5 Award Ideas for Stellar Employees

Lizzie Weakley

January 29, 2016

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You've got a crackerjack team of employees. Congratulations on your good fortune! Kudos also go to you for wanting to reward them. Recognition goes a long way in fueling staff incentive. According to Harvard Business Review, when quality work is acknowledged, employees are 30 percent more productive. Following are five novel ways to applaud your top-notch performers.

1. Salute a "Monthly Hero" with an engraved plaque.

Tread on the heels of Zappo's, the clothing and shoe store based in Las Vegas. Distinguish a "Monthly Hero." You can honor a first-rate worker with a recognition plaque. Letting peers vote for the honoree promotes staff camaraderie.

Many online vendors offer plaques that your employees will be proud to display. You can custom-design them with your choice of plate size and text. NAAG Tag is an example of an engraving company specializing in recognition plaques. You can pair your plaques with Naag Tag name tags with wearable "badges" of distinction.

2. Cheer on your team with re-loadable gift cards.

Follow the lead of Producers Assistance Corporation, a consulting firm for the oil and gas industry. The company issues re-loadable credit cards to reinforce workplace safety. When a staff member demonstrates a safe work practice, money is added to their card. The employee then redeems the amount wherever the credit card is accepted. After a six-month trial of using re-loadable gift cards, participation in the company's safety program doubled, along with a substantial reduction in accidents.

Gift cards issued by Visa and MasterCard can feature your company brand. You conveniently add value to the cards through direct deposit or bank transfer. Alternatively, you can enroll in a vendor program.

3. Give a standing ovation with off-site activities.

Adopt the fatherly gesture of GoDaddy, an internet hosting company. The business earmarks money each month to finance employee fun. GoDaddy recently treated its corporate family to cooking classes and whitewater rafting. HubSpot funds a monthly "mystery dinner." Management distributes a company-wide email, announcing only the date and time of the gathering. Employees then meet at a restaurant for great cuisine and conversation.

Other rewarding off-premise endeavors are:

bowling
charity walk
painting class
picnic
sporting event
vendor facility tour

4. Compensate above-and-beyond performance with Monopoly money.

Take a tip from American Express, the financial services corporation. Issue Monopoly dollars to workers that go the extra mile. At the end of each quarter, employees cash in their currency for items of their choice. Giving staff the chance to choose their awards shows you appreciate their uniqueness. Examples of gifts that employees favor are:

briefcases and handbags
calendars and planners
jewelry
kitchen appliances
iPhones and iPads
movie tickets
restaurant gift cards
watches

5. Celebrate achievements with magazine subscriptions.

Incorporate this suggestion fromInc. magazine. Subscribe to a publication in an employee's name. With each issue, they'll receive a reminder of how much they're valued. Popular topics are:

automotive
cooking
electronics
fashion
health
parenting
pets
sports

Multiply Success

Honoring excellence boosts company success. A survey administered byMaritz Research found that employees whose performance is rewarded are: