Fueling Innovation Through Employee Nomination Program

PROGRAM DETAILS

RECOMMENDED FOR: Organizations aiming to ignite innovation and celebrate their most creative thinkers.

TYPE: Nomination, voting, ranking program

SCOPE: Global

RECIPIENTS: Individuals or teams

SOCIAL FEED: Public

THRESHOLD: Unlimited nominations, 3 votes per individual, 1 winner per category

APPROVAL: No approval

VOTING: Equal weight for internal and external votes

REWARD: Custom product, experience, or innovation fund allocation

BUDGET:  None

NOTIFICATION:  Email, Desktop, SMS

Before we dive in, let’s answer the most commonly asked questions.

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Phase 1: Planning

Step 1: Start by setting up program goals

Before designing your nomination program, it’s crucial to establish clear goals that define what you want to achieve and how you plan to accomplish it. This step ensures your program is aligned with your objectives and delivers measurable results.

Regardless of the program type, we recommend identifying a set of core values the program will promote. These values should reflect your company’s overall mission and align with the program’s specific objectives.

Example Goal: Increase employee engagement by boosting the number of nominations and innovative ideas submitted throughout the year via the annual nomination program.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI): Track the number of individuals or teams nominated for their innovative contributions.

Example Values:  

• Creativity – Encouraging out-of-the-box thinking to generate unique ideas.

• Curiosity – Cultivating a mindset of continuous learning and exploration.

• Collaboration – Promoting teamwork to co-create innovative solutions.

• Experimentation – Supporting risk-taking and testing new approaches without fear of failure.

• Problem-Solving – Prioritizing innovative approaches to overcome challenges.

• Sustainability – Innovating with a focus on long-term impact and ethical practices.

• Continuous Improvement – Embracing a culture of refining processes and ideas for better outcomes.

By setting these foundational elements, your program will resonate with employees, foster deeper engagement, and cultivate a culture of innovation across your organization.

Phase 2: Setup

After defining your program details and objectives, use your recognition and rewards platform to configure the program. Typically, this process is done through the Admin Center. Here’s an example of how to set up the program within your system.

Step 1: Create transparent program guidelines and description

Every program should include a clear name, an engaging description, and a representative image to ensure employees quickly grasp its purpose and objectives.  

For example:  

Program Name: Innovation of the Year 💡

Program Description: Your bold ideas 💡 and innovative solutions 🚀 have the power to shape the future of our company! This program rewards employees who showcase creativity and a forward-thinking approach. 🌟 Nominate individuals or teams who stand out with their innovative spirit. Winners will receive exciting rewards like personalized gifts 🎁, unique experiences ✨, or support through an innovation fund to bring their ideas to life. 🌱

Step 2: Define program rules within your recognition platform

Nomination programs can consist of several phases: the nomination phase, the voting phase, and the announcement of winners. Please note that all rewards and recognition providers have different configuration options available for nomination programs. It’s up to you to find what works best for your organization.  

Typically, all nomination program details can be easily set up in the admin center of your recognition and rewards platform. For example, you can design a yearly program with the following timeframes:

• Nomination period: 15 days

• Voting period: 10 days

• Announcement phase: 5 days

The next step would be to set up the program limitations. Our platform enables you to set up nominations, voting limitations, voting weight and more.  

For example, employees can nominate an unlimited number of individuals or teams for their innovative ideas and cast 3 votes, each carrying equal weight. (Note: Vote weights can vary, for instance, internal team nominations may carry more weight than external ones, or vice versa).

You can also define specific criteria for selecting winners. For example, this program can have one winner per category, such as:

• Creativity – Encouraging out-of-the-box thinking to generate unique ideas

• Curiosity – Fostering a mindset of continuous learning and exploration

• Collaboration – Promoting teamwork to co-create innovative solutions

• Experimentation – Supporting risk-taking and testing new approaches

• Problem-Solving – Emphasizing innovative ways to overcome challenges

• Sustainability – Innovating with long-term impact and ethical practices

• Continuous Improvement – Cultivating a culture of refining processes for better outcomes

Winners can also be chosen per department, location, or unit, depending on your setup.

Additionally, you can decide whether to include an approval process, for example our recognition and rewards platform enables you to set up to 2 levels of approval.

Step 3: Choose the right way to notify your employees

Notification channels should be tailored to your workforce’s needs and preferences. Here is an example:  

• For deskless employees: Use SMS notifications if they don’t have access to work emails or devices like computers and tablets.

