service award presentation ideas

Rewards and Recognition Made Easy

Employee Service Awards: The Complete 2021 Guide

by Sunny Tsang . In Rewards and Recognition .

Employee service awards are often a missed opportunity for companies to not only recognize those who have stayed at your organization, but also celebrate the contributions an employee has made over time. One often overlooked element of employee service awards is that they have the potential to extend beyond simply acknowledging tenure. Service awards are an opportunity to highlight an employee’s specific accomplishments and contributions to your company over time.

When done well, an employee service awards program can be highly effective for your organization. However, many service award programs are often cobbled together manually, disorganized, or overlooked completely. This post provides an overview of what service awards are, why you should care, and 8 unique ways to make service awards memorable, meaningful, and personalized to your employees.

What are employee service awards?

According to SHRM , employee service awards are a recognition acknowledging how long an employee has stayed at your company, usually beginning at the five-year mark. However, as tenure has decreased, many companies now begin awarding service awards at 1 year . Service awards also celebrate the specific achievements and contributions that employee has made through their time at your organization.

Employee service awards typically come with either a monetary reward or a tangible reward. Sometimes this includes a plaque, certificate, bonus, trophy, or lapel pin. Historically, employee service awards were part of a total rewards package and marketed as a company benefit. 

Many companies establish these programs based on intuition and a vague understanding that employees want to be recognized for their tenure. This results in a messy process that often feels anticlimactic to tenured employees. To have an effective employee service award program, organizations should be following a series of best practices outlined by SHRM , described below.

7 Employee Service Award Best Practices

1. have clearly defined goals and objectives.

Your employee service awards need to be carefully defined and measured from the start. Without a clear strategy, including goals and objectives, your program will be disorganized and ineffective.

2. Set Clear Expectations for Employee and Manager Participation

Managers and employees should have a clear understanding of how to use your service awards program before it launches. Every manager should have employee start dates on their calendars and be familiar with the ways you recognize employee tenure as a company.

3. Offer Personal, Memorable Milestone Rewards

Service awards should be highly personalized to the individual, highlighting their many accomplishments over their years at your company.

4. Give Gifts Employees Actually Want

A generic gift card or some old, outdated company swag doesn’t cut it when it comes to employee service awards. When giving a service award, research what your employee actually likes to do in their spare time and give a gift relevant to their interests.

5. Create Celebratory Moments

Celebrating an employee service award publicly reinforces connections between the employee and the workplace. This is crucial to building and maintaining relationships with your long-tenured employees.

6. Tie Service Awards to Core Values

Your core values are the bond that ties your organization together. Every service award should be reflective of your company’s core values, so be sure to give meaningful, personalized gifts that also represent who you are as a company.

7. Recognize the Employee’s Individual Impact

The last thing you want is for your employee service awards to be generic. Service awards should emphasize how the individual has specifically impacted your company and what they’ve done to make change.

Why You Should Care About Employee Service Awards

So, now that we’ve taken a thorough look at service awards and how they work, let’s discuss why we should care about them. The metrics don’t lie: according to The Work Institute’s 2019 Retention Report , 38% of employees leave in their first year, and 78% leave within five years. As millennials have become the largest working demographic, companies have reacted by placing an emphasis on the importance of rewards and recognition over the last decade. Yet, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January 2020 that the average employee tenure is 4.1 years, which is slightly down from 4.4 in January 2010 . 

While the emphasis on consistent rewards and recognition has risen over the last five years, service awards seem to be an often overlooked piece of the recognition puzzle. Companies have made huge strides in developing more holistic rewards and recognition programs, but tenure is still suffering because many employees feel that their time spent at a company is not well-rewarded.

Service awards are unique because unlike other types of rewards and recognition, every employee is eligible for a service award, regardless of role or location. Employee service awards — when part of a more holistic recognition program — are a key way to recognize what an employee has contributed to your company over time. Service awards also build trust between employees and management, strengthen company culture, and provide an opportunity to share stories that emphasize what your culture stands for. And, at a time when workplace loneliness is at an all-time high , bringing employees together through recognition is more important than ever.

The 8 Critical Stages of Employment

Service awards are changing, and today’s workforce — which is primarily millennials — cares more about having a personalized and holistic recognition experience. But your company should also be thinking ahead: service awards programs are more often combined with other recognition initiatives to create a comprehensive recognition strategy. For the purpose of this article, let’s focus on service awards themselves while still considering that they fit into the larger mosaic of an entire recognition program.

Service awards should change over time, depending on how long an employee has been with your company. This means that the longer an employee is with your organization, the more meaningful a service award should be. In fact, according to Forbes , there are eight critical stages of employment that define how an employee fits into your company. We suggest your service awards be tailored to these stages, which we explore below.

Year 1: The Learning Phase

In this phase, employees are absorbing as much knowledge and as many details about the company as possible. They are identifying what they like and dislike about their jobs, their managers, and their teams.

Year 3: It Feels Like I’m Fitting In

Employees have integrated as a functional part of the team, getting comfortable with their coworkers and understanding how their contributions make an impact. They also develop a curiosity about their career trajectories at the company, should they choose to stay.

Year 5: I Have Achieved Expertise

Research shows that the five-year mark is a critical time for employees. They begin to ask themselves what the next step in their career is and are looking for some excitement. They find themselves in a comfortable routine and are eager to take on new challenges.

Year 10: I Belong Here

Career stages beyond Year 5 are becoming less common, so it’s important to study these carefully. Employees in this stage have bonded with your company. They typically treat the company’s goals as their own and see their workplace as a version of home. These employees are critical to retain.

Year 15: I’m Invested

Given all the time they have already invested in your company, employees are both looking ahead to the future and looking behind to reflect on their history with your company. Your company has become part of their identity and they have a personal sense of ownership over what takes place.

Year 20: I Lead Like a Veteran

These employees have witnessed your company change drastically over time. Concurrently, their personal lives have changed as well. They are approaching a phase where they want to demonstrate what quality work is to younger coworkers and set an example.

Year 25: The Triumph Phase

This is the employee’s most significant milestone and a key opportunity to celebrate past and present victories. Employees who have spent 20 years at your company are determined to make an impact on the next generation of employees at your organization.

Year 30: I Am a Mentor

At this stage, employees have stepped into a mentorship and leadership role. They have a sincere desire to pass on their knowledge and leave a legacy before they retire.

Employee service awards should align with what stage the employee is in. We’ll go over these stages more in-depth below and recommend service awards for each stage.

8 Employee Service Awards Ideas for Each Career Stage

If you’re going to establish priorities for your employee service awards program, be sure to focus on these eight career stages first. It’s crucial to recognize an employee’s contributions and celebrate them in accordance with their career stage. For example, you wouldn’t give an employee who’s celebrating their first year at your company the same celebration as someone celebrating their 25th year at your company — these two employees have different experiences at work and contributions will differ greatly.

These eight service awards recommendations align with each career stage so you can ensure your service awards match the impact of the employee’s contribution over time.

An employee’s 1-year service award is an opportunity to provide a small but unique reward for their first year at your company. A reward like a gift card with a handwritten note from the employee’s manager can go a long way to making them feel appreciated. Bonus points if you can get everyone on the employee’s team to sign a card congratulating them on their year of hard work.

