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Employee recognition awards can be a powerful pillar of your HR strategy. Here are 20 of the best award ideas to boost team morale.
Imagine if your partner only made you feel appreciated on your birthday. Sure, you would likely be grateful for the celebration.
Chances are, you’d be upset if they forgot or didn’t do anything special. But that one gesture alone probably wouldn’t be enough to sustain a positive relationship without small acts of appreciation on a regular basis.
Employee recognition works in a similar way. Organizations often host yearly awards to recognize milestones like performance or tenure. These awards are important: They highlight achievements and help employees feel appreciated.
Skipping these regular recognition milestones would sort of be the equivalent of skipping a birthday. Some moments are worth celebrating with more fanfare. But they only make up one aspect of a successful employee recognition program.
So, how can you create unforgettable employee recognition awards that perfectly complement your other efforts?
It all boils down to personalization. There are different types of awards out there – and some might fit your culture and goals more than others.
If you need inspiration, here are the 20 best awards for employee recognition that will help you celebrate team members and boost morale.
What are Employee Recognition Awards?To make sure employee recognition awards are deployed effectively, it’s important to first unpack what exactly they consist of.
Employee recognition awards are prizes and rewards given to employees as a form of appreciation for their contributions, achievements or work anniversaries.
From plaques and events to gift cards and other perks, they can involve different tokens of acknowledgement. The idea is to formally recognize hard work and dedication and celebrate milestones as a team. You can also play with creative employee award titles to gamify the process.
Recognition awards can increase employee engagement and retention. When people feel valued, they are less likely to look for other opportunities and more likely to be motivated and satisfied at work. As a result, they continue performing at high levels.
All of these positive effects contribute to a thriving company culture and collaborative work environment. It’s great for attracting talent, too: The best candidates are going to be looking for a workplace that values and rewards its people.
You may be wondering whether employee awards can make a difference versus gestures like offering competitive compensation or other employee rewards.
One does not replace the other – paying people fairly is a huge pillar of job satisfaction and engagement.
However, money isn’t everything. It doesn't address the deeper human need to feel valued and connected in the workplace. In fact, up to 55% of employee engagement is driven by non-financial recognition, according to McKinsey.
Employee recognition awards contribute to fulfilling other needs by offering a genuine, thoughtful form of acknowledgement that goes beyond regular paychecks.
They can also foster a sense of purpose at work if you tie the awards to your culture and core values. Plus, they reinforce positive behaviors.
Cookie-cutter award systems won’t do much. Implementing awards that speak specifically to employees’ unique contributions sends a powerful message: The organization cares about your efforts – and it cares about you as a person.
This boosts morale, promotes a sense of belonging, and helps create a more engaged workforce.
Categories of AwardsThere are many different ways and reasons to show recognition and, for that reason, not all employee recognition awards are created equal.
Choosing the right type of award for your team requires thoughtfulness, as you want to align efforts to appreciate employees with your industry, culture and organizational structure.
Consider the following categories and awards to inform your strategy and find new employee recognition award ideas.
Outstanding PerformanceDriving Success Awards are all about recognizing employees who have made an outstanding impact on business growth.
From launching new projects to consistently meeting sales targets, choose award categories that are in line with overarching goals.
By celebrating high performers, you reinforce the importance of setting – and reaching — ambitious goals, which can motivate others to reach for the stars.
Innovation Awards are another way to recognize performance. Celebrate notable creative initiatives by recognizing team members who have developed new products and services or have helped overcome business obstacles with resourcefulness.
An innovation award recognizes those who contribute to a company culture of innovation, but it also encourages everyone to think outside the box to drive growth.
Celebrating an Employee of the Month is one of the most known forms of employee appreciation. Whether you put a plaque on the office wall or recognize an employee in your company newsletter, the goal is the same: To feature someone who has gone above and beyond their responsibilities to demonstrate their commitment to their organization.
This type of award highlights the importance of consistent effort, dedication, and a positive mindset. It’s a classic for a reason.
Teamwork and CollaborationCollaboration is crucial, so it’s a good idea to recognize employees who stand out based on their ability to work well with others.
Is there a teammate who constantly smiles at work and spreads positive vibes with their attitude and approach? That’s the type of person you want to recognize with Team Player Awards, which emphasize the value of working as a collective.
Instead of recognizing individuals, recognizing teams with outstanding performance can be valuable too.
