How to Choose Employee of the Month for WFH Employees: A Complete Guide

Recognizing and rewarding work-from-home employees for their efforts is crucial in an era where more people work remotely. 

As per a recent study, 90% of workers said they were at the same or higher level of productivity when working from home. Therefore, honoring them as employees of the month will show them how much you appreciate their contributions.

Choosing the right candidate among Work From Home (WFH) employees can be challenging. After all, how do you judge productivity when there’s no physical evidence? But you can consider a few things that will help you make the right decision.

So, to make things easier, we have provided a complete guide on the employee of the month program for remote working employees. 

What is The Employee of The Month Program?

An “Employee of the Month” Award is an honor given to employees who have excelled at their jobs and outshined the company’s expectations. 

Employee of the Month awards are given to employees who consistently demonstrate dedication and excellence in their work. 

Different companies have different criteria for choosing and rewarding the right employees. Still, the award usually goes to an employee who has contributed significantly to the company or shown exemplary customer service skills.

Why is the Employee of the Month Award important?

The Employee of the Month program is prevalent in many workplaces. The idea behind such programs is to recognize and reward employees who have gone above and beyond their duties. 

Although such programs may seem irksome in some workplaces, they have many benefits. 

The following are some reasons why workplaces should implement employee-of-the-month programs.

Increased Employee Engagement

The Employee of the Month program helps increase employee engagement by publicly recognizing employees for their work and contributions. 

This recognition can help boost employees’ morale and make them feel appreciated, leading to increased engagement in their work. 

These programs can also help create a sense of competition and motivation among employees to do their best and be recognized.

Learn more:  A complete Employee Engagement Guide📑✍

Boosted Employee Morale

By recognizing and celebrating employees’ achievements, the employee recognition program helps create a positive and motivating work environment.

In addition, the program provides an opportunity for employees to be recognized for their hard work and dedication. As a result, this can boost employee satisfaction and loyalty and improve retention rates. 

The employee of the month program is essential for any organization looking to create a positive and productive workplace.

Increased Employee Retention Rate

A company’s ability to retain its employees is always a challenge. One way to increase employee retention is through the employee of the month program. This program recognizes and rewards employees for their hard work and dedication. 

Employees who are recognized as employees of the month also feel appreciated and accomplished. Employee of the monthh reward program can reduce turnover and encourage long-term employee retention.

👉You may like: Best Strategies for Great Employee Retention🤝

Promotes a Positive Work Culture

Positive work culture is beneficial for both the employees and the company. Employees feel appreciated and valued, and the company benefits from their dedicated work.

Employees who exemplify the company’s values are essential to building a positive work culture. So, identifying and rewarding employees eventually promotes a positive work culture. 

👉Also Read Effects of Working in an Unhealthy Work Environment🎭

Increased Productivity level

By highlighting the success of the employee of the month, others are motivated to work harder and achieve similar results. 

When an employee is selected for this award, it can often boost productivity as their co-workers try to emulate their success. This benefits not only the individual but also the company as a whole.

The individual receives deserved recognition, while the company enjoys increased productivity.

Learn more: Best Employee Productivity Tracking Guide📈📑

How to Choose Employee of The Month?

The employee of the month award will be presented to one of your best-performing employees every month, so choosing the person who will receive it can be tricky and complicated. Perhaps you would like to know how to select the employee of the month conveniently.

So here are the 5 Steps you can consider to choose the employee of the month for your company: 

Creating a monthly employee of the month checklist

You can begin by creating a monthly checklist for each employee. A checklist could include various criteria to determine who is eligible to become the right candidate.

Criteria for employee of the month: What to look for?

You can consider various criteria for choosing candidates for the employees of the month program. Some of them are: 

• Meeting or exceeding goals

To qualify, an employee must meet or exceed all goal criteria. The employee’s work must be consistent and up to par with the company’s standards.

This can include surpassing sales targets, completing tasks ahead of schedule, or exhibiting exemplary customer service.

• Quality of work

The quality of work is one of the most important criteria for choosing the employee of the month. The employee must be able to produce high-quality work promptly.

Employees are considered likely candidates for employee of the month if they meet the company’s standards regarding quality and timely completion of work.

• Innovation

Innovation is key to success in any business, and the deserving employee for the reward should be someone who consistently demonstrates innovation in their work.