Year 3 is a time to offer employees their choice of an item, like jewelry, electronics, home accessories, leisure/sports items, or travel accessories. Let them choose from a select catalog of items only employees with three years of tenure can access. Encouraging the employee to select their own item follows one of SHRM’s best practices outlined above that encourages companies to offer employee service awards that employees actually want . Additionally, a handwritten note of appreciation from the employee’s manager adds a personal and thoughtful touch.

Employees who have spent five years at your company are looking for the next phase in their careers. For this reason, employee service awards become much more critical, and this is an opportunity to show them how much you appreciate them. 

At this stage, make sure the employee is publicly recognized for their hard work. In your public recognition, include several examples of specific ways this employee has contributed to your company and made an impact. For a tangible service reward, consider offering additional PTO days along with a custom rewards catalog that only employees with five years of tenure can access.

Stage 4 is a critical time to publicly recognize an employee for their work, so don’t let this milestone anniversary slip by. Employees at this stage are extremely comfortable and see your company as an extended part of their home. Celebrate them by offering a reward that also feels like home — namely, a team- or company-wide celebration acknowledging this momentous occasion. Additionally, it’s crucial to provide a larger tangible reward, like a weekend getaway or an extra day of PTO for every year the employee has been at your company. 

Privately-owned companies can consider offering stock options or other equity programs to give employees a true sense of ownership. At this stage, they feel like they truly belong. Reinforce that feeling by making your company a real part of their future.

One thing to note is that at this stage, it’s important for management to be highly involved with recognizing the employee. During your team- or company-wide celebration, have managers give a short speech about this employee’s strengths and what connects them to the company. During the speech, be sure that managers emphasize your company’s core values and highlight how this employee embodies them.

These employees are truly invested in your company, so now’s the time to invest in them. Again, the 15-year mark should be celebrated with an office party and a larger tangible reward. Managers should also invest time in gathering photos, memories, and meaningful anecdotes from coworkers to put together in a custom presentation that demonstrates the employee’s impact on the company over time. Their investment is measurable, so highlighting the work they have done is key to recognizing their important contributions.

For a tangible reward, consider offering an extended vacation package. Employees who have been at your company for this long deserve rest and relaxation, so make sure to emphasize this at a time when they feel most invested in your company. Additionally, if your company has a stock option program, consider providing more after an employee hits their 15-year milestone.

Employees who hit the 20-year mark are still present in today’s workforce, but with millennials’ track record of job-hopping , we’re unsure of what the workplace will look like in 20 years. However, when looking at the tenure statistics of Baby Boomers and Gen X, you see similar trends , indicating that people are simply more prone to change jobs when they are younger. Considering this, it’s entirely possible that millennials will inevitably hit the same Year 20 milestones as their Gen X and Baby Boomer predecessors. The data shows that it’s still important to plan for stage 6.

20 years is a commendable time to spend at an organization, so make this particular work anniversary special. These employees are leaders that want to set an example for newer employees, so give them a custom reward that specifically honors their leadership skills. We recommend rewarding them a management development course and a rare piece of memorabilia that they will treasure. Of course, publicly recognize them for their work at your company, be sure to involve management, and consider offering additional PTO and stock options (if your company has a stock options program).

When an employee reaches a milestone like 25 years, ordinary rewards won’t cut it. This career anniversary deserves a memorable award that specifically celebrates the employee’s historical knowledge of the company. During the employee’s public service award celebration, host a company trivia night and ask questions that highlight this specific employee’s role and contributions to your company. Provide small rewards for employees who answer the most questions correctly before presenting the employee you’re celebrating with their major gift. 

For this stage, in addition to public recognition and additional equity, we recommend an extended vacation package for the employee and their family. This provides an experience that they can share with their loved ones as well. The employee will also return to their job feeling refreshed and full of new ideas for their role, which is a huge advantage for your company.

At this stage, employees have stepped into a mentorship and leadership role. They have a sincere desire to pass on their knowledge and leave a legacy before they retire, but they have also put plenty of time into the job.

For this stage, on top of public recognition and additional equity, let the employee take an extended sabbatical. A sabbatical should be a paid full month off to learn a new hobby, spend time with family, or even travel abroad. This month off should be a true departure from work: no checking emails, no working on company projects, and no meetings.

Many companies are offering up to five weeks of sabbatical leave for tenured employees. If you’re wondering how you can afford to lose an employee of this caliber for a month, consider that five weeks is just a fraction of this employee’s time at your company.

Design an Employee Service Awards Program that Works

Employee service award programs don’t have to be informal or last-minute. Use these employee service awards ideas to craft a program that follows best practices and rewards employees for their contributions in a meaningful way. By creating an intentional program that aligns with your core values and treats service awards with care, you can provide meaningful moments for your employees, from their first year to their 30th.

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32 Years of Service Award Ideas for Celebrating Milestones

By: Grace He | Updated: August 27, 2022

Here is our list of the best years of service award ideas .

Years of service awards are activities or items that recognize and celebrate employees who have worked in an organization for a significant amount of time. Examples include paid day-offs, paid travel, gift boxes, and scholarships. The purpose of these activities is to appreciate employees for their contribution to the company, motivate other employees, and help retain key talent. Years of service awards are also known as milestone awards, service anniversaries, and service milestones.

These awards are examples of employee milestones , employee engagement campaigns , work anniversary gifts for employees , and staff gifts .

This list includes:

5 years of service awards

10 years of service awards, 25 years of service awards, 30+ years of service awards.

Let’s get to it!

1. A gift box

A gift box is an excellent 5 years of service award idea. You can set up the gift box based on the worker’s hobbies and interests. You can also let workers choose their preferred gift items.

Here are some gift box award ideas:

• A gym membership
• Travel essentials- travel pillows, suitcase, travel mugs, coolers
• Gardening tools or plants like succulents
• Company branded apparel- jackets, backpacks, shirts, and mugs
• An art piece- For instance, you can commission a formal or funny portrait of an employee

You can combine the gift box with a letter, card, or certificate of appreciation. This gesture will make the gifts more intimate and personal.

2. Framed photo

If you have fun photos of your employees, then you can frame and present the photo as a gift. Framed employee photos go well with a thank you note for employees’ 5 years of service. You can also have a spot in the office where you hang photos of every employee who surpasses the five-year mark.

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• icebreaker games
• bingo cards

3. Five-paid days off

Rewarding employees with a five-day off package is a great way to celebrate their five years of service. You can structure the benefits package so that staff who hit this milestone automatically earn an additional workweek of paid time off. You can combine the day off with a spa coupon or a shopping voucher so that employees have a treat to enjoy in their free time.

Check out more employee benefits and perks .

4. Dinner voucher

A dinner voucher is a great way to celebrate workers for five years of service. You can give workers a dinner or lunch coupon to a fancy restaurant. If feeling generous, then you can also treat the worker’s immediate family members, a few friends, or colleagues. If time allows and the employee is willing, then you could even organize a dinner for coworkers and family and attend the meal together.

5. A cash gift

Cash gifts are among the most favorite years of service award ideas for workers. You can offer cash gifts if you are unsure what a worker wants as an award. You can base cash gifts on an employee’s contribution to the company’s growth within the five years.

6. Paid travel

If you want to celebrate a worker who likes to travel, then paid travel is among the most thoughtful award ideas. You can ask the worker to mention a favorite destination or give a few options of paid destinations.

Here are some paid travel ideas

• A weekend getaway
• An overnight stay at a luxurious resort
• A one-week holiday with family
• A first-class flight voucher for the next year

Combining a paid travel trip with paid days off is one of the best ways to motivate workers and provide a sense of belonging in a company.

