Everybody wants to know that their employer appreciates them and business achievement awards are an excellent way to show appreciation. Companies across all industries realize the need of customer satisfaction and the importance of employees to perform at top levels, especially when dealing with those outside of the company. Many times, keeping customers satisfied means keeping employees satisfied. The quality of a company's employee recognition efforts plays a direct part in employee job performance.

In an effort to keep incentives high, employers are instituting business incentive programs, incorporating regular bonuses and a recognition and rewards system. Recognition and rewards can be formal or informal. Informal recognition may be as simple as a spontaneous verbal expression. It is amazing what a simple, "Thank you. I appreciate your efforts," can do. Sometimes, however, formal recognition is in order. This is where corporate business awards come into play. Consider the following:

1. Corporate recognition awards create company pride

2. Business achievement awards boost personnel morale and increase staff loyalty

3. Promotional awards create sensitivity in personnel and increase customer loyalty

4. Satisfied employees equal better customer relations equals greater profits

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate low-budget corporate recognition awards

Pricing and costs of business achievement awards can run very high but low-budget corporation awards such as business trophies, awards, plaques, medals and pins are easily accessible. You can find some of these items for about $2 (medals) and perhaps cheaper if you order in bulk. Acrylic awards can average about $25.

I recommend: At Crown Awards, you can get an acrylic award for under $10. Business plaques are less than $25 and an acrylic clock is a little over $20. You can also find medals for under $2 and trophies for less than $3. Crown offers free engraving up to 40 letters and free shipping on plaque orders that exceed $100. K2 Trophies and Awards have a variety of corporate awards and gifts, some as low as $6. Their more expensive gifts fall at about $70, with acrylic awards ranging between $30 and $50.

Locate suppliers of custom awards

You can obtain custom corporate awards to add a touch of something different. Engrave corporate awards, trophies and plaques with award inscriptions, company logos, images, names or custom text. Sometimes a custom award may cost a little more, but it serves its job well in making its recipient feel extra special.

I recommend: TheFameFrame.com framing business offers a unique custom gift of a framed business card for under $50. Crystal, marble and granite awards from Wealthwood Gifts range in price from about $30 to close to $400. This company does not charge a setup fee and offers free shipping for orders over $50. RecognitionCorp offers personalized designs for businesses.

Get unique corporate recognition awards

Awards and plaques are nice, but for something a little different consider practical, unique gift ideas. Employees may prefer a toaster, camcorder or laptop and it may even add a little extra pizzazz in the workplace.

I recommend: Awards Network offers brand name merchandise for recognition and incentive gift ideas. Prices start as low as $25 and escalate to over $3000. You can purchase corporate gifts from Gasser Jewelers for under $75. Hall's Executive Gifts and Awards offers imaginative gifts from ceramic cows to personalized bricks. Contact the store for a quote.

Train employees to appreciate the work efforts of others by distributing promotional awards

Promotional awards can make fellow business associates feel that others appreciate their individual contributions to the work environment. Allowing employees to distribute promotional awards helps create sensitivity to the needs of others and harmony in the work environment.

I recommend: Epromos Promotional Products carries a wide variety of promotional products, some as little as $3. Register to request a catalog and to receive newsletter, specials and $50 off first order. 4imprint offers a number of interesting promotional pieces. Register to receive free samples, newsletters and catalogs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ordering business achievement awards factory direct will save you time and money and, perhaps, even a headache or two.

Promotional plaques and other awards in the workplace can tell employees their work is noticed and valued. More than just a pat on the back or money that's quickly spent, a seemingly simple piece of engraved wood or gift certificate can provide a visual reminder to the recipient and those around them that you're paying attention.

Plaques, trophies, certificates and having your work praised in a mass email are all effective. Non-cash gifts with a personal touch can make a more profound, long-lasting and less expensive impact.

Here are three reasons to use awards to increase motivation for excellence and build a team:

1. Rewarding employees inspires strong performance and competitiveness in battling absenteeism and workplace accidents. It also can promote customer service and sales growth.
2. Providing incentives for setting and reaching goals keeps everyone focused on the bottom line and builds your business.
3. Expensive turnover is reduced by recognizing employees as individuals and teams.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Set reachable yet challenging goals and benchmarks for achievement

Set and share a reachable goal that challenges employees, and budget for rewarding them. Encourage ownership by dangling an incentive 'carrot' or award. This can be as simple as giving someone an engraved nameplate for their desk once they successfully reach their 90-day probation.

I recommend: Download a demo of MindSolve's Goal Alignment and Accountability program.

Schedule an annual (or seasonal, or quarterly) recognition event

You may already have an annual tradition, such as a Christmas party. But try establishing a new tradition, such as a quarterly cookout. A regularly scheduled event gives people something to look forward to and allows employees to see their peers acknowledged.

I recommend: Numerous vendors offer promotional plaques and awards. A few to consider include: Awards Zone, Artistic Awards, Quick Trophy, Martin Awards, McAeiro, MGA Graphics and Delp's Awards.

Find different categories for excellence

Go outside the box to recognize unique achievements. For example, if spirit and attitude are what differentiate support or customer service employees, establish a 'That's the Spirit Award.'

I recommend: Go to World Class Awards to order gold metal pins engraved with phrases like Attitude, Quality, Cut Above, Customer Service Excellence in Action, Record Sales or MVP. Gimmees.com offers tote bags, pens and imprinted items that can serve as a badge of honor for the employee carrying them.

Enlist the help of professionals

If you have a large budget (or lack manpower to devote to the project), use a company to help manage incentive programs.

I recommend: Select-Your-Gift can create a program that allows employees to choose from an album of awards. Get a menu of companies to choose from at Employee Incentive.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't constantly reward the same people.
• •  Make sure rewards are based on actual contribution, or they won't meet your objectives.
• •  Celebrate the team as a whole.
• •  Get workers to nominate their peers. This can empower workers and give them a stake in the process.
• •  If you praise a team, name them. Encourage individual effort with individualized attention whenever possible.

Awards and plaques play an important role in recognizing a wide range of business achievements. In many industries, companies use such awards to encourage and motivate staff on a continual basis. Generally, when companies reward employees for positive behavior they are motivated to repeat that behavior. Employers use awards as an integral part of their business plan to keep staff performing at top levels.

Purchasing business trophies, business plaques and sales awards can add up to a pretty penny. Such gifts, although appreciated, can be an expensive and time-consuming investment, especially if you are dealing with a traditional awards company. The next time you have to distribute business achievement awards, consider ordering them factory direct:

1. You will save money in a great way because fewer middlemen will be claiming profits on each sale.

2. Placing an order with a factory direct source means fewer mistakes, especially on custom orders.

3. A factory direct source is more in tune with what is happening with your order, thus minimizing stress for you.

4. You will experience faster and better service when you have access to customer support directly from those involved in the production of your order.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay up to date with incentive planning and how to use corporate recognition awards effectively

Planning effective employee recognition experiences is contingent upon knowing the ropes. Making the most of business achievement awards includes becoming an expert in the award-giving arena. Research and gather information on an incentive plan and how to implement it effectively before locating suppliers and ordering your awards.

I recommend: Join Baudville, Inc. to find out about new products, events and promotions, receive newsletters, and find recognition tips, ideas and team-building activities. Crystal Art USA has compiled several articles containing useful information on trends in the recognition award industry.

Locate companies that offer business achievement awards factory direct

There are many traditional awards companies online and off and it can be easy to connect with one or more when searching for business achievement awards. Be sure to spend a little extra time and locate companies that offer award factory direct in order to receive the greatest benefits.

I recommend: World-Class Awards allows you to incorporate your logo into a beautiful corporate or executive gift. 123-Awards.com offers a variety of high quality awards and plaques for affordable prices. You can create custom awards through discussion with staff.

Locate factory direct promotional awards

Sometimes it is important to show appreciation to customers and fellow business associates as well as employees. Including a customer appreciation gift in your direct mail campaigns will profit your company tremendously.

I recommend: Get promotional medals and coins from World Class Medals, join their World Class club to receive discounts and sign up for buyer's guide to receive bonuses and tips. A Better Idea offers thousands of unique & creative promotional items for large and small businesses nationwide.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Spend time reviewing your business achievement awards list before placing your order. Haste makes waste. Multiple changes to an order can cause confusion and a loss of time on both ends. Also, a well-meaning recognition or awards program can backfire if you carelessly exclude even one name from the list.

Business achievement awards can take many forms, such as trophies, plaques, pins, or decorative elements such as vases and picture frames. Another key term in business achievement awards involves point-based incentive programs, which have proven popular with employees. Here are a few terms to get you started and help you make the right business choices.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Point-based incentive programs

In point-based incentive programs, the employer sets up a system whereby employees receive points based upon their service, achieving goals, or other factors determined by the employer. A well-designed program is flexible and based upon measurable data. The employee then uses the points to choose their own award from a list, such as merchandise, gift cards or travel.

I recommend: Loyaltyworks explains the effectiveness of a point-based incentive program for business achievement awards.

Plaques

Often a plaque, usually consisting of a wood base with a brass or marble engraved plate, is presented to an employee in recognition of a business achievement. Plaques can come in different sizes to represent differing levels of achievement within the company.

I recommend: Wealthwood Gifts suggests using plaques for appreciation, recognition or retirement.

Personalized gift

Rather than a standard plaque or trophy, a gift which recognizes some aspect of the employee's personality or interests gives a personal touch. The gift might also be personalized with the employee's name or initials, such as a tote bag, clock or business card case.

I recommend: FameFrame.com suggests a unique gift that combines the employee’s business card with “business cards” of famous people in a frame. Stellar Crystal suggests recognition gifts such as engraved paperweights, pen holders and business card holders.

Sales awards

Many companies honor sales people or agents with awards for outstanding efforts. Such awards often take the form of wall plaques, which can be displayed in the office to encourage other employees, or trophies that the employee can display on a desk or bookshelf.

I recommend: Promotables encourages the rewarding of goal-oriented employees.

Lapel pins

Lapel pins are made of metal and sometimes a baked-on enamel design. They are worn on the lapel in much the same way as a tie stickpin. They can be used to honor team loyalty by having a company logo.

I recommend: PinSource suggests ways to use lapel pins as awards in the corporate world.

Promotional awards

Sometimes business achievement awards serve a double purpose. While honoring the employee, the award also promotes the company. A vase, picture frame or bowl with the company logo, sitting on the employee's desk, keeps the company name in a customer's mind.

I recommend: Prime Designs suggests that promotional awards can increase employee satisfaction. Gimmees.com discusses how appreciation can be shown with promotional awards.