Employee recognition is a critical aspect of a positive employee experience. When you regularly acknowledge your employees‘ efforts, you’ll have a more engaged and involved workforce that works hard for the company’s continuous growth and success.
Even a “Thank You” or “Great Job” works well. In fact, 83% of respondents in a survey on recognition agree that hearing simple words of encouragement positively impacts their morale at work.
In this guide, you'll learn how to appreciate your employees, albeit a bit more creatively and in a way that's tailored to your workplace. We’ll share the best employee recognition awards to make your staff feel appreciated and positively impact employee engagement and company culture.
Employee recognition comes in many forms, but employee recognition awards are undoubtedly the most interactive and fun way to show appreciation. As an added bonus, these employee awards programs have added benefits for the betterment of your company.
Employee turnover is costly — employers pay around 33% of an employee’s salary to recruit and hire a new person. The only way to reduce or eliminate these costs is to build a loyal workforce that stays and grows with the organization.
Thankfully, recognizing employee efforts significantly reduces voluntary turnover and improves employee retention. Research suggests companies that scored in the top 20% of building a “recognition-rich” culture experienced a 31% reduction in voluntary turnover rates.
Giving out awards for employee achievements, outstanding performance, and going the extra mile ensures employees stay around during times of success and failure, lowering negative turnover.
Confidence and motivation can take a hit due to a repetitive work cycle. You may find your employees working, but if you look closely, you see a noticeable decline in their performance levels.
Employee recognition awards are a welcomed relief from the everyday monotony of the grind, creating a fun, easy-going atmosphere. Plus, the ceremonial event itself is an excellent team-building opportunity.
Employee recognition begets higher productivity. When company leaders prioritize employee appreciation and recognition regularly, interpersonal relationships follow that ultimately boost productivity.
An employee‘s hard work drives your organization’s success. If you take time to celebrate them, you inspire employees to work even harder. Employee recognition awards, in particular, act as a form of positive reinforcement. Bestowing your staff with specific titles shows them that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Let’s get to the fun part! Below, we’ve discussed some of the best keyword recognition awards — conventional and unconventional — that your employees will love.
This recognition award is for workers who are the top performers in a given month (or whatever timeframe you choose). It’s an old-school approach to employee recognition awards and a rightful place to start your own recognition program — especially if you’re just beginning employee award titles.
Whether they land a client, have an impeccable attendance record, close more deals, or are simply helpful around the office, this award shows your employees that you notice their efforts and value their contributions.
A solid customer satisfaction and support team is the ultimate hack for a growing business. It builds brand loyalty and customer engagement while leaving your customers satisfied. From handling angry customers to cross-selling new products to troubleshooting queries, your customer support team does it all (and more!).
Exemplary customer service people are worth their weight in gold. Express your gratitude by giving them the Customer Whisperer Award, a.k.a. the Customer Service Award.
This award is for managers and leaders who make employees feel heard by welcoming new hires, creating a transparent work environment, and encouraging employees to share feedback. This can be a huge win for your company considering 85% of employees are more likely to stay at a company where they believe their input is valued.
Use this award to give extra recognition to managers who take the initiative to make employees feel comfortable, as well as take and implement employee feedback to make everyone invested in the solution.
Do you have someone on the team who entertains everyone and is always fun to be around? They keep everyone up-to-date with what’s happening with pop culture or sports, are quick to break into the latest TikTok dance, or know the latest musical releases.
Thank them for making work fun and lively by giving them the title of Office Entertainer. You can also send them Hoppier’s virtual gift cards to provide future entertainment fodder. We offer subscriptions to entertainment services like Netflix or Hulu, as well as music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple.
This employee recognition award is reserved for your best sales rep. Sales are hands down one of the more challenging jobs critical for a company’s survival, so beyond sales employee rewards and incentives, recognition goes a long way.
When any rep brings more leads to your sales pipeline, masters the use of B2B sales tools, and closes more profitable deals than anyone, let them know you value their hard work with the Chief Closer Award.
Give this award to the superstar marketer on your team who fuels the best marketing strategies and campaigns for your company.
Marketing professionals are creative employees, so don't be afraid to swap your award name with something more creative. Think "Star Social Media Marketer," "Always at 110% Marketing," or "Company Influencer."
You can also have different awards for niches within the marketing realm like digital, content, and branding, considering how expansive marketing is as a stream. This will make everyone feel valued and appreciated for their marketing genius.