Here is a list of travel incentive program ideas .

7. Gift cards or vouchers

Gift cards and vouchers are cards that you can load with monetary value. Gift cards are preferred over surprise gifts since they give employees the flexibility to choose rewards. Workers can pick a specific item instead of inappropriate gifts or those that they will not appreciate. Plus, you can send e-gift cards to employees’ emails.

8. Season tickets

Season tickets are a great way to commemorate 10 years of service for sports or arts fanatics. You can issue entire season tickets to concerts or sporting events. To make the events more enjoyable, issue tickets for the employee and a plus one. You can also try to accommodate employees’ family members like children or spouses.

9. A paid subscription

A paid subscription based on an employee’s interests will show workers that you value your workforce beyond work. You can offer various subscription options for employees to choose.

Examples of gift subscription ideas:

• Fitness subscription- gym, swimming, hiking
• Books- audiobooks or physical books
• Meal deliveries- A takeout meal delivery every Friday for the entire family
• Pet supplies
• Car wash subscription
• Learning platforms such as Udemy or Skillshare

While a paid subscription is an excellent 10 years of service award, it is advisable to purchase specific subscriptions that an employee wants or needs. As such, paid subscriptions may not work well as a surprise.

10. A raise

Raises are permanent years of service awards. While raises will motivate the employees to work even harder during the coming years, you should base raises on merit rather than tenure. For instance, a worker who puts in more effort cannot get a similar raise as one who does not. However, you can give every worker who surpasses the 10 years mark a bump in pay.

11. Bonuses

Bonuses are a great way to express gratitude for the exemplary 10 years of service to an organization. Since cash may seem like a simple gift for some employees, you can give a bonus alongside other appreciation ideas such as a thank you note or a trophy. Be sure to offer a substantial and memorable bonus amount. For instance, you can offer 20% to 40% of a workers’ salary as an added bonus to show appreciation for 10 years of service.

12. A feature in the company newsletter

A feature in the company newsletter will make employees feel appreciated for their decade of service. You can issue a one-page feature rather than a simple picture and a thank you note in the company newsletter. In the segment, an employee will share their journey throughout the years, give career advice to the younger workers or talk about their interests outside of work.

Here are get to know you questions to generate content for this profile.

13. Stock options

Letting your workers buy company stocks at lower prices is a great appreciation for 10 years of service. With this gift, employees will feel a sense of ownership in the organization. Stock options are a strategy that you can use to retain workers and gain employee loyalty.

14. A personal note of appreciation from company leadership

A personal note of appreciation from senior company leadership will make employees feel recognized for their work. You can plan for other gifts that will accompany the personal message. For instance, you can hold a dinner party where the CEO and other senior leaders will present a note of thanks.

15. Promotions

Promoting deserving employees at the 10-year mark will make them feel seen for their work. You do not have to wait for the 10 years to lapse to promote an employee. However, a 10th-year anniversary promotion will make workers feel appreciated. Promotions are also a clever way to motivate other junior workers to provide exemplary services at work. Even if the promotion does not involve a new role or different responsibilities, you can grant ten-year employees senior status that comes with perks like a special title, membership to a group of other tenured employees, and opportunities like special projects.

16. Development and training opportunities

Most employees seek career growth, financial and job security in an organization. One of the most significant ways that companies can reward employees is the provision of free development and training opportunities.

Examples of development and training opportunities:

• Pay for a certification course
• Give employees the freedom to access industry-specific seminars
• Industry-related training

Employee development and training opportunities are a win for both employees and the company. Companies will benefit from the skills gained as workers get better at a craft. In addition, providing workers with opportunities to upskill in careers shows that you care about the employee’s growth.

Check out this list of employee training and development books.

17. Support employee’s charity

Supporting workers’ favorite philanthropy is a great gift to celebrate 25 years of service. You can research the workers’ favorite charity and surprise them with a donation in their honor.

You can also share non-monetary gifts such as volunteering with other workers to the honoree’s choice charity organization. For instance, if the workers support a conservation organization, then plan a day when the entire company plants trees in a nearby area.

18. A paid family holiday

A paid family holiday is a great way to honor workers for their 25 years of service. You can let workers select their preferred holiday destination and cater for expenses for the entire family or group of friends. Let employees choose between a local resort or an international destination. For 25 years of service, an international paid family trip will make workers feel more appreciated and motivate junior workers.

19. Extravagant gifts

Extravagant gifts are one of the best ways to recognize employees for 25 years of service. Your workers will feel noticed and appreciated. Lavish gifts are ideal for companies not working with a tight budget.

• Food items- Expensive whiskey or wine, luxury chocolates, or meal hampers
• Home items- Fridges, washing machines, or dishwashers
• Technology- A new phone, laptop, iPad, or high-tech watch
• Music instruments – Keyboard or a guitar. Music instruments are perfect gifts for employees who play or are learning how to play musical instruments
• Luxurious golf accessories- best for an avid golfer
• Wardrobe revamp- Apparel upgrades are an excellent idea for workspaces with formal dress codes
• Aesthetic desk clock

Given the high cost of extravagant gifts, ensure to personalize the gifts as much as possible. Gifting golf accessories to a non-avid golfer will not serve the purpose. As such, let your employees choose the preferred presents.

For more inspiration, check out this list of luxury gift items .

20. A scholarship

If you have workers who want to go back to school, then a full-paid scholarship is a great way to reward these employees for their half-century service to the company. Workers may opt for a second degree, master’s, or doctorate scholarship. Helping older workers advance their careers is also a win for the organization.

21. Work anniversary party

Surprising your workers with a work anniversary party to commemorate 25 years of service is such a great idea! You can decorate the office with anniversary-themed décor or host a party in an outdoor space. Ensure to invite senior management and make the work anniversary party a festive event that everyone in the company will enjoy.

Here is how to throw a remote workiversary party and a list of ideas for work anniversaries in the office .

22. Social media post

Dedicating a social media post to an employee is a great way to celebrate 25 years of service. You can share a shout-out on social platforms where your company has a presence. Popular social media platforms include Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also share a post on other platforms such as LinkedIn.

What to share:

• A picture of the employee with the CEO or junior workers
• A photo of the employee receiving a 25-year anniversary present from the CEO
• A video of the worker having fun at work
• A video of the worker speaking at a conference
• A personalized and unique message from the employee to the public
• Things that the worker has learned over the 25 years of service at the company
• Advice for the younger workers

Examples of social media posts:

• Thank you xxx for your 25 years with us. We value you and appreciate your service to the company. Help us wish xx a happy 25th work anniversary!
• Dear xx, congratulations on your 25th anniversary with us! We are grateful for your efforts throughout the years.
• We are beyond lucky to have xx for the past 25 years! Over time, you have shown us nothing but professionalism, ethics, and a positive work attitude. We wish you a fun work anniversary.
• A toast to more years of collaboration with xx. Join us as we celebrate xx for helping us serve our clients for 25 years!

Encourage colleagues and clients to add positive comments and wish the worker a happy anniversary.

Here are ideas for messages for work anniversaries .

23. Office upgrade

Employees value their space at work. A paid office upgrade is a great way to appreciate workers who have worked to the top. You can surprise workers with an office upgrade or let employees work with an interior office designer for a set budget.

Office upgrade ideas:

• Get a new office plant
• Revamp the office furniture
• Get a new computer
• Switch up the office lighting

You can give workers the freedom to revamp their offices. However, ensure that any changes are in line with company policies. For instance, give workers guidance on choosing wall paint that compliments the organization’s theme.