Did your marketing team crush the launch of a new product? Has your customer service team worked hard to increase client satisfaction rates?
Recognize those departments with Best Team Awards. It will strengthen team spirit and company culture while reinforcing the importance of working towards common goals.
People's Choice Awards are unique because they are determined by peer nominations. This process awards employees who have earned the admiration and respect of their coworkers.
Nominations are a great way to gain a new perspective into who has left their mark on the workplace by embodying certain traits and values.
It will help these employees feel valued for their ability to uplift others while cultivating a culture of appreciation.
Communication and FeedbackFostering an environment where people feel comfortable sharing feedback freely takes time. Recognizing those who aren’t shy about sharing both positive and constructive input on a regular basis can help.
The idea behind Excellent Feedback Awards is to honor team members who help others grow through their insightful and supportive comments.
You’ll encourage a culture of continuous improvement and open communication within the company.
Do you value effective communication in the workplace? If so, you must value active listening too – it’s one of the most underrated communication skills. Why not recognize employees who demonstrate exceptional listening skills with Best Listener Awards?
You’ll celebrate some of the contributors who may not be the loudest, but who make a huge impact on others through their listening skills. By valuing their approach, you promote a supportive and empathetic work environment.
Customer Service and SupportYour customers are the lifeline of your business. When employees work hard behind the scenes to deliver an outstanding customer experience, it’s important to recognize them.
Customer Service Awards celebrate those who work hard to make your brand stand out in front of clients.
Client-facing work can be challenging, so giving out a customer service award these will help team members feel appreciated and motivated. It also sets a standard for excellence on the client-facing front.
Customer Satisfaction Awards offer a slightly different spin on the type of award above. Let customers show you who should be recognized by collecting their praise and feedback and using it to acknowledge employees.
This is powerful in terms of fostering purpose at work, as it shows the direct impact the award recipient has had on real clients. And, again, it sets a benchmark for exceptional customer service.
Are there people on your team who have gone out of their way to help others? Consider recognizing them with Going Above and Beyond Awards.
These awards celebrate individuals who jump in to help their teammates and often surpass their regular duties in doing so.
Appreciating them shows that you don’t take those extra touches for granted – and that you care about cultivating a supportive work environment.
Years of Service and TenureWork anniversaries matter. Recognize the loyalty and dedication of those with long tenures with Years of Service Awards.
Typically given every 5 to 10 years, these awards honor long-term commitment and are a great occasion to highlight someone’s career accomplishments within your organization.
If a team member has been around for decades, a special employee award is in order. Long Service or Tenure Awards can be used to acknowledge team members who have been with your organization for over 10 years.
These days, that’s not all that common, so this warrants a big gesture of appreciation, such as a work anniversary gift and team celebration.
Special AwardsWhile high performance is key, there is something to be said about recognizing improvement. Acknowledge team members who have made noticeable strides in their performance with Most Improved Awards.
This sets an example for continuous growth and shows that you care about developing your people.
Newbies deserve recognition too. Recognize new employees who have made a positive impact in a short amount of time with Rising Star Awards.
The idea behind those awards is to celebrate team members who have made a significant impact in their short time within their team. It highlights their potential for personal or professional growth and can be incredibly motivating.
Some team members and managers naturally excel when it comes to mentoring others and supporting employee development and growth.
Recognize their coaching skills with Mentorship Awards and foster a culture of growth and learning in the process.
What are Spotlight Awards? This versatile type of employee recognition award helps you recognize various employees for their skills and abilities.
If they’ve made a positive impact on the company through their unique talents, you don’t need to fit their contributions into a box. Just spotlight them through public recognition and reinforce the importance of diverse strengths and perspectives at work.
To create a culture filled with strong leaders, celebrate outstanding leadership with Leadership Excellence Awards. Acknowledge managers who bring the best out of their team through their guidance, strategic vision, operational effectiveness and emotional intelligence.
Those in leadership roles are often the ones dishing out employee appreciation, so it’s important to recognize them through as well.
Recognizing team members who embody and promote your organization’s culture and values is another good idea. Cultural Ambassador Awards highlight team members who actively lead by example on that front.
They showcase these contributors’ value as role models for others and underscore the importance of workplace culture.
DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is top of mind for organizations these days. Implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards can help you keep this important value at the forefront of your business approach.
These awards recognize the advocates who actively promote an inclusive workplace, support diversity efforts, and foster a culture of respect and equality.
