There’s a reason why employee recognition is one of the most popular management tools. It’s an easy way to show your appreciation and make employees feel appreciated in return. But what does “appreciation” really mean? For some companies, it means a simple pat on the back for doing something well or helping someone else out. While this kind of recognition might be effective in some situations, if you want your employees to feel truly valued then it’s important to implement these employee recognition examples that show them just how much their work matters—and more importantly, how much they matter as people.
The rockstar award
The rockstar award is a great way to recognize employees who go above and beyond. It can be given to an individual or a team, with the recipient being someone who has made a significant impact on the company. If you want to raise morale and encourage your team members to keep doing great work, this award will do it for you. The rockstar award provides recognition for work that goes above and beyond standard expectations. Employees will feel appreciated when they receive this award.
The planner award
For example, one company gives out the planner award to its best planners. This is a great award for planners because it’s a way to recognize their hard work and dedication—and encourage them to continue this level of excellence. The Planner Award can be presented in person or via email, but either way, it should come with a letter from the manager that explains why that particular planner was chosen for this honor (for example, “You were chosen because your scheduling skills are second to none”).
Another way to recognize planners is to hold a planning contest. This can be done on a company-wide or departmental level, depending on how large your organization is. The goal of this type of contest is to encourage planners to think outside the box and come up with creative scheduling solutions.
The icebreaker award
The icebreaker award is a fantastic way to recognize employees who get along with the most people in your office. If you’re a small company and don’t have an HR department, this can be a great way to get everyone on your team to know each other better.
For example, if you have five employees in your office and one person has made friends with all five, they should win. You could also make it into a contest where each employee has to nominate someone else at the end of each week. This will encourage them to work together while also getting out of their comfort zone, which may lead to some surprising friendships.
The humanitarian award
The humanitarian award is a way to recognize an employee who goes above and beyond to help others. Examples of how you can recognize an employee for their humanitarian efforts:
- You can give them a gift card to a restaurant or coffee shop.
- You could pair the award with some other special benefit, like two weeks off without having to use vacation days or getting their car detailed by your company’s maintenance department.
The key is to make sure that whatever you do, it’s something the employee will appreciate and enjoy.
Conclusion
These four employee recognition examples are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many creative ways to recognize and reward employees, from gift cards and prizes to fun events and team-building activities. You can even use them as incentives for employees who reach certain goals or milestones on their way toward long-term success at your company.