Some innovation criteria for choosing the star employee include: creativity, coming up with new ideas, and productivity.

• Helping co-workers

Another critical factor is how helpful the employee has been to their co-workers, anything from helping with projects to simply being friendly and welcoming.

It can include things like lending a helping hand when needed, going out of their way to be friendly and welcoming, and being willing to collaborate on projects.

• Positive attitude

It is crucial to take attitude and work ethic as fundamental factors. A positive attitude is a key to maintaining a productive and positive work environment.

The employee of the month should be someone who sets an excellent example for others and strives to maintain a positive attitude even in difficult situations.

• Going the extra mile

The extra mile criteria are someone who has gone above and beyond their job requirements. They have taken it upon themselves to improve their skills and have helped out their fellow employees.

This could include working overtime, taking on additional assignments or projects, or simply going out of their way to help others.

• Initiative

The initiative criteria usually include:

• Taking the lead on new projects.
• Volunteering for extra work.
• Creating creative solutions to problems.

The employee must have exhibited exceptional initiative and taken the initiative to go above and beyond their job duties.

• Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills are another essential criterion for choosing the employee of the month. Thinking critically and coming up with creative solutions is crucial in any business. 

The best employees can identify problems and find solutions quickly. This can be demonstrated in several ways, including the ability to identify and diagnose problems, develop and implement solutions, and monitor results

• Customer service skills

An employee with excellent customer service skills can be highly considered a potential reward candidate. They can handle customer complaints politely and effectively. 

They also have a positive attitude and are always willing to go the extra mile for their customers. The employee must also be able to handle complaints calmly and professionally.

• Attendance and Punctuality

Employees who have perfect attendance and arrive on time should be more likely to be chosen for employee of the month. 

The chosen employee must have an impeccable attendance record and be punctual to all meetings and shifts.

Setting up a proper employee of the month selection system

A properly functioning employee of the month selection system must ensure that the best employees are identified and recognized for their hard work.

Without such a system, it can be challenging to identify which employees deserve special recognition. In addition, not implementing an effective selection system can be unfair to some employees.

How to set up a proper voting system?

Here are the guidelines on how you can set up a proper voting system virtually for selecting work-from-home employee of the month: 

• Decide on a voting system

There are many types of voting systems that can be used to choose the right employee for the award. 

Many different platforms can be used for online voting in a company. Some popular platforms include Jotform Survey Maker, Zonka Feedback, Survey Monkey, Google Forms, and Qualtrics.

• Choose a date for the vote

The vote should be held on a convenient date for all employees. It is typically held at the month’s beginning or the month’s end.

• Announce the vote

The vote should be announced to all employees to know when and how to vote.

• Vote!

Employees should cast their votes by the deadline announced in step 2.

Evaluate nominees against established criteria. 

This step requires evaluating each nominee against the established criteria to determine who is the best candidate. Evaluating can be done using various methods, such as scoring or ranking based on the criteria. 

The evaluation can be done by a committee or by individual managers familiar with the work-from-home employee’s performance. 

Announce the winner. 

To announce the winner of the WFH employee of the month, you will need to gather some information. You will need to know the name of the winner, as well as their position within the company. 

Once you have gathered this information, you must create a document announcing the winner. This document can be in the form of an email, a memorandum, or a newsletter. 

In your announcement, you can include the following information:

1. The name of the winner.
2. Their position within the company.
3. The date that they were announced as the winner.
4. A brief description of why they were chosen as the winner.

You can do this in several ways, such as sending an email, making an announcement to all employees, or posting a sign in the break room congratulating the winner.

Give the winner a special award or recognition. 

Finally, it’s important to recognize and celebrate the employee of the month! 

The employee of the month rewards: What should you give? 

Many possible rewards could be given to a remote employee of the month, but here are five of the most common ones: 

• A bonus or raise.
• Paid vacation days or a gift card to a favorite restaurant or store.
• A certificate or plaque commemorating the achievement.
• A day/week off with pay to celebrate the accomplishment.
• Tickets to a special event, such as a concert or theatre performance.
• Special lunch/dinner or an office party.

Employee of The Month Program Ideas

It is important to ensure that all your remote employees feel appreciated and rewarded for their hard work.

