While a great deal of effort in internal motivation has been spread throughout the business world, sometimes we all need a little external motivation. It helps to be able to say, “I did this. Look how well I did!”
When your awesome employees are working their little hearts out, it helps if you can have something cute and enjoyable to express your appreciation for them. This employee awards article suggests “Chief Happiness Director,” “Customer Whisperer,” and “Master Yoda Award”. While these are fun titles, you can also come up with your own! In fact, fun nicknames or inside jokes are great ideas for inscribing on trophies or awards.
Another great employee gift idea is a luxury watch. This is particularly good if your employees are business executives. However, for everyone else, stunning glass awards can be customized, inscribed and given freely once a month or four times a year.
Glass awards have a certain quality and style to them that denotes high vibration and elegant beauty. What should you look for in your employee awards?
1. Try to get one small and stylish
Our first piece of advice to you is to use jade glass awards for monthly or one-off occurrences. These are elegant, stylish, and look incredibly high-quality. These are great for employee-of-the-month awards and special “The Best Jane in the Office” type of awards. They’re also relatively affordable, often priced below $50. This is a great way to motivate your workers without making too big a deal over smaller matters which simply deserve a hearty, “Well done, Bill!”
2. Use art glass for more important awards
When you are ready for an annual award or a lifetime achievement award, invest in something a bit more pricey, such as an art glass award. This is the correct way to distinguish larger accomplishments and a body of work without making it look like the monthly awards.
The art glass awards are more stylish, more colorful, and obviously fancier. You can still choose an option that is under $100, or you can splurge a bit more for a bigger size or a more complex design. Either way, it will be deeply appreciated.
3. Present the award in front of everyone
There’s no point in presenting an award in private. It is a big deal and deserves applause… and ice cream. Don’t ever forget the cake and ice cream. When your employee receives his or her award in front of everyone, the public acknowledgment of their efforts, the congratulations from their coworkers, and the appreciation from their boss will be felt deeply.
Make sure that nobody eats until the award is presented and say a few words of respect for their excellent job before you present it. Keep it short and make it meaningful.
4. Have cake and cookies, complete with cold milk or ice cream
It is amazing how much people will show up for free food, especially if it is good quality food. This will always draw a bigger crowd than if you tried to gather your workers just to present the award and nothing else. You can boost the spirits of your honored employee even further by providing cake and ice cream (and some nice cold drinks) for everyone. It will increase the likelihood that more people will show up and it will guarantee a few congratulations among otherwise disinterested coworkers. Not that we’re cynical or anything. In large companies, personal interactions are not always available. The congratulations of strangers should be encouraged.
5. Make sure your employee has a proper shelf if they keep it at work
If your employee keeps their award at work (rather than taking it home), make sure they have a proper shelf on which to keep their accomplishments. If you live in an earthquake zone, make sure it has the proper rim around the edge to protect their awesome achievement. This shows them that you meant it, they are valued, and that you care about their self-esteem.
In the end, extrinsic motivation is valuable for some employees and extremely helpful along the way for everyone. Awards show that you care and that you want them to know how much you care. It will also give them the ability to congratulate and be happy for each other.
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
Online Men’s Lifestyle Magazine on Gear, Grooming, Girls, Gadgets
