101WAYSTOCELEBRATEPEOPLE

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Intightfinancialtimes,ongoing,meaningfulrewardsandrecognitionprovideaneffective,low
costwayofraisingmoraleandencouraginghigherlevelsofperformance.Hereare101ideas
tohelpyouembedemployeerecognitionintoyoureverydaywork.
CreateaHallofFamewallwithphotosofoutstandingemployees.
Giveemployeestimeofftogiveblood.
Arrangeforateamtopresenttheresultsofitseffortstouppermanagement.
Encourage,enableandempowerstafftoexcel.
Planasurprisepicnic.
Answeryourassistantstelephoneforaday.
Encourageandrecognizestaffwhopursuecontinuingeducation.
Postathankyounoteonanemployeesdoor.
Washtheemployeescarintheparkinglotduringthelunchhour.
CreateandpostanEmployeeHonorRollinreceptionarea.
Acknowledgeindividualachievementsbyusingemployeesnamewhenpreparingastatus
report
Makeaphotocollageaboutasuccessfulprojectthatshowsthepeoplethatworkedonit,its
stageofdevelopmentanditscompletionandpresentation.
Bringanemployeebaggedlunchesforaweek.
Findoutthepersonshobbyandbuyanappropriategift.
Makeathankyoucardbyhand.
Coverthepersonsdeskwithballoons.
Makeanddeliverafruitbasket.
Inscribeafavoritebookasagift.
Establishaplacetodisplaymemos,posters,photosandsoon,recognizingprogresstowards
goalsandthankingindividualemployeesfortheirhelp.
Swapataskwithanemployeeforadayhis/herchoice.
EstablishaBehindtheScenesawardspecificallyforthosewhoseactionsarenotusuallyin
thelimelight.
Givethepersonacopyofthelatestbestsellingmanagementorbusinessbookora
subscriptiontoatrademagazine.
NominatetheemployeeforaUniversityformalawardprogram(UMatterorWorkplace
Award).
Keepinmindthatmanagersshouldserveascoachestoindirectlyinfluenceratherthan
demanddesiredbehavior.
Taketimetoexplaintonewemployeesthenormsandcultureofyourdepartment.
Givespecialassignmentstopeoplewhoshowinitiative.
GiveoutFelixandOscarawardstopeoplewiththeneatestandmessiestdesks.
DesignaStressSupportKitthatincludedaspirin,acomedycassette,winduptoysanda
stressballordesignyourown.
PresentStateoftheDepartmentreportsperiodicallytoyouremployeesacknowledgingthe
workandcontributionsofindividualsandteams.
Atamonthlystaffmeeting,awardanEmployeeoftheMonthandhaveeveryoneatthe
meetingstandupandsaywhythatpersonisdeservingoftheaward.
Setupaminiaturegolfcourseinyouroffice,usingwhatevermaterialsyouhaveonhand.Set
asideanafternoonoreveningtoholdaminigolftournament.Haveeachareadesigntheir
ownholeandgiveaprize.

