Ten Amazing Employee Recognition Ideas for Your Company

Those companies that appreciate their employees and devise a proper strategy to recognize their efforts are very successful. Not only do they have better productivity. But they also have a lesser retention rate, better customer service, meet their targets early, and enjoy employee satisfaction.

Unfortunately, according to a survey by Gallup.com, only one out of three employees receives an award every week.

Many business owners will argue that they do not have enough resources to afford proper employee recognition. But who says the bonus is the only form of praise? And frankly, demonstrating employee gratitude once a year is not enough. Of course, you cannot express appreciation daily. It will lose value. But making an effort every once in a while will surely go a long way. It is a proven fact that businesses that recognize their employees regularly have less quit rate. Today we will tell you unique employee recognition ideas for improving your company’s performance.

The following are the ten fantastic employee recognition ideas for your company:

Positive Feedback

Positive feedback has a substantial impact on employees. Its influence increases ten-folds when it comes from the leader of the company. You can do it face to face in person or over an email, and trust us, and you will notice immediate results. Such appreciation, when handed out regularly, acts like low-hanging fruit. Everybody runs to grab it.

Corporate Awards

Organizer to give away some corporate awards to dedicated employees who have served for a long. The company leadership decides the winner. The employee who is doing a great job of exemplifying the organization’s values will get the award. For example, present Leader in Excellence Award and 25 Years in Service Crystal Awards to leaders and employees who have dedicatedly served the company. Other awards include Employee of the Year, Customer Service Award, Management and Leadership Award. Giving away corporate awards promotes healthy competition as every employee strives very hard to put his name on the plaque. The shiny Crystal Awards serve as an ultimate motivation and provide job enrichment.

Company Merchandise

Believe it or no, company merchandise is something employees yearn for. They like showcasing their company logo. Be it on a t-shirt, a mug, or a bag. Such things are not only useful but are an excellent way to display your pride. You can hand out some items from your company stash to the hardworking employees. It will show that you value their hard work, and their efforts are not going unnoticed.

Lunch

You can also treat them to lunch. Who says no to a free one? Either take them out to a fancy place or order food at the premises. Both ideas are equally beneficial for your company’s employee engagement. Taking out for lunch allows you to spend some one-on-one time with only one of the employees. While hosting a catered lunch will enable you to interact with the entire office. Your employees will appreciate both the gestures equally.

Rotating Trophy

Another fantastic idea is to have a rotating trophy. Choose a fun trophy or figurine to act as one. You can give it to the employee you want to recognize at a meeting. Please enclose a note that exhibits why they received it. It can sit on their desk for a week or until the meeting. Then the winner should pass it on to the next employee who deserves it and so on. This practice will develop a culture of recognition amongst the organization. Everyone will have it in mind and work hard to earn it.

Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

Do you know the first Friday of March is celebrated as National Employee Appreciation Day every year? Well, now, you know. Make the most of the opportunity and organize a formal employee appreciation event. You can also present your corporate awards during this event. Want a better idea? Spread it over an entire week. Celebrate it with activities, team-building contests, food, and wellness programs.

Social Media Recognition

With social media becoming more influential each passing day, recognizing your employees on your social media platforms will give them a boost. You can take to your company’s Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter page and appreciate your employee on a public forum. Tagging them in it is an even better idea. Social recognition is a great way to show how proud you are of your employees. Just make sure your employee knows in advance as not everyone likes being in the spotlight.

Celebrate Birthdays

Celebrating Birthdays is a generous gesture to show the employees that you appreciate them. Give them a day off to do what they like. If your organization does not allow it, you can make it more personal. Decorate their desk. Arrange a card and mention how valuable that employee is. Don’t forget to have other employees sign in as well.

Handwritten Sticky Notes

In the era of digitalization, a handwritten note stands out. Take the time to write a message to your hardworking employee. Use a simple sticky note to say “good job,” “well done,” or “thank you.” Or you can write it specific to the employee’s action and impact. Just deliver it timely. Also, make sure to get it to your employee’s desk before they arrive. This way, they will get a pleasant surprise.

Sponsored Experiences

A good leader knows the interests and inspirations of his/her employees. You can make use of that knowledge and arrange sponsored experiences to recognize your employees. You can enroll them in a professional development program to improve their skills. Doing this also proves beneficial for your company. Or you can also offer them to choose an experience from a variety of activities. This way, they will know that their hard work is paying off.

Conclusion

Devising an employee appreciation strategy will surely improve your employees’ engagement and, in turn, your company’s performance. Just keep in mind that whatever you decide to honor your employees with, be authentic in your efforts. Don’t offer recognition to keep up the appearances. The offer is for a job well done. Give it often but not too often, or it will lose impact. Who knows? Maybe a little praise is all your workers need to become more productive.