5 ways to design a ‘greener’ recognition programme

How Megatrends are affecting the employee experience?

It’s not only the human experience which is evolving under the growing influence of global megatrends, the employee experience is also being directly impacted and shaped.

These trends can’t be ignored. All of them are affecting employee needs, expectations, and how they show up at work, and that has consequences for reward and recognition now and in the future.

It will come as no surprise to you that one of the megatrends is climate change.

You’ve seen the news, read the papers, heard the science – the planet is at a critical crossroads. From rising sea levels to growing demand for food and energy, climate change is a global crisis of our time.

Green means go for employees

“We already do our bit for the environment,” you might be saying. “We’ve gone paperless and the company car’s electric.” That’s great, but that’s just the tip of the disappearing iceberg.

In addition to the ‘easy wins’, have you thought about how sustainability is reflected in your business’s employee experience and recognition activity? You really should.

The reality is that climate change is now firmly embedded in the public consciousness and discussion and action surrounding the subject will only intensify with each new generation.

In fact, according to the Deloitte Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2022, after the cost of living, climate change was the second highest concern for both these key employee demographics.

And don’t underestimate the far-reaching decision-making of those concerns. Helping the planet isn’t reserved for when individuals ‘clock-off’ from work, it actually determines the work they ‘clock-off’ from.

That’s because climate change not only influences how people think and feel about the world around them, but also the businesses they buy from, the companies they work with and those they work for.

Want to attract talent?

For a growing number of people, the colour of your credentials is as much a deciding factor as the colour of your money. If it’s not green, you could find the talent pool you’re fishing in gets smaller.

Employees want to work for companies that reflect their own values and expect their employer to pursue an agenda that balances financial results with social issues, equity and inclusion, and environmental impact.

Want to keep the talent?

Make sustainability a part of your culture and back up your intentions with actions. Although employees are walking the walk (90% of Millennials and Gen Zs are attempting to reduce their impact on the environment), many companies are only seen as talking the talk (less than 20% of Millennials and Gen Zs felt their employers were acting on climate change).

With research showing that 79% of Millennial employees are loyal to companies that care about their effect on society, having strong eco-commitments can positively impact both the work environment and the wider environment. 

Five ways to a greener recognition programme 

Putting sustainability at the heart of your company is clearly beneficial, and with PwC stating that it’s now the ‘lens through which a business is judged by its consumers, workforce, society and increasingly investors’, it’s something that needs seriously considering.

But how can you align your business objectives with those of your eco-conscious employees? Recognition! A recognition programme is uniquely placed to promote behaviours and celebrate successes. Whereas previously they were driven by an organisation’s vision and values, they’re now focused on organisational purpose, underpinned by the drive for better ESG strategies.

Here are five ways to improve your own recognition offering and positively affect the environment and your employee experience.

1. Re-prioritise programme objectives - while not all the changes in behaviour needed to fight against climate change are within the power of employees, many are. Tailor the actions and values that you recognise and reward to encourage the behaviours that have an impact.

Incorporate objectives in your recognition programme, such as:

• Reducing energy consumption
• Reducing waste
• Optimising employee transportation
• Promoting environmentally friendly ways of working
• Raising awareness among employees, clients, and stakeholders

2. Choose aligned partners - as well as using recognition initiatives to support your company’s ESG strategy, the downstream delivery of your reward strategy can significantly impact those objectives. Make sure your suppliers are committed to the same, or better, ESG targets and create a commercial model that supports your sustainability.
3. Consider rewards - use rewards sourced responsibly and locally, minimising the need for transportation and environmental impact. Simply opting for vouchers doesn’t offset the responsibility and, as studies show, are significantly less effective at engaging employees.
4. Engaging experiences - ensure experiences such as concert tickets, travel and cultural activities are part of your reward strategy to minimise manufacture, packaging, and delivery, and maximise personal development and emotional engagement with your programme.
5. Facilitate altruistic behaviour - with cost-of-living pinching on employee disposable income, their ability to donate and support causes of meaning to them may be limited. Allow them to use their rewards to close the gap between their desires and abilities.

Want to know more?

For more insight into the impact of megatrends such as climate change on reward and recognition offerings, click here to read BI WORLDWIDE’s 'Shaping the Future' report.