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A strong design is only half the story. The real impact comes from how you launch, embed and evolve your programme.

Here’s a practical approach from launch to review.

Securing leadership buy-in and budget

The first step of creating and rolling out a programme is securing that all-important buy-in and budget.

Start off by thinking about those objectives we mentioned earlier. What challenges are you facing? What are you hoping to achieve with the programme? Outlining the expected benefits and projected ROI is essential for a compelling business case.

Include employee feedback into your proposal. Benchmark data will also enhance your case, and any potential platform partner should have case studies or data you can use.

Leadership champions are another great way to get a compelling case across. Getting stakeholders with a vested interest involved early gets them on board and fighting in your corner.

Launch strategy: pilots, timelines and internal communications

You might initially start with a soft launch pilot group – especially if you have a multi-location organisation. A pilot allows you to trial your launch strategy and take learnings forward when scaling.

Before your main launch, tease the new programme to build a buzz. Get leadership talking about the programme and explaining the ‘why’ behind the launch with real examples, and make communications frequent to keep the launch front of mind, even in busy teams.

Lead by example: Training managers to give effective, timely recognition

Equipping managers with the insight and confidence to kickstart recognition will set the example that employees can follow. 

Be clear on your expectations, so they know exactly what you need from them. Training can be short and sweet – bitesize training sessions enables even the busiest managers to engage. Think about offering resources that they can come back to, like video guides and top tips.

Driving adoption: campaigns, champions and incentives

Building early adoption and creating momentum can be supported with themed campaigns or competitions to encourage ongoing participation. Recognising the recognisers is also a good way to encourage recognition and reinforce its importance. 

Having recognition champions across the organisation, especially in multi-location teams helps drive engagement and moves it from a “HR initiative” to a cultural one.

Reviewing and optimising your programme over time

Remember that survey you did in step 1? Do another around three-to-six months after launching your programme and compare the results to see impact. This time, include questions about the new platform to capture people’s perspectives. 

Review the data to spot any patterns beginning to emerge. Armed with this insight and feedback, you can adapt your strategy to continuously improve and work towards your goals.