecting those deserving of being acknowledged. The plan focuses on the managers as the main providers of intrinsic rewards, including verbal forms of expressing appreciation and personal attention (Elmadağ & Ellinger, 2017). The employees are also given many opportunities to express their mutual recognition, and a special reward for those particularly passionate about uplifting others will be introduced. The plan will be openly discussed with the staff, formalized, and sent for approval to the managing body. The barriers include the reluctance to change, the unwillingness to spend money on the initiative; the external organizations may also disagree with the chosen direction and refuse to invest in the program. In the best-case scenario, the new plan will be implemented immediately after approval, which may take several weeks. Otherwise, it will have to be revised to address the management’s complaints, extending the procedure to a month.
Metrics for Evaluation and Future Recommendations
After a month of full implementation, the plan should be evaluated to determine whether it works as intended. The same survey which was used to gather initial impressions will be conducted on a sample. The plan will be considered successful if most responses exceed the score of 8, although the questions that received particularly low points during the initial assessment may need a different threshold. If some aspects are still below the average score, the plan will require another revision to address the complaints. For instance, several employees may find the system inconsistent due to everyone’s involvement, so certain mechanisms ensuring it will have to be added. Afterward, an additional assessment will be necessary to ensure that the changes are beneficial. Job satisfaction can be used as an indirect tool to measure the plan’s effectiveness along with the statistics of voluntary leaves. Overall, constant monitoring and immediate response are necessary to maintain the new rewards and recognition system.
Conclusion
This paper evaluated the existing rewards and recognition plan at the Legacy Community Health clinic and discovered its flaws. They prevent employees from feeling valued, do not ensure retention, and cause overall dissatisfaction. As only one strength is present, a new program was suggested to replace the current one, following the SMART approach, respecting individual employees, and encouraging their involvement in the process. Although it may not be approved due to requiring certain financial investments, the focus on mutual encouragement and intrinsic rewards should remain to address the most glaring omissions.
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