However, employers need to prioritize DEI just as much as employees -- this isn't about coming up with great employee award titles but taking DEI as a whole seriously.
Otherwise, this type of award won’t be as impactful. It can even send the message that you are deferring the important responsibility of creating a fair workplace to employees.
Most Recognized Awards honor employees who consistently receive recognition. If you’re using an employee recognition platform like Applauz, it’s easy to gather data about the people who consistently receive accolades and praise from their peers and managers.
This achievement deserves to be recognized, as it says a lot about someone’s contribution and positive impact on others. It also emphasizes the value of creating a culture of recognition in the first place.
Implementing an Effective Employee Recognition ProgramAre you ready to implement an employee recognition program that actually works and increases engagement within your organization? While you’ll want to adapt your approach to your team’s needs, there are universal best practices to keep in mind.
First, make sure the recognition is timely, specific, and aligned with company values. Timeliness means acknowledging milestones and contributions shortly after they occur.
Studies show that recognition loses its effect if you wait too long, so this is a crucial step. A tool like Applauz can help you stay on top of everyone’s achievements and recognize them in real-time.
Specific recognition means that you should avoid generic praise and favour meaningful messages of appreciation. Highlight the recipient’s actions, traits and contributions. Consider adding a thoughtful gift.
Finally, align your employee recognition program with broader organizational values and objectives. For example, if client satisfaction is your top priority, make sure that you recognize employees who deliver outstanding customer service.
If you care about innovation, celebrate innovative accomplishments. Applauz offers you the ability to create personalized badges to make things easier on that front.
The way you deliver your recognition award matters too. Here are five steps to writing a powerful message of appreciation:
If you want your recognition to motivate employees, it’s crucial to understand what employees value the most and what will boost employee morale. It won’t be uniform.
Some people may appreciate public shout-outs, while others might prefer a private note or a tangible reward. Do your best to tailor employee appreciation efforts to different preferences.
The best way to achieve this is to build a 360-degree recognition system with various forms of appreciation and touchpoints. It will help bake recognition into your culture but will also ensure that you reach all employees with various efforts.
To provide recognition that motivates, authenticity is critical. Forced words of appreciation can have the opposite effect.
Make the extra effort to truly get to know your team members and their strengths, and highlight their contributions with specific rewards and messages.
This ensures genuine and meaningful recognition. By consistently recognizing and rewarding employees, you can create a motivated, engaged, and happy team!
Ensuring Fairness and TransparencyFairness and transparency are the pillars of any good employee recognition program. Without those elements, you’ll alienate employees, break trust and undermine the effectiveness of your recognition efforts.
Employees need to see that the recognition process is equitable and transparent. Make sure you set clear criteria and guidelines for recognition and share them with everyone. Consistently apply the guidelines and watch out for subconscious bias and favoritism.
While celebrating performance can be positive and beneficial, don’t let it be the only thing that you recognize. Recognition needs to be accessible enough for employees of all levels and in all functions.
Involving employees in the recognition process is another way to cultivate fairness and transparency. From peer-to-peer recognition to feedback processes that allow employees to voice their opinions on the recognition process, involve your team in the creation and optimization of your program.
It helps keep things fair and inclusive and make your recognition tactics more effective.
Measuring EffectivenessYou can’t improve what you don’t measure, so it’s paramount to put tools in place to measure the effectiveness of your employee recognition program.
Track key metrics such as employee engagement and retention rates, which can indicate whether your efforts are working.
Conducting regular – and anonymous – employee engagement surveys is another valuable approach. It provides candid insights about the way employees are experiencing your recognition program and allows you to continuously tweak and improve your strategies. It also keeps employee appreciation relevant and impactful as your company evolves.
By combining quantitative metrics with qualitative feedback, you’ll gain a holistic understanding of the effectiveness of your recognition programs.
Instead of operating blindly, you’ll be able to make data-driven decisions to boost engagement and create a healthy workplace culture.
Employee recognition awards are not the be-all-end-all of a solid employee recognition program, but they matter.
When you consistently track, celebrate and acknowledge big and small wins across the board, you create a culture where people feel valued for the unique efforts and skills they bring to the workplace.
Increasing employee retention and engagement are pretty great benefits of doing so, but nothing beats the moment when you notice the recipient of a thoughtful award beam with pride.
For more resources and tools that will help you appreciate employees, check out the Applauz blog.
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