24. Trophies

Trophies are durable and tangible reminders of specific achievements. Giving trophies to workers for their 25 years of service to an organization will make employees feel seen and appreciated. Allow flexibility for workers to either display the trophy on their desks or in their homes.

To make employees feel more valued and appreciated, personalize the trophies as much as possible. It is best practice to include the employee’s name, job title, significant achievements, and the number of years served in the company.

25. Milestone scrapbook

A milestone scrapbook is a great way to take your workers back in time. If you have fun memories of workers from the time they joined the company to recent times, then make a scrapbook and gift them with other events. For instance, a milestone scrapbook is an excellent idea for more prominent anniversaries and retirements. You can have new workers sign the scrapbook and write thoughtful memories.

26. Check off workers’ bucket list

Helping workers check off their bucket lists is a clever way to celebrate 30+ years of service. For a bucket list check-off,  you will involve the employee and ask them to list activities they want to do or places they want to visit. You can create a budget to maximize the employees’ experiences in the chosen activities.

Here are some bucket list ideas for employees

• Learn Spanish
• Water rafting
• Go scuba diving
• Paragliding
• Fly in a hot-air balloon
• Record a song

Helping workers check off bucket lists is one of the best years of service awards for seniors. However, enforce safety measures even as workers have fun. For instance, workers should get clearance from doctors to engage in activities that may be risky.

27. Create a commemorative video of the workers

Videos are simple yet remarkable ways to commemorate workers for their 30+ work service. You can use work scrapbooks from the time the worker joined the company to recent times.

Simply create a video that entails their achievements and shows employees how far they have come since joining the organization. You can play this video at their retirement party, anniversary party or post it on social platforms. Be sure to include thoughtful messages for the employees from other colleagues.

28. Long vacations

You may opt to give junior employees a few days’ trip for their work anniversaries. You can make this gift more memorable for workers who have served for 30+ years by giving them a long vacation to their destination of choice. While a longer holiday that extends a week is not often practical, consider a two to three-week vacation.

29. VIP parking spots

If you offer VIP parking spots for senior management, then consider offering VIP parking for workers who have served for 30+ years. It may seem like a small gesture, but workers love the implied status of being special. The privilege could be a spot that is easier to park, a space with sunroof protection, or parking  close to the office entrance.

30. Access to a mentoring program

Mentoring programs will give employees who have served the company for 30+ years an opportunity to educate and mentor junior workers. Mentorship programs will provide workers with a sense of accomplishment as they guide mentees throughout their careers.

You can look for mentorship programs that workers can partake in within the community. You can also create a mentorship program in your company where people who have served for 30+ years get to mentor younger workers.

31. Sabbatical leave

A sabbatical is an extended break from work. Offering a sabbatical leave is a great way to honor tenured employees. Depending on your human resource needs, a four- to five-week sabbatical is a great way to offer an extended leave and rejuvenate workers. You can expect increased wellbeing, productivity, and even more professional knowledge from workers who go for a sabbatical.

32. Retirement bonus contribution

Employees who are celebrating 30+ years of service may be actively planning for retirement. Contributing a retirement bonus will boost financial wellbeing and reduce the pressure that workers may have regarding retirement funds. Once employees retire, the gesture will remain significant even in their senior years.

Employee recognition is more than a pat on the back for a job well done. Years of service awards should be meaningful, fun, and memorable. Rewards should relate to employee efforts, successes, and company values. To captivate your employees, ensure that the years of service awards honor workers’ contributions and build an emotional connection between employees and the organization. When well done, years of service awards give workers a sense of belonging in an organization and boost morale.

Next, check out these lists of virtual work anniversary ideas , virtual retirement party celebrations and employee care package ideas .

We also have a list of pros and cons of four day workweeks .

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FAQ: Years of service award ideas

Here are answers to questions about years of service award ideas

What are years of service awards?

Years of service awards are activities or items that recognize and celebrate employees who have worked in an organization for a significant amount of time.

What are some good years of service award ideas?

Some good years of service award ideas include long vacations, milestone scrapbooks, office upgrades, and a feature in the company newsletter.

Why should you celebrate milestone years of service at work

One of the best ways to improve employees’ productivity and motivation is employee recognition. By celebrating milestone years of service at work, employees feel valued and appreciated for their work.

Here are reasons why you should celebrate milestone years of service at work:

• Improve employee retention rate
• Motivate employees to deliver productive results
• Foster a feeling of belonging for employees in an organization
• Promote better relationships between employees and employers
• Recognize and appreciate employees for loyalty to your organization
• Attract and retain new talent
• Help employees form relationships and bond
• Showcase your employer brand
• Strengthen the organization’s culture

Investing in employee satisfaction is a long-term benefit for an organization. To keep the years of service awards interesting, ensure that the honors become more personalized and prestigious as your employees celebrate larger achievements.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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10+ Ideas for Employee Service Awards in 2024

Table of Contents:

Making the most of employee service awards, strategies for recognizing employees with service awards, creating lasting impact with employee service awards, innovative ideas for awarding employees for outstanding service, benefits of rewarding employees with service awards, final thoughts on employee service awards.

Employees do fantastic work day in and day out, but let's be honest: it can be easy to get into a bit of a rut. Employee service awards are essential to any successful  employee awards program . With the right service award program, you can reward excellence and motivate your staff to prioritize top-notch performance while having a little fun.

Service awards programs provide another incentive layer for employees, helping them feel appreciated and engaged at work. With the right recognition program in place, you can take your employee recognition awards efforts to the next level by offering meaningful rewards that will reinforce hard work and dedication. From giving out  employee awards  to recognizing milestones, there are many ways to leverage service awards. So let's explore 10+ creative ideas for rewarding employees with a service award program that will have a lasting impact.

Employee service awards are an excellent way to recognize and reward employees for their work. Service awards can motivate current employees to continue their commitment to excellence and create an atmosphere of appreciation in the workplace. A staff service award program allows businesses to show gratitude for employee loyalty and dedication while also developing a culture of recognition in the workplace.

A well-developed employee recognition program typically includes  employee recognition awards . By recognizing workers who have exceeded their job requirements and providing rewards for their accomplishments, businesses can encourage employees to strive for excellence and foster a culture of appreciation. Service recognition programs can include ceremonies or events that honor specific employees for their outstanding performance or can be done more informally with simple rewards and recognition given to those who have gone the extra mile.

There are many strategies for recognizing employees with service awards. A service award program is an excellent way to increase employee motivation, loyalty, and overall satisfaction. Providing recognition for achievements and milestones, it can have an uplifting impact on morale and productivity within the workplace. The first step to setting up an effective employee recognition program is to set clear criteria for awarding service awards. This will ensure that employees feel rewarded for their efforts and results.

Once the criteria are set, it is vital to have the plan to implement an effective service awards program. This could include multiple recognition events throughout the year, such as celebrating years of service anniversaries or recognizing outstanding work or achievements. It's also a good idea to incentivize employees to strive for excellence, such as gift cards or other rewards. Finally, it is essential to communicate the program effectively to ensure that all employees understand the criteria and how they can be rewarded.

Organizations can show appreciation for hard-working employees and recognize their efforts by implementing a well-thought-out and effective employee recognition program. This can go a long way toward increasing morale and productivity within the workplace. Furthermore, service awards demonstrate to employees that their hard work is valued, thus providing an additional incentive for them to continue performing at a high level. Organizations can reap the rewards of  increased employee engagement , loyalty, and satisfaction by taking the time and effort to create an effective service awards program.

