You’re sold on the concept of peer-to-peer recognition . You’ve convinced your managers of the benefits: greater employee engagement, improved morale, increased productivity and profitability. The question now is, how do you create, implement and sustain a program?

First things first. The beauty of this type of program is that it’s totally customizable to every organization. However, there are three key elements every program should incorporate:

Procedures. Keep it simple. If the program is too complicated, employees won’t bother with it. Some easy ways to provide recognition include posting cards on a bulletin board or in a box. At the end of the month, the employee with the most kudos wins…or a winner can be drawn at random. Or use social media – Facebook, Twitter and e-cards.

Rewards. The personal satisfaction of being recognized is a given. And you’ll see, as your program progresses, that it’s contagious! But be sure to supplement emotional rewards with tangible ones, based on what you can realistically afford. Maybe only certain accomplishments warrant additional recognition – that’s fine. Rewards can range from items in a recognition program catalog to gift cards to paid time off or even preferred parking.

Communication. This is a biggie. No communication = no participation. All-employee meetings are a perfect forum to kick off the program. If that’s not feasible because you have a large number of employees, your directors or managers can handle it on a departmental level. Employee newsletters are another useful outlet. Email campaigns are easy and effective: Start by announcing what the program is, why it’s great and when it begins. Follow that up with particulars – what employees are expected to do and how to do it. Finally, make a plan for ongoing communication, including a platform for sharing accomplishments.

Another consideration: Be creative and have some fun with the program. Get together with some of your own peers and brainstorm ideas. You may even be the first to get a pat on the back for your efforts!