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Ifyourteamisunderpressure,bringabagofmarblestoworkandtakeabreaktohavea
contestasurestressreliever.
Serveicecreamsundaestoallofyouremployeesattheendofaproject.
Onceayear,haveaStaffAppreciationDaywherethemanagerssupply,cookandserve
food.
Recognizeemployeeswhoactivelyservethecommunity.
Serveateamaheropartysandwichattheendofanassignment,forajobwelldone.
Giveemployeesanextralonglunchbreak.
Havestaffvotefortopmanager,supervisor,employeeandrookieoftheyear.
Nameacontinuingrecognitionawardafteranoutstandingemployee.
Includeanemployeeinaspecialmeeting.
Giveashinynewpennyforathoughtthathasbeenshared.
Sendflowerstoanemployeeshomeasathankyou.
Allowemployeestoattendmeetingsinyourplacewhenyouarenotavailable.
Purchaseauniquepintoserveasamementoforataskwelldone.
Wearcolorcodednametagsinastaffmeetingtoindicatesignificantachievementssuchas
lengthofservice,successfulprojectcompletion,etc.
CreateanAboveandBeyondtheCallofDuty(ABCD)Award.
Holdinformalretreatstofostercommunicationandsetgoals.
Askyourbosstoattendameetingwithyouremployeesduringwhichyouthankindividuals
andgroupsfortheirspecificcontributions.
Popinatthefirstmeetingofaspecialprojectteamandexpressyourappreciationfortheir
involvement.
Providealunchforprojectteamsoncetheyhavemadeinterimfindings.Expressyour
appreciation.
Sendalettertoallteammembersattheconclusionofaproject,thankingthemfortheir
participation.
Startanemployeerecognitionprogram.Givepointsforattendance,punctuality,teamwork,
etc.Providegiftcertificatestoemployeeswhoreachcertainpointgoals.
Findwaystorewarddepartmentspecificperformance.
Giveapersonalizedcoffeecup.
Planasurpriseachievementcelebrationforanemployeeorgroupofemployees.
Startasuggestionprogram.
GiveMr.Goodbar(candybar)Awards
Recognizeemployeespersonalneedsandchallenges.
Giveanemployeeablueribbonforachievement.
Writealetterofpraiserecognizingspecificcontributionsandaccomplishments.Sendacopy
toseniormanagementandtheemployeespersonnelfile.
Whenyouhearapositiveremarkaboutsomeone,repeatittothatpersonassoonaspossible
(Facetofaceisbest,emailorvoicemailaregoodinanpinch).
Callanemployeetoyourofficetothankthem(dontdiscussanyotherissue).
Ifyouhaveadepartmentnewsletter,publishakudoscolumnandaskfornominations
throughoutthedepartment.
Publiclyrecognizethepositiveimpactonoperationsofthesolutionsemployeesdevisefor
problems.
Acknowledgeindividualachievementsbyusingemployeenamesinstatusreports.
Videotapeaspecialeventandsharecopieswithparticipants.
Expressaninterestinemployeescareerdevelopmentgoals.
Postalargecelebrationcalendarinyourworkarea.Tackonnotesofrecognitiontospecific
dates.

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Designandgivemagnetswithappropriatemessages.
Createandstringabanneracrosstheworkarea.
Giveadeservingemployeeamugfilledwithtreats.
Giveaframedpoem(posterorcard)asathankyou.
Greetemployeesbyname.
Practicepositivenonverbalbehaviorsthatdemonstrateappreciation.
Supportflexfriendlyschedules.
Encourageemployeestoidentifyspecificareasofinterestinjobrelatedskills.Thenarrange
forthemtospendadaywithaninhouseexperttolearnmoreaboutthetopic.
78. Encourageemployeestoparticipateincommunityvolunteerefforts.
79. Shareverbalaccoladesforwardpositivevoicemailmessages.
80. Activelylistentocoworkers,especiallywhendiscussingtheiraccomplishmentsand
contributions.
81. Use3x5cardstowriteYourespecialbecausestatements.Peoplecancollectthecardsand
refertothemwhenthingsarentgoingperfectly.
82. Havearecognitioneventcreatedbyapeergroupthatdecideswhattheywillgiveandwhy
theywillgiveit.
83. Keepasupplyofappropriatelyfunnynotesthatcanbegivenasimmediaterewards.Keepthe
supplyvisibleinabasketorboxinyouroffice.
84. Widelypublicizesuggestionsusedandtheirpositiveimpactonyourdepartment.
85. Whensomeonehasspentlonghoursatwork,sendaletterofthankstohis/herhome.
86. Throwapizzalunchpartyforyourunit.
87. Acknowledgeandcelebratebirthdays.
88. Giveanotereading,Thankyou.Youarea______!"AttacharollofLifesavers.
89. MakeanecklaceoflifesaversandgiveittosomeoneForbeingthelifesaverof
___________.
90. ServepopcornandlemonadeonFriday(especiallyafteraparticularlyhardweek).
91. Allowanemployeetochoosehis/hernextassignment.
92. Atanemployeemeeting,randomlytapegiftcertificatestothebottomofchairs(forthefirst
time,choosechairsonlyinthefrontrow).
93. Recognizeateamaccomplishmentbydesignatingthatteamasconsultantstootherteams.
94. Giveapuzzleasanawardtoaproblemsolver.
95. Recognizethosecommittedtopersonalhealthandwellness.
96. Haveweeklybreakfastswithgroupsofemployees.
97. Treatanemployeetolunch.
98. Giveoutgoldcoinsforajobwelldone.
99. Bakeagift(cookies,bread,etc.)foranoutstandingemployeeorteam.
100. Sendbirthdaycardstoemployeeshomes,signedbydeanordirector.
101. Haveanoutstandingemployeespendadaywithadeanordirector.

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