5 Really easy staff recognition award ideas
Congratulations, you've been given the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives and help them reach their full potential. And one of the best ways to do that is by recognizing them for their hard work. But what does it mean? How do you go about recognizing your staff? Well, there are many different ways for managers to recognize employees but here are five ideas that are easy-to-implement and can be used by any manager at any level:
Time Off
Time off is a great way to recognize your employees. It's also one of the most popular forms of recognition because it's easy to do and doesn't require much planning. The downside? Time off can feel like a reward for good performance, rather than an award for something specific (like an employee who went above and beyond). To make time off more meaningful, consider giving employees their choice of vacation days as part of their award. For example, if an employee has worked at your company for five years without taking any time off, give them two weeks' worth of paid vacation days--and let them decide how they want to use them!
Public Recognition
The first thing to consider is how public you want to be with your staff recognition. If you have a small business or work in a small office, it might be easier for everyone if you recognize them in front of their peers. You can do this by having an all-staff meeting where each person gets recognized individually or as part of a group (for example, "Our top salespeople are..."). If your business is larger and has more employees, then it may be better suited for private recognition. In this case, consider giving out awards at the end of each quarter or year when everyone's performance has been reviewed--this way there aren't any surprises!
Gift Cards
Gift cards are easy to purchase and can be used for anything. The downside is that they're not as personal as other options, so if you're looking for something with a little more thought put into it, this might not be the best choice. However, if your company has a gift card program in place or you just want something simple that everyone will appreciate receiving (and using), gift cards are definitely worth considering.
Mentorship Opportunities
Mentorship opportunities are a great way to recognize your team members. Mentors can provide training and guidance, which will help them grow professionally. They also serve as role models for those who want to learn from their experiences.
However, there are some cons to this type of award:
-
It requires more time than other options because you need someone who's willing to be a mentor (and there may not be enough volunteers).
-
You might not know what kind of mentoring program would work best for your organization until after it's launched; therefore, it could take some trial-and-error before getting things right
Points Awards
Points awards are a great way to recognize and reward positive behaviors. You can implement them at any level of your organization. They're simple and easy to set up, but they have the potential for big impact.
Here's how it works:
-
Define reasons to show recognitiion through points for things that ailign with the company's goals such as for service awards, safety incentives, workplace performance and achievement, health, education, etc. Choose any number of points you'd like to award a user meeting the criteria based on your program goals (10 to 10,000).
-
Provide an easy method for users to redeem their points for valuable merchandise. Branded goods are also a great way to create a sense of belonging and unity.
-
In some systems, you can also remove points for negative behaviors. (e.g., "didn't comply with safety rules" or "speeding ticket in company vehicle").