Employee service awards are an excellent way to recognize employees for their dedication and commitment to the company. A successful recognition program should be tailored to meet the needs of both employers and employees while recognizing individual performance. In addition, an employee service award program should include meaningful and significant rewards to have a lasting impact on both the individual recipient and the company's overall morale.

Recognizing employees with service awards is a great way to show appreciation and build loyalty among staff. Not only do they enrich the lives of your employees , but they also demonstrate that you value their hard work and dedication. A successful recognition program should be tailored to meet the organization's and its employees' specific needs, including meaningful rewards and a well-defined service award program.

Creating a successful employee recognition program can have many positive impacts on the organization as a whole. For example, such programs have been linked to increased productivity, improved employee job satisfaction, better customer service, and higher retention rates than companies without recognition programs. Additionally, creating a service awards program can foster a positive work environment, build a strong employee commitment, and create more engagement within the company.

By creating a lasting impact with employee service award programs, employers can show appreciation for their staff's hard work and dedication. Not only do these recognition programs provide meaningful rewards for employees, but they also demonstrate the company's commitment to its workforce. In this way, employers can create an environment that encourages and rewards their staff for their contributions, leading to increased job satisfaction and overall performance.

Several strategies can be used if you are looking for innovative ideas to award employees for outstanding service. One option is to create a service award program. This type of program recognizes employee milestones and achievements on an ongoing basis. Another way to acknowledge employees' hard work is through individual recognition programs. These programs typically award prizes or tokens in exchange for accomplishments or tasks completed. Employees can then redeem these points or tokens for rewards such as gift cards, extra vacation days, or special recognition at company events.

Employee service awards programs are also a great way to recognize employees for their commitment and dedication to the organization. These programs highlight those who have gone above and beyond in their job performance over time. In addition, employees who receive service awards are often given special recognition at company events and may qualify for additional benefits. Lastly, establishing a regular employee recognition program is an effective way to reward employees for their hard work and dedication.

To summarize, here are 5 strategies for innovative ways to award employees for outstanding service:

• Create a service award program that recognizes employee milestones
• Establish individual recognition programs that reward points or tokens for special accomplishments
• Utilize employee service awards to highlight those who have gone above and beyond in their job performance
• Offer additional benefits or recognition at company events for employees who receive service awards
• Set up a regular employee recognition program to reward hard work and dedication.

These are just a few ways employers can show appreciation for their employees' service and commitment. With these innovative ideas, employers can create an atmosphere of recognition and motivation that encourages employees  to do their best.

The benefits of rewarding employees with service awards are numerous. When an organization invests in employee recognition, it helps to create a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated. A well-designed recognition program can improve morale, increase productivity, better customer service, and overall satisfaction among company staff.

One of the most effective ways to reward employees is by implementing a staff service award program. This type of recognition program involves recognizing and rewarding employees' length of service, hard work, and dedication to the organization on an ongoing basis. Recognition events such as anniversaries or milestone achievements are great opportunities for employers to show their appreciation for staff members.

Service awards can come in various forms, including monetary rewards, gift cards, special awards, or even a day off. It is essential to consider what type of award will be the most meaningful for your employees and the best way to recognize their efforts. A successful employee service award program can positively impact morale and productivity while inspiring loyalty among staff members . By recognizing employee achievements, companies can create an environment where staff feels valued and motivated to achieve their best.

In conclusion, employee service awards are a great way to recognize and reward employees for their hard work and dedication. An effective employee recognition program should consider the various types of service awards available, such as ones based on length of service or performance, to create an individualized reward system tailored to each employee's specific needs. The  best employee awards  provide meaningful recognition for employees and motivate them to continue their hard work and serve the company with distinction. Companies can ensure that the right people are rewarded effectively by creating a well-thought-out employee service award program. This will ultimately lead to better employee engagement, motivation, and performance. Finally, a practical service awards program is a win-win for employers and employees. It shows that the company cares about recognizing employee achievements, and it helps to foster a culture of loyalty and goodwill among employees.

Furthermore, it's essential to ensure that employees understand the value of the service awards they receive to appreciate them properly. If done correctly, employers and employees will benefit from the employee service award program. By investing in recognition programs, companies can help ensure that their employees are valued and appreciated for their hard work. An effective service awards program is a great way to enhance employee morale and loyalty to the company. It's an investment that pays dividends for years to come. With the right approach, companies can create a meaningful service awards program that will help keep employees engaged and motivated.

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14 Ideas for Improving Your Service Awards Program

Want new ways to reward employee loyalty? Here are 14 ideas for improving your service award program.

A service awards program does more than reward individual employees — it helps boost employee engagement and fortify a positive company culture. When you implement a service awards program at your company, you let your employees know you value them and their contributions — and that the workplace is a better place because they’re there. Read on to learn how to improve your service awards program so that it has long-term positive effects on the entire organization.

1. Make Celebrating Early Milestones A Priority  

It used to be a common practice to give an employee their first service award after five years at the company. In some instances, employees wouldn’t receive their first service award until the 10-year mark. But there are earlier milestones and achievements that deserve their own celebration! You can celebrate the new employee joining the company by weaving acknowledgement into the onboarding practice, creating first-day kits, and distributing thank-you cards at 90 days. You can also celebrate employees at the one-year mark and again at the three-year mark. This can help integrate new employees into the company and make them feel more welcome.

2. Give Recognition More Frequently  

In addition to annual milestones, you can incorporate more frequent award-giving when employees reach goals or consistently exhibit exemplary behavior. This makes it easier for employees to understand how they can earn recognition for their work. They’ll also have a better understanding of the goals you’d like them to achieve, which can increase employee engagement and improve the relationship between the company and the employee.  

3. Consider Shifting from Only Service Awards to Employee Recognition   Programs

Though sometimes used interchangeably, the terms “service awards” and “employee recognition” aren’t exactly the same. Consider expanding your service award program so that it rewards active participation in achieving goals more than just employee service tied to tenure. This can help encourage more employee engagement and innovation, which benefits the whole company.  

4. Communicate Often and Clearly  

Your company’s service awards program should be a part of an employee’s experience with the company from the time they initially join it. Make sure you communicate your service awards program to the employees clearly and as often as possible. This helps them integrate into your company culture, engage with the program, and get excited about working toward their goals.  

5. Emphasize Benefits

When it comes to recruiting talented employees and keeping them at your company, benefits can prove invaluable. Make sure to communicate with your employees as soon as benefits become available or expand. If you find a creative way to communicate these benefits, it helps makes the entire experience far more memorable. Plus, it can improve the general culture of the company and potentially increase its appeal to desirable job seekers.  

6. Offer Employees Freedom of Choice with Their Service Awards  

A common issue with many service awards? They’re not tailored to the individual. Pins and plaques can be meaningful if they represent a significant component of the company’s overall culture, but if this isn’t the case they can be construed as impersonal. When it comes to service awards, consider offering employees a wide range of choices that reflect who they are. This may even include donating to a nonprofit of their choice in lieu of a physical item if that’s what the employee prefers.

7. Provide Employees with Experiences as Rewards  

Rewards typically come in tangible form. However, experiences can be just as appreciated and even more memorable. If you reward an employee with an experience like a visit to a museum, concert tickets, or travel options like hotel stays and plane tickets, make sure you tailor it the individual as much as possible. This ensures that they’ll feel both seen and valued by the company.

8. Never Let an Employee’s Milestone Pass Unmentioned   

Recognizing employees when they reach milestones is an easy way of showing that you care about them and value their contributions to the company — and it matters. When employees are recognized at their workplace, they’re more likely to engage as well as perform more efficiently and productively. You don’t need to throw a big party to celebrate every milestone anniversary, but some amount of acknowledgment and recognition goes a long way toward maintaining employee morale. Employee recognition programs like ours set reminders for you so you never forget to send an employee an eCard to commemorate them.

9. Add a Social Element to the Celebration  

Another way to improve your service awards program? Turn anniversary and milestone celebrations into more of a social event. Whether it’s at an all-employee meeting or a ceremony created specifically to celebrate these achievements, adding a social element shows the employee how much the company values their contributions. Arrange for the most fitting person to present the award, whether that’s the CEO at a smaller company or the head of the employee’s division at a larger company. 

10. Link Service Awards Programs to Organizational Values  

Your service awards program should be related to the organizational values that your company embodies and should reinforce behaviors that are in line with those values. This helps your employees feel a greater sense of engagement and belonging. It also strengthens the company’s culture since employees can easily see a connection between proper behavior and fair rewards.  

11. Go All Out with the Presentation

When it comes to celebrating a milestone or achieving a goal, the award matters — but so does the presentation. To make sure that the celebration is a “Wow” moment for the person being honored, put thought and care into the event — and involve the entire team in the celebration. This makes it clear that everyone acknowledges that the employee of honor achieved something significant, and that it matters to the company.

12. Survey Your Employees  

You want to give your employees personalized awards, but you’re not always sure where to start. That’s where surveys come in. Send out a survey to your employees to find out what types of recognition are most meaningful to them, then plan accordingly. You can also have managers ask employees their preferred way to receive recognition, then have them follow through. It’s a win-win scenario!

13. Give Employees A Shout-Out on Social Media  

Social media is an increasingly vital part of a company’s online presence — and it can benefit your company’s service awards program as well. When an employee reaches a special milestone or wins an award, have your social media team create a post to honor the particular employee. Something as simple as “Congratulations to (insert employee name here) on winning the (insert award here) on (insert date here)” followed by a few hashtags, including #employeerecognition, will do the trick.  

14. Dedicate Part of the Company Website to Employee Recognition

Your company’s website most likely gets a lot of traffic from your customers and employees, making it an ideal space for employee recognition. Consider using part of the company homepage for this purpose by including employee stories, information about your service awards programs, pictures of celebrating employee loyalty, and more. It’s an easy and effective way of demonstrating that the company values employee recognition.  

Ready to take your service awards program to the next level? Request a demo from us to learn how our comprehensive technology and physical touchpoints can boost employee engagement and strengthen company culture!

Ten Best Practices for Employee Service Award Programs

April 27, 2021

By Paula Ambrozic Most companies formally recognize tenure in some way. The odds are good that your organization is among them. But chances are also good that, like most companies, yours is not realizing the full potential of its service awards program.

By implementing these top 10 best practices shared by great service awards programs, you can establish a solid foundation on which to build a more comprehensive enterprise recognition strategy. The benefits of taking an enterprise approach to creating a culture of recognition are numerous, with the top three being:

• Driving employee engagement
• Improving performance
• Bolstering retention

Drawing on published research and decades of experience and client service in rewards and recognition, Inspirus has found that the first step toward creating a great place to work is to implement best practices that effectively recognize the length of service. Here are our top 10, read on to get more detail about each.

• Ensure timely recognition and notification of Service Award Anniversary dates
• Involve the most meaningful leader in the recognition experience
• Present the award with flair to make the moment memorable
• Provide a choice: a reward valued by one may not be valued by another
• Deliver a user-friendly process for gift selection
• Equip managers with the right tools
• Reflect your corporate brand and image
• Incorporate a personal touch
• Truly celebrate the major milestones
• Integrate rewards with a broader recognition strategy

It doesn’t matter that your organization may already have a service awards program. Nearly nine out of every 10 companies have some form of recognition program, and 72 percent of those include length-of-service recognition. 69 percent have both formal and informal recognition programs in place, but formal is still the most common approach — 23 percent only have formal programs. 49 percent of organizations understand a formal recognition program requires a strategy to be effective, with the vast majority (97 percent) aligning it with organizational goals. However, more than one-third feel their programs have definite room for improvement.  [1]

The lack of formal strategy may stem from a lack of understanding about what recognition programs are, and how service awards programs, in particular, fit into the larger picture of a recognition culture. Failure to understand incentives and recognition plans are the most common reason they are often misunderstood or criticized. [2]

The ineffective use of recognition programs is one of the most common reasons for skepticism about their value — which often leads to a lack of buy-in among employees and management. [3]

Recognition experts agree that if you present a service award but fail to acknowledge the employee’s accomplishments during his or her years of service and neglect to tie it to the company’s mission and goals, then you devalue the recognition moment and the service award. You also miss valuable opportunities to engage employees and enhance your employer brand.

What is a Service Awards Program, Really?

It may sound overly simplistic, but it’s important to understand the language used to define and explain a best practice recognition program.

WorldatWork and Recognition Professionals International, two global associations focused on compensation, benefits and work-life and rewards programs offer these definitions:

• Recognition: Acknowledging or giving special attention to employee actions, efforts, behavior, or performance; offered “after the fact.”
• Award: An item given to an individual or team in recognition of a specific accomplishment (usually non-cash) as a form of recognition; length-of-service recognition is the most common employee recognition award.

It’s important to note that “awards” are different from rewards and incentives. A reward is an item given to an individual or team for meeting a predetermined goal. An incentive is any form of variable payment (monetary or non-monetary) tied to performance.

Awards, rewards and incentives each have their own important role in a total rewards or total recognition program.

The Value in Employee Recognition and Service Awards

Perhaps the greatest value from a great service awards program is its ability to kick-start a culture of recognition.

Service awards programs — programs that recognize milestones in an employee’s career — are a foundational component, a steppingstone for moving toward a broader recognition culture. Awards programs are, in fact, the only thing that many companies have, so it’s crucial to make the most of them.

Awards at Milestones and Retention Points

A savvy service awards program will look beyond the typical anniversary dates. They will:

• Recognize “mini-milestones” in the first year. For organizations with high turnover, recognizing mini-milestones (every 90 days, for example) can deliver a superior onboarding experience and support early engagement of the workforce.
• Achievement milestones. Don’t forget to recognize successes specific to company goals: award employees for one-time achievements such as product launches, miles driven, or sales goals achieved.
• Recognize the “in-between years. ” With today’s workforce, every year is a milestone. Recognizing service annually is an opportunity to stop and say “thank you.” Recognizing the “in-between years” doesn’t have to be expensive — a simple thanks, an e-card or a handwritten note lets employees know that you care and that they are valued.

Celebrating a 10-year anniversary creates a unique opportunity to commemorate accomplishments and performance over a span of time. Creating the right experience at important milestone anniversaries can ultimately contribute to employees feeling good about themselves and good about the company — leading to higher levels of engagement with tenured staff.

This point is crucial because of the proven impact employee engagement and motivation have on performance. Companies that are in the top quartile for employee engagement also report earnings-per-share growth that is more than four times their competitors. [4]

The Solution: Ten Things That Great Service Awards Programs Have in Common

Employee engagement has reached an all-time highest level (34 percent) since Gallup began measuring in 2001. Employee recognition is cited as a dominant reason behind increased engagement. [5] Numerous studies highlighting success factors in engagement share several common themes that are independent of the cost of recognition programs.

Here are our 10 best practices for a great service award program:

1. ensure timely recognition and notification of service award anniversary dates.

• Good: Quarterly recognition presentation
• Best: Monthly recognition presentation

It’s always best to make a rewards presentation on or near the actual anniversary date or the event being recognized. Managers responsible for planning and timing service awards presentations should think of them as they would life events celebrated outside the company. Wedding anniversaries and birthdays are typically celebrated on the actual day itself — or very close to it. Why wouldn’t you also celebrate an employee’s anniversary in a timely manner? With service recognition, avoid letting it slip into the next quarter or business cycle.

2. Involve the most meaningful leader in the recognition experience

• Good: Senior leadership
• Best: Manager

Studies have proven that the most meaningful recognition comes from one’s direct manager. It makes sense. Managers are most closely connected with employees on a day-to-day basis and have intimate knowledge of employee skill sets, competencies and deliverables. In short, managers know their employees best and can personalize the presentation most effectively.

Another advantage of having the direct manager or supervisor give the award is that the presenter can set future expectations and goals for the individual and the company — tying the presentation back to the organization’s mission and business goals.

That doesn’t mean senior management shouldn’t be involved in the presentation. They should be present. But the direct presentation should come from a manager or supervisor.

3. Present the award with flair to make the moment memorable

• Good: A stock, scripted presentation for senior leaders given in a group setting
• Best: A personalized presentation by the employee’s manager given in an individual setting

An effective presentation highlights individual accomplishments and says something about that person’s qualities — all while reinforcing your organization’s culture, mission, goals and objectives.

Managers or senior leaders responsible for recognition should be trained to understand the appropriate timing, message, delivery and follow-up of recognition for different members of their multigenerational workforce.

While practicality may dictate that service anniversaries are recognized in a group setting (e.g., a quarterly or annual event where everyone receives service recognition) it is a best practice that employee service anniversaries be recognized in an individual setting as well, such as a lunch, one-on-one or in a team meeting.

4. Provide a choice: a reward valued by one may not be valued by another

• Good: Company swag, watches, common lifestyle items for home and outdoor
• Best: A wide selection of brand name and luxury gifts

Employees want choice, value and brands they trust. For service recognition, many employees also value items that reflect the corporate image in some way. Best practice programs find a way to incorporate all these elements:

• Choice. Employees want options that include a wide range of items.
• Value. Provide gifts that reflect how the organization values its employees. Service recognition awards are often socialized among peers, family, and friends.
• Trusted Brands. In today’s consumer-driven world, employees gravitate toward known brands for everything from electronics to housewares.
• Corporate Image. Provide award options that reflect the corporate image and incorporate a branded and personalized item, such as a luggage tag that includes the years of service and commemorates important milestones.

It can best be summed up by saying that the best awards are the ones that you’d not normally go out and buy for yourself.

5. Deliver a user-friendly process for gift selection

• Good: Multiple options for ordering: Web, intranet, phone or mail
• Best: A unique and memorable experience including customized and personalized website and greetings

With the breadth and depth of service awards offered today, long gone are the days when an HR manager simply kept a stockpile of lapel pins to hand out when the occasion arose. For the optimum user-friendly gift selection process, provide employees with a wide variety of options they can select online or via mail catalogs.

Increasingly, best practice programs are taking it a step further by incorporating a customized and personalized website experience. A personalized greeting upon login, a branded corporate experience delivered via animation, messages from the organization’s leadership, and other creative displays that connect with the company’s mission and vision elevate the experience and make a positive impression.

6. Equip managers with the right tools

• Good: Keeping managers informed of upcoming anniversaries
• Best: Keeping managers informed of upcoming anniversaries, as well as providing best practice presentation tips, celebration guidelines, and sample scripts

This best practice may sound like common sense, but again, it’s crucial to the delivery of consistent service recognition throughout the company.

7. Reflect your corporate brand and image

Good: The company logo is incorporated throughout the experience Best: Company brand, history, mission, vision, and values, as well as key imagery, are incorporated throughout the experience Your company is unique. Your people are unique. Service recognition is a time for reflection and introspection. Organizations that want to set themselves apart and establish themselves as an employer of choice, should use this unique opportunity to reinforce the company brand. The company brand can be incorporated into numerous elements of the service recognition experience, including:

• How the recipient is notified
• Throughout the recognition presentation
• During the gift selection process
• Providing a symbolic add-on gift

8. Incorporate a personal touch

• Good: Service recognition certificate is personalized
• Best: Entire recognition experience is personalized

While good service awards programs will include a personalized service recognition certificate, best practice programs take it further by personalizing the entire recognition experience.

The technology exists today to personalize almost everything — from brochures and certificates to e-cards and gifts. It’s even possible to incorporate a personalized custom website. Employees love to see their names animated when they go to the website to order their award — it’s certainly something they’ll talk about and not easily forget!

9. Truly celebrate the major milestones

• Good: Doing something extra at 30, 40 and 50 years of service
• Best: Doing something extra at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years of service

Just as some birthdays are celebrated differently, major milestone service anniversaries should also include a “step up” celebration element. Dedicating a decade of service can represent 20 to 25 percent of a person’s entire career — it’s a major milestone event and should be acknowledged accordingly.

10. Integrate rewards with a broader recognition strategy

• Good: The organization has a service recognition program
• Best: Service awards are the foundation for a more comprehensive recognition strategy

A best practice service awards program is an important first step toward establishing a culture of recognition. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to be a great place to work without a well-designed program in place to appreciate all the hard work, time and effort employees contribute toward making the company great.

Employee engagement is proven to improve job performance and retention. A Gallup study showed businesses with performance management systems that focus on engagement — such as positive workplace relationships, frequent recognition, ongoing performance conversations, and opportunities for personal development — get the most out of their employees. And when your employees are engaged and productive, they are 18% more productive and your business 23% more profitable*. A great service awards program will elevate employee engagement within your organization.

10-Point Agenda for a Meaningful Recognition Presentation Introduce key upper management. Introduce family members. State the purpose of the event and its importance. Introduce the recipient. Use the recipient's full name, and ask the recipient to join you at the front. Paint a verbal picture of the recipient. State his or her special attributes and contributions during their career. Personalize your comments and be specific. Thank the recipient for their hard work, dedication and loyalty, and thank any family members who are present. Announce the award and present the award package to the recipient. Shake hands and pose for pictures. Invite the recipient to speak briefly. Congratulate the recipient on their anniversary and thank them again for service to the company. Close the event.

• WorldatWork, Trends in Employee Recognition, 2019
• Human Capital Institute
• Gallup Poll: Employee Engagement on the Rise in the US, 2018

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Top 10 Ideas for Employee Service Awards

• September 19, 2019
• perfectpoint

Employee service awards  are the most common form of recognition given in the workplace with  88% of U.S. companies having a program in place  ( World at Work ). With awards being given so often, it’s important to keep the program fresh and exciting with new ways to celebrate.

We’ve put together our top 10 ideas for employee service awards – many of which we’ve tested ourselves. We promise they will thrill your team!

1. Shopping Trip

Give the award recipient a gift card to their favorite store so they can go on a mini shopping spree ! At Baudville, our Dedicated Service Award Card allows employees to shop at more than 70 of their favorite retailers – with one card!