This recognition award is for those employees who are ever so generous and caring towards their team members, whether they’re completing a project, providing some mentorship to new employees, or planning a party for a work anniversary.
These employees have extraordinary integrity, willingly put in the extra work to keep the team afloat, and help other employees finish tasks. Such team players aren't always appreciated, so let this award prove to them that they are indispensable to the company.
Every office has employees who are health nuts, be it physical or mental. This person never misses the gym or their morning jog. They love crossfit. In their free time, you’ll often find them doing yoga. But at their core, they’re a motivator for others to become healthier people.
If anyone comes to your mind, you've got yourself a worthy candidate for this award. Hoppier has partnerships with several wellness apps like Headspace, Talkspace, and Calm that are designed to keep the user physically and mentally fit, both online and in-person. Offer the winner a monthly subscription to an app of their choice through our virtual cards — a perk that’s sure to keep them the MVP of health and wellbeing in your office.
Office mentors help other employees reach their full potential through personal and professional development while simultaneously accelerating the organization’s growth. They’re supportive and friendly individuals, who can offer advice while embodying company values.
If you practice assigning mentors or buddies to employees, give them this award to express your gratitude — all while giving them a much-needed piece of peer recognition.
You probably have tons of ongoing and past projects that require teamwork. Or perhaps you have opportunities where employees gather to share ideas and responsibilities.
If this rings a bell, give out the "Here to Win It" Dream Team award to recognize the best teams at your company. Seeing their efforts recognized and valued via a teamwork award will not only build morale but also promote healthy teamwork and greater engagement among employees.
Give the Fashionista award to the employee who always takes their fashion game to the next level, regardless of whether there's a dress code or not.
Employee recognition awards are a great way to make new employees feel confident and thrive. It makes them feel a part of a workforce that values and appreciates their contributions and motivates them to give their best at work.
Pave the steps for a loyal base of engaged employees by awarding your company's top-performing rookies. You can give out different awards for new employees based on their monthly, quarterly, and yearly performance. It’s an employee award idea that will boost morale and invigorate both new and veteran hires to up their game.
This award is for that one employee who magically has everything one could ever need, be it an extra pen, the phone number of a tax consultant, a stapler, or tickets to the big game. You know you can always count on them for anything and everything, and it shows.
From being absolute novices at their jobs, some employees become your best hiring decision — all because of the time and work pressure they endure — just like how time and pressure turn coal into diamonds.
Identify the diamonds of your company and give them the "Collared Diamond" award acknowledging their efforts and growth.
Employees who have been with your company through thick and thin are the very pillars of your organization. These are loyal employees — the golden geese if you will — who have genuinely invested their all to help realize company goals and steer it toward success.
The easiest way to ensure these employees stay engaged even longer is to give them what they want in return. Since 44% of employees simply want to be recognized for their efforts, giving this award to express thanks for years of service is the best way to go.
You can also hand out recognition awards for employees retiring after being with your company for a long time. In this case, go for meaningful award titles like "Heroes are Remembered, Legends Never Die" award or something more fun like the "Fun With 401" award.
This award is for team leaders who lead by example. If you have employees who inspire a forward-thinking workplace culture and are always willing to take up leadership responsibilities, know you're golden.
From improving employee morale to promptly (and effectively) solving company challenges, these employees support the rest of the workforce. Give the Alpha Award to this top talent to thank them for their immense contribution.
If you have punctual and attentive employees who always show up, are always on time, and are the most zealous, be sure to make them feel valued. Take this opportunity to show them how much you appreciate them setting a good example for other employees.
Every office has a fantastic baker or an exquisite chef who brings all kinds of delicious goodies to the office. Say thanks to your company‘s MasterChef for taking the time to prepare and share their tasty treats.
Every office has that one employee who doesn’t seem to have the best sense of time. Either they show up late every day — or are the last person to turn up for the office meeting. Whatever the case, they are never on time!
Share some laughs with the team by felicitating them for their tardiness.
Employee recognition programs are no longer an afterthought, and employee recognition awards are a key ingredient of these programs.
Handing out recognition awards and superlatives is a great way to entertain and engage employees. In addition to being super fun, these awards also give your team the opportunity and encouragement to recognize each other’s efforts and make great things happen — together.
So what are you waiting for? Get brainstorming with your team for your company’s next award ceremony to celebrate your team. Don’t forget to make the experience even more personalized and meaningful by giving them Hoppier virtual cards — all the while staying within the budget.
Sign up for a free demo to learn more.
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
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