Assembling Your Buying Committee for Employee Recognition

If you’re in charge of selecting an employee recognition partner, you don’t have to go it alone. This guide offers some handy tips for assembling a vendor selection committee to help you assess employee needs, establish goals, research providers, build consensus, and develop champions that will ensure your program’s long-term success.

Selection committees at large and enterprise companies

In large enterprises, the success of any new initiative depends on having support from key stakeholders early on. This is where a vendor selection committee can be your friend. It will provide you with smart people to help guide your decisions every step of the way.

You can’t possibly know everything about the employee needs, budgetary constraints, or performance goals in every department of your organization. But your committee members will. Rely on them. Collaborate. Ask questions. Listen. Then choose your employee recognition provider accordingly. And your solution will be a success.

When you choose the right people, a committee can be a dream team that enables success. In the next section, we’ll share which key players organizations choose to have on their vendor selection committees. You should also consider:

Whose opinions you trust
Who you like to work with
Who can help you with areas you know nothing about

Roles and responsibilities of selection committee members

Clear responsibilities make teams stronger. Decide which committee members are there to consult, which are there to manage the project, and which ones will make the final decision. This clarity will help everyone relax and prevent endless debates.

It’s okay to try a democratic approach and vote on which vendor you want to hire. But what if there’s a tie? Or what if a slim majority chooses what the team leader feels is the wrong vendor? To make these scenarios go smoothly, decide up front who has approval and/or veto power.

Form the committee that fits your unique situation

Here are the most common committee members we’ve encountered while working through RFPs with hundreds of world-class organizations. You may need more (or fewer) people than those listed below.

You may need two committee members with the same role and you may leave out a role. But this we know for sure: inviting at least one of the following people to participate on your selection committee will bring valuable insights and make selecting a vendor easier.

Executive - Usually the sponsor and approver. Often an HR VP, CHRO, or CEO. The cost of the program typically comes out of this person’s budget, and they are ultimately responsible for its overall reception, impact, and ROI.

Technology Specialist - IT integration and implementation. Top concerns will be security, limiting disruption to IT processes, and hours required for implementation. Their experience with analysts like Gartner, Forrester, and Bersin may also help identify potential providers.

HR Team - Shared owners of the program. These people understand employee preferences and HR tech and data system requirements. They provide critical perspectives on total rewards and workplace culture.

Internal Comms - Branding and communication. These folks may be part of HR, marketing, or the creative group. They can help connect employee recognition to your purpose and values.

External Analyst - Market research and analysis. An independent, objective advisor who provides valuable insights, recommendations, and market intelligence

Procurement - Vendor selection process, payment, contracts. Despite their reputation for price-consciousness, procurement in most larger organizations is a solid strategic partner that can help you establish clear objectives and make smart decisions.

Learning & Development - Training and adoption. Like any new initiative, a new recognition solution involves change. These people manage change for a living. They can teach employees the what, why, and how of recognition to improve early adoption and long-term participation.

Global Sponsors - Global rollout. If you have employees in different countries, make sure there is a representative for international locations who can give feedback on regional needs, data security policies, and logistics.

Online. Offline. All around the world. Culture Cloud offers one dynamic platform with infinite recognition experiences.

Next steps

When you have a selection committee, the first thing to do is inspire your team. Let them know the impact a great employee recognition program can have on your work culture and business success.

Promise your team efficient meetings, clear assignments, and a voice at the table.

Tips for working with a buying committee

1. Build consensus

Agree on the “why” by clearly communicating what problems you are trying to solve and defining criteria for success. Our guide for prioritizing your goals will help. Be sure to align your recognition objectives with business objectives so this is not just seen as an HR initiative, but as a growth strategy critical to business success.

3. Create the requirements for your solution

Consider technology, integrations with other HRIS systems, meaningful awards, recognition experiences, presentations, customer service, customized symbolic awards, etc.

The search for a recognition partner is an exciting and impactful process. Including the right people and providing them with helpful information will make your search easier. As a team, you can select a recognition partner that improves your work culture, boosts business outcomes, and helps people thrive at work.

“O.C. Tanner cares about our business. They listen to our strategies and are interested in what drives Chevron. Then they tailor recommendations to what will create value for us. It’s a remarkable partnership.”
—Chevron

The Culture Cloud employee recognition platform offers more ways to give, receive, and measure recognition than any other. This helps you create a world-class company culture where employees and business thrive together.