Examples of Items You Can Use for Employee Recognition

Examples of Items You Can Use for Employee Recognition

Employee recognition is best approached creatively. While money is an important form of employee recognition, ideas for employee recognition are limited only by your imagination. Use the following ideas as you approach the provision of employee recognition.

Money

Base salary
Bonuses
Gift certificates
Cash awards

Written Words

Handwritten thank you notes
A letter of appreciation in the employee file
Handwritten cards to mark celebratory occasions
Recognition posted on the employee bulletin board
Contribution noted in the company newsletter

Positive Attention From Supervisory Staff

Stop by an individual’s workstation or office to talk informally
Provide frequent positive performance feedback – at least weekly
Provide public praise at a staff meeting
Take the employee out to lunch.

Encourage Employee Development

Send people to conferences and seminars
Ask people to present a summary of what they learned at a conference or seminar at a department meeting
Work out a written employee development plan
Make career development commitments and a schedule

The Work Itself

Provide cross training opportunities
Provide more of the kinds of work the employee likes and less of the work they do not like
Provide opportunities for empowerment and self-management
Ask the employee to represent the department at an important, external meeting
Have the employee represent the department on an inter-departmental committee
Provide opportunities for the employee to determine their own goals and direction
Participation in idea-generation and decision making

Gifts

Company logo merchandise such as shirts, hats, mugs, and jackets
Gift certificates to local stores
The opportunity to select items from a catalog
The ability to exchange "positive points" for merchandise or entry into a drawing for merchandise

Symbols and Honors

Framed or unframed certificates to hang on the wall or file
Engraved plaques
Larger work area or office
More and better equipment
Provide status symbols, whatever they are in your organization