Recognition that pulls your work force together, not apart.
If you manage a unionized work force, you know that favoritism is frowned upon in most labor settings. Thus, here are a few guidelines for improving the manager-union employee relationship and delivering recognition to unionized teams:
Communicate early. Discuss with your team what rewards you plan to offer and how this is an addition to, not an infringement of, their compensation package.
Give employees a voice. Let employee teams have a role in choosing rewards (not cash) and reward recipients.
Reward groups of employees. Instead of rewarding just the best individual, and instead of trying to reward your entire work force, provide an appropriate reward to a three- or four-person team that completes a special project, achieves an accident-free record, develops a new process or in some other way advances the organization’s goals.