At PinMart, we’ve done a little digging and found one of the best ways to keep employees engaged is to create a culture of belonging and make them feel valued. One technique that does both of those things is creating an Employee Recognition program. 

Now, this doesn’t just mean any award or recognition; employees report that the recognition needs to be authentic, equitable, a part of the company’s culture, and personalized. If you can hit all those goals, then your Employee Recognition program should ring true to your staff and encourage them to feel respected and valued, which can go a long way toward keeping them in your employ. 

Why Have an Employee Recognition Program?

When you have outstanding employees, the first thing you want them to know is that they are valued. Starting an Employee Recognition program will help with that! To help your employees be dedicated and focused, the key is first to get them motivated. A happy, motivated employee will bring greater innovation and an improved company reputation, all while lowering staff turnover.

While there are many theories of motivation, two of the most important needs of most people are the need for achievement and the need for affiliation. By incorporating an Employee Recognition program, you show your employees that their hard work is appreciated and that the goals set have been accomplished and give them a confidence boost that with their hard work, they can exceed their goals. Employee Recognition programs also bring people together and let them know how important they are to the overall team and the health of the company. Having an Employee Recognition program that is part of your company’s culture and that is important to everyone involved is likely to boost engagement and clarify expectations for everyone.

How to Start an Employee Recognition Program

On the surface, like most ideas, starting an employee recognition program sounds easy enough. Just have management vote on who did the best job. Or have other employees nominate their co-workers. The person with the most votes gets the award, right? Wrong. This approach fails on so many of the key factors that make a great program successful.

• Start with management. Starting an employee recognition program starts at the top, with management getting behind the idea and helping to establish criteria in addition to frequency, employee award ideas, and deadlines. To be successful, the program needs to be easily explained to all involved and it must have everyone on board.
• Create a schedule or timeframe. Setting up a schedule of nominations and awards is important and a big part of the plan and rollout, but it can be flexible and based on the company. Some companies do it monthly; others have a big blowout part once a year to recognize accomplishments.
• Award criteria. Another key factor is to discuss with everyone about how the awards are determined. Are they performance-based or service-based? Is there a way an employee can track their performance or clearly see that an employee is leading the pack? More transparently, the better.
• Valued recognition. One of the most important aspects of a successful program revolves around how employees will be recognized. The award needs to be seen as valuable; otherwise, employees will see it as meaningless and even manipulative. Research has found that personalized gifts have the most value, but this requires a bit of front-end work and establishing a process for choosing and customizing gifts.
• Staff recognition ideas. If you’re looking for a program that works for your employees, why not ask them for some recognition ideas? From how awards can be earned to what they see as valuable awards – don’t leave your employees out of this process.

Ideas for Recognition Awards

Once you’ve figured out how your Employee Recognition program will be determined and established timelines, it’s time to start working on the fun stuff – the awards! At PinMart, we carry a huge variety of award and service pins. Not only do we have great stock options, but we offer customizable gifts, too. Create pins that show off your team logo or motto, and create pins customized to individual award levels, years of service, achievements, etc. It’s easy to do, and our staff is always here if you need help creating your customized order.

But, of course, pins aren’t the only way to recognize employees; in fact, they can be added to other goodies to round out an award package that employees are excited to receive. Other ideas for employee recognition include:

• Social recognition. Sharing your employees’ successes on social media is usually a key part of a successful program. It not only boosts morale within the company but puts your company’s culture on display and can elevate your standing among customers and the community. 
• Monetary recognition. Not all employees are financially motivated, but it’s a great incentive, and it’s clearly seen as valuable.
• Employee pick. A company gift catalog that allows the employee to pick their own gift is a great idea because it’s personalized and will clearly be seen as something of value.
• Parking spot. The coveted parking spot by the front door can be a great addition to any recognition program, giving the employee a little extra convenience for their reign.
• Swag. Load that special employee up with company logo products. From stationery to fitness gear, give them a whole suite of company logo items so they can proudly boast who they work for.
• Day off. If you can’t quite afford to give your honoree an entire day off, maybe they can skip out early on Friday or have a couple of hours of flex time to use when they need it next.
• Keep it local. A great idea, especially if you’re a local business, is to load up on gifts and gift certificates from small, local businesses. This supports your community and the people who live there, and it builds your company's reputation.

Another great idea is to have each employee fill out a little bit of personal information that lists what they’d prefer as a gift, what their favorite snacks are, what they do for fun, what charities mean the most to them, and other simple information that can help your H.R. department to select appropriate gifts and customize rewards.

If you’re interested in any custom recognition pins, service pins, lanyards, patches, or other products offered by PinMart, please contact us by phone at 1-877-PINMART (1-877-746-6278), and we will be happy to discuss your Employee Recognition program. 

12 Month Outstanding Employee Pin Set

$39.99

Reward your best employees each month with this Outstanding Employee Set of Lapel Pins. It includes one pin for each month of the year. Every...… read more