There are many ways to reward employees for a job well done. So, let’s see the different employee of the month ideas for both office and remote employees: 

7 office employee of the month ideas

Listed below are seven different ideas for employees of the month at your office:

Incentive travel programs

An incentive travel program is a great way to show appreciation to your employees. It also encourages them to continue working hard and meeting their goals. 

Employees are typically rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to a fun destination for being the month’s employee. You can customize this program according to your company’s needs and budget.

Personalized awards-giving program

Many different types of awards can be given to an office employee of the month. Some of the most popular options include plaques, certificates, and pins.

However, if you want to give the employee a more personalized award, you can also create a custom award. This could be a plaque with the employee’s name, title, or a certificate tailored explicitly to their accomplishments. 

Whatever option you choose, make sure to present it to the employee in a unique way that will make them feel appreciated.

Special Parking Spot

The administration can designate a special parking spot exclusively for the employee being rewarded. This spot can be in a prime location, close to the entrance or exit, and be reserved for the employee’s use only.

 A sign can be placed in a visible parking lot designating the “Employee of the Month” parking spot.

Office party with Special Recognition

The party will be a great way to show appreciation for the deserving employee. It will be a fun event with games and food.

After the Office party, the employee of the month can be given special recognition for their hard work, including a plaque, a gift card, or even just a simple thank you from the boss.

Extra Paid Vacation 

The company can give an extra paid vacation for the office employee of the month. The recipient of this honor can take an extra week off work at full pay and regular vacation time. 

Office Chair or Desk Upgrade

Companies can allow their employees to upgrade their office chairs or desk, which is an excellent idea for the office employee of the month! They can upgrade their office chair or desk to something more comfortable and better suits their needs. 

This will make them more productive and help them feel more comfortable in their office.

Special Lunch or Dinner

Some office employees may appreciate a special lunch or dinner idea to show their appreciation. Ideas could include a nice restaurant meal, a picnic lunch at a park, or even a home-cooked meal.

One possible special lunch or dinner idea for the winning employee is to have a catered meal delivered to the office. This could be a themed meal, such as a Mexican fiesta, an Italian feast, or a buffet-style dinner with various dishes.

7 Virtual Employee of The Month Ideas

Listed below are seven different ideas for the work-from-home employee of the month:

Remote award shows

Companies can organize remote award show for the remote team to honor and recognize the hard work and dedication of the virtual employee of the month. 

To organize the remote award show, you will need to determine a date and time for the show, choose a location, and create a schedule. 

You can create an event page or invitation where employees can RSVP. The page can include all relevant details about the show, such as the date, time, and location. It can also link to a live stream if one is being used.

Bonus or pay raise

The bonus or pay raise would be an incentive to encourage good work-from-home behavior and would get awarded to the employee of the month. 

Raising the salary of dedicated employees can be an effective way to reward them and make them the employee of the month.

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Shout-out On Social Media

Shout-outs are a great way to recognize and reward employees for a well-done job, which is used to celebrate accomplishments, acknowledge hard work, or show appreciation.

When giving a shout-out, it is essential to include specific reasons why the employee is recognized. 

For example, you might mention that the employee has been meeting deadlines consistently or that they have been working hard to improve their productivity. You might also mention how the employee’s work-from-home arrangement has benefited the company.

Day/Week Off

Giving a day or a week off is an excellent way to reward your employees for their hard work. It is an opportunity for employees to rest and recharge, allowing them to continue working in a comfortable environment.

You can let the employee choose to use the day/week off at any time within the next six months. It encourages home workers to keep working hard.

Subscription packages

You could consider giving a subscription package as a reward for the virtual employee of the month. This could be a fun way to encourage employees to work from home. 

Some of the Subscription packages that could be offered as rewards for work-from-home employees of the month include a one-month subscription to OTT Services, a fitness center, a one-month subscription to a movie theater, or a one-month subscription to a restaurant.

Care package

Rewarding an employee for performing well with a care package is a great gesture. It can include anything from gift cards to snacks to flowers. The key is to tailor the box’s contents to the individual employee’s preferences.

If you’re unsure what the employee would like, ask them what they would like most. Alternatively, you could choose a gift card or other type of prize that the employee can use to pick out their rewards.

Newsletter Shoutouts

Another option to reward a virtual employee of the month is through shout-outs in the company’s monthly newsletter. This can be a great way to recognize the individual’s efforts and accomplishments and promote the individual’s work to other employees. 

You can write a brief blurb about what they’ve done that’s impressive and include a link to where people can find out more. This will help build your employee’s online profile and could lead to them being featured on other websites or in the media.

Mistakes Companies Make When Choosing “Employee of the Month”

Many companies choose to recognize one employee each month for their hard work and dedication. However, there are a few common pitfalls that companies should avoid when making this selection. 

Some of the common mistakes companies make when choosing employee of the month is: 

Rewarding the same employee

One of the most common mistakes companies make when choosing an employee of the month is rewarding the same person repeatedly. 

While it’s important to recognize good work, constantly singling out the same employee can create feelings of resentment among other members of the team. Additionally, it may convey the message that rewards are biased and unfair.

Companies should mix things up to avoid these pitfalls by regularly rotating the employee of the month award. It reinforces the company’s commitment to treating all employees fairly and equally and provides all employees with a chance for recognition.

👉 Learn More: 15 Awesome Rewards For Employees To Motive them

Not considering employee feedback

Employees are often the best judges of who deserves recognition for a job well done. When you fail to consider their feedback, you may miss out on some genuinely deserving recipients.

Focusing only on the input of managers or executives will leave you unaware of all the ways that workers contribute to the organization. Therefore, your organization could use peer, direct report, customer, and manager/executive feedback in developing the nomination process.

Underestimating other employees’ contributions

The best employee of the month is not always the one who contributes the most. Sometimes, employees with less impressive resumes or who seem to do less work than others may be the team’s most valuable members. 

Overestimating the contributions of other employees while selecting the best employee can lead to poor decisions about who to promote or reward.

Instead, it is important to consider all of the contributions that employees make to get a complete picture of who truly deserves recognition. Focusing exclusively on the most apparent or measurable contributions can lead to overlooking valuable members of the team. 

By taking the time to appreciate all that each employee does, you can make sure that you select the best person for the job, regardless of how much or how little they contribute.

Recognizing all your employees with the same strategies

While recognizing all your employees with the same strategies might seem like the most efficient way to do things, it can often lead to missed opportunities. 

By assessing each employee individually, you can better identify their strengths and weaknesses, measure their criteria results and then reward them accordingly. 

This will not only lead to a more productive and successful company, but it will also make your employees happier and more engaged in their work.

Not considering all criteria of the selection

Many criteria go into making the best employee. Focusing on only one criterion, such as performance alone, would not be an accurate way to determine the best employee. It would not be an appropriate way to reward an employee for your company.

Not considering all selection criteria for reward can harm the productivity and motivation of other employees. It can also create a feeling of unfairness among them.

Focusing on quantity over quality

Quantity over the quality of work can impact the morale of your employees. The employee of the month award should be rewarded for their hard work and dedication to the company, not simply because they produce the most work.

It may decrease the overall quality of your company, which is definitely not what you want!

Conclusion

Now that you know how to choose an employee of the month, it’s time to implement your plan! Hopefully, you as you create a program that empowers and strengthens your workforce. 

Considering all the factors described in the article when choosing the right employee of the month is essential. Ultimately, the decision should be based on what works best for the individual business and its employees.

FAQs

• What is better than Employee of the Month?

Some potential alternatives better than monthly recognition of employees include a better benefits package, more paid vacation days, or a larger salary.

• Why do companies do Employee of the Month?

There are a few reasons companies might do Employee of the Month: 

• To recognize employees for their hard work and dedication
• To motivate employees to continue to work hard and improve their performance
• To create a sense of competition and teamwork among employees
• Why is Employee of the Month not good?

The employee of the month is not good because it can lead to a “chasing the carrot” mentality. Employees may feel like they need extra work to be recognized and may become burnt out.

• How do you appreciate a remote employee?

There are a few things that you can do to appreciate a remote employee.

• Acknowledge their efforts.
• Reward them with a gift.
• Thank them for their contributions.
• Make sure they know their work is appreciated.
  
• How do I make remote employees feel included?

You can make remote employees feel included by using video conferencing software to have regular meetings, sharing documents and other work-related materials promptly, and asking for their input when making decisions that affect them.