2. Party with the Team

Order a cake and invite the entire team to celebrate employee service awards. Hold the celebration monthly or quarterly and celebrate groups of employees together.

3. Commemorative Gift

Honor the employees’ years of service with an engraved  trophy ,  personalized pen set  or  journal  to commemorate their achievement.

4. Treat Them to Lunch

At Baudville, every employee is treated to lunch by their manager on their anniversary date. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the accomplishment, discuss work, and have fun!

5. Group Greeting Card

Employee service awards can be honored by the entire team! Ask the whole team to sign an  anniversary greeting card  for the recipient.

Treat your employee and their family to a weekend getaway at a popular destination in the area. Book the retreat for them or present them with a voucher for the weekend of their choice. They’ll love the gesture and the memories that come with it!

7. Highlight a Hobby

For truly memorable employee service awards, select a gift that’s unique to the award recipient’s interests. Baudville once recognized an employee who loved to fly with a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride!

8. Certified Awesome

Recognize their dedication and commitment with a  certificate . Have it waiting for them on their desk with a special treat and gift!

9. Gift of Time

Few employees appreciate anything more than time off! Baudville employees celebrating 10 or 20 years of service are treated to some extra time off.

10. Company-wide Celebration

For employee service award milestones, like the founder’s anniversary or a 30-year award recipient, organize a company-wide celebration. Gather all staff for a brief award presentation and treat everyone to cake or a champagne toast. Cheers!

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8 Accomplishments You Should Be Recognizing this Award Season

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For more ideas and inspiration on recognition, follow our  blog !

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• 13 employee recognition award ideas to inspire & reward your staff

13 employee recognition award ideas to inspire & reward your staff

Lauren Newington Blake

| 12 Jan 2023

| 7 min read

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Then there’s the option of choosing between in-person awards, or those that are sent digitally — which is something else you need to think about.

A digital employee recognition program, for example, is excellent for encouraging peer-to-peer recognition, especially if your teams are scattered across different locations. In this instance, physical awards may be more suitable for a formal event such as a dedicated awards ceremony.

Either way, employee awards — physical or digital — can make a real difference to your company culture and are good at motivating your star performers to do their best work.

What are employee recognition awards?

13 employee recognition award ideas, how to budget and roll out your employee rewards, recognising employees is its own reward.

Employee recognition awards are one of the main ways employers show appreciation. Sources of recognition typically come from management, leadership, and peers.

Usually, when we think of recognition awards we tie them to performance, for example, sales employee award titles and so on. But implementing an award schedule as part of a comprehensive reward management strategy has many advantages, such as increasing productivity and job satisfaction. 1

Plus, there’s more to work than just sales targets. So, thinking of other ways to appreciate your teams — for example with reward vouchers when they achieve something significant — keeps them engaged and happy.

If you're stuck on what awards to give your employees, our list will give you some inspiration. We’ve also included some creative employee award titles too.

1. Long service or tenure awards

Employees who receive long service awards have typically worked in your company for at least 20 years. But these days people move around a lot more, so you may want to give out this award every 5–10 years. Also, not every long service award needs a gift associated with it. Depending on the size of your company, a simple email, a company-wide shoutout or an anniversary alert on an app is a nice way to celebrate someone hitting a yearly milestone.

Long service recognition award names

• Emerald award (or different precious stone depending on years of service)
• Outstanding service award
• Incomparable service award

2. Driving success awards

This award recognises employees who’ve achieved something remarkable in your organisation — be it launching a new website or consistently hitting their sales targets. Introducing awards like these keeps engagement high as your teams gain an additional sense of pride from receiving public recognition.

Driving growth award names

• Sales hero award
• Outstanding accomplishment award
• Star performer award

3. Innovation awards

We’re all familiar with rewarding success, but celebrating ideas may not come as naturally. Still, it’s important to make a big deal out of your employees’ ideas as it only takes one to set your business apart from the competition. Some companies actively encourage their employees to develop new products or services by giving them time out and a budget.

Innovation award names

• Future thinker
• Bright spark award
• Genius award
• Intrapreneur award

4. Team player awards

As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work, so why are there so few awards that shine a spotlight on team players? Almost every good idea or project is the result of a collaborative effort. Very rarely do people achieve greatness without the support of others. Team player awards remind employees that working well with others is something to be proud of.

Team player award names

• Ultimate teamwork award
• Best team member award
• Helping hand award

5. Leadership awards

Great leaders deserve to be recognised. It doesn't matter how you define a leader, they could be a person on the board of directors, or a team manager. What matters more is the criteria for the award. We recommend focusing on mentorship qualities as these have the most impact on your employees.

Leadership award names

• Mentoring champion
• The Inspire award
• Knowledge award

6. New hire awards

A new hire award serves many purposes. The simplest is celebrating the addition of a new team member. If a new joiner has achieved a lot in a short space of time you could also recognise their contributions in lieu of a more formal performance award. Celebrating such skilled employees, regardless of the time they’ve spent at your company, shows you value them.

New hire award names

• Amazing addition award
• Exceptional hire award
• Rising star award

7. Customer service awards

Providing excellent customer service can be challenging. Customer service advisors are the first people to handle complaints and often engage in difficult conversations when emotions are running high. Exceptional customer service teams not only uphold your brand reputation, but are also product experts, making them ideal candidates for employee awards.

Customer service award names

• Five-star service award
• Supplier superstar
• Client care champion

8. Going above and beyond award

If an employee has gone out of their way to help others, you can celebrate their can-do attitude with an above-and-beyond award. Going the extra mile, while maintaining other commitments and SLAs, isn’t easy and the employees who manage this should be celebrated.

Going above and beyond award names

• Everyday hero
• Extra mile award
• Outstanding dependability
• Ace employee

9. Employee choice award

Employee choice awards are a form of peer-to-peer recognition. They’re the most creative awards as your teams get the opportunity to invent their own. Examples include recognising the funniest emails or the best background on Zoom. These types of awards bring people together as everyone can get involved and vote on what category to celebrate.

Employee choice award names

• Best Giphy award
• Office DJ award
• Best dressed award
• Best tea/coffee maker award

10. Best advice giver

Every organisation has an employee others go to for advice. These people are integral to company culture and their ability to put others at ease shouldn't be taken for granted. Sometimes, these employees are mentors who work with new joiners, so taking care of others is also part of their job. But often, they’re just naturally very supportive and kind.

Best advice giver award names

• Always ready to help award
• Pillar of strength award
• Positivity award

11. Best meetings

Making meetings an event to look forward to is a unique skill, so when an employee always goes the extra mile in their prep, show them some appreciation with a best meetings award. Making fun icebreaker games or delivering engaging presentations takes a lot of time and effort — and recognising this encourages others to level up their own meetings. Some employees spend most of their days in meetings, so it’s crucial they’re made as engaging as possible.

Best meeting award names

• Most engaging meeting award
• Best presentation award
• Most creative meeting award

12. Engagement driver

Employee engagement is a measure of how committed employees are to their work and organisation. Anyone who encourages engagement is maintaining your culture and consequently making your organisation a great place to work. Celebrating them shows you value positivity and people who encourage others to be better.

Engagement driver award names

• Engagement champion
• Best social rep
• The motivator award

13. Best listener

While this award is suitable for employees at all levels of your business, we recommend reserving it for managers. Ideally, you should tie this award directly with active listening. Developing an action-based plan to address negative feedback is tough, so it’s