• For desk-based employees: Choose email or desktop app notifications, as they typically have access to these technologies.

By aligning communication methods with your workforce, you ensure that every employee stays informed and engaged with the program.

Phase 3: Communication & Engagement

Effective communication is crucial for success. Ensure your communication plan covers before, during, and after the program implementation. Tailor it to include a mix of digital and offline channels for maximum impact.

Step 1: Digital Promotion Templates

Before Go-Live Announcement

Subject Line:🎉 Exciting Nomination Program Coming Soon!

Body:

Hey [FIRST_NAME],

Get ready to Celebrate Innovation and Team Spirit! 🌟

We’re excited to announce the launch of our brand-new Nomination Program, designed to recognize and reward outstanding contributions from you and your colleagues. Whether you’re submitting innovative ideas or celebrating a team’s success, this is your chance to make an impact and be part of something special.

Stay tuned for more details on how you can nominate and vote for your peers. Let’s work together to elevate creativity, collaboration, and the spirit of innovation in our workplace!

The countdown to recognition and rewards has begun! 🎉

Best regards,

[YOUR COMPANY’S NAME]

Go-Live Announcement

Subject Line:🚀 It’s Official—The Nomination Program is Live!

Body:

Hey [FIRST_NAME],

The wait is over—our Nomination Program is now LIVE! 🎉

This is your chance to recognize and celebrate the amazing contributions of your colleagues. Whether it’s innovative ideas, teamwork, or outstanding achievements, you can now nominate individuals or teams who stand out. Plus, you’ll get to cast your votes to help choose the winners!

Don’t miss out—get involved today and make a difference! Let’s work together to highlight the creativity and dedication that drive our success.

The program is live and ready to roll—start nominating now! 🌟

[PROGRAM LINK]

Best regards,
[YOUR COMPANY’S NAME]

After Go-Live Reminder

After the program launch, continuously engage employees, here is one example:

Subject Line:⏰ Final Day to Cast Your Vote and Shape the Future of Innovation!

Body:

Hey [FIRST_NAME],

Today is the LAST DAY to cast your vote in our Nomination Program! 🗳️

This is your final chance to have a say in who wins recognition for their outstanding contributions. From innovative ideas to exceptional teamwork, your vote will help determine who deserves to be celebrated.

Don’t miss out—make sure you cast your votes before the deadline and be part of shaping the future of innovation in our company!

[PROGRAM LINK]

Let’s finish strong and celebrate the incredible talent within our team! 🌟

Best regards,

[YOUR COMPANY’S NAME]

Consider: To create a constant and engaging program communication experience, we suggest you also consider implementing an employee communications tool that will enable you to target the right audience, brand the communications, and add interactive elements such as images, videos, CTAs, and quick surveys.

Explore Our Employee Communications SolutionDrive engagement with tailored, branded, and interactive communications

Request a demo today!

Step 2: Nomination Program Promotion

Offline Communication Ideas:

Promote your nomination program using offline communication. Here is an example of some of the offline communication strategies we recommend to our customers:

• Launch Events: Organize a festive kickoff event featuring flyers, photo booths, and printed recognition cards.

• TV Displays: Use large screens to showcase the program’s social wall, spreading holiday cheer in real-time.

• Kiosks: Set up kiosks for employees to participate in the program, especially in high-traffic areas.

• Posters: Place eye-catching posters in common areas to announce and explain the program.

Online Communication Ideas:

Additionally, you can also use online communications channels to boost program visibility and engagement. Here are several ideas:

• Email Banners: Add a festive banner to emails to remind employees of the program.

• SharePoint Banner: Highlight the program on your internal SharePoint homepage.

• Landing Page Promotions: Feature an engaging landing image inside the recognition system that is linked directly to the program for easy access.

• Platform Announcements: Use your internal communication platform to share updates and details.

Phase 4. Measurement

Monitor and evaluate the success of your nomination program using reporting tools. For example, our system features comprehensive reports that provide valuable insights into key metrics, such as:

• Most Recognized Innovation Values: Discover which innovation values resonate most with your employees by analyzing nomination trends.

• Number of Nominated People and Teams: Identify your top innovators by tracking the number of nominations for individuals and teams.

These data points enable you to refine your strategy, enhance engagement, and drive program success. Use these insights to celebrate achievements and make informed, data-driven decisions for future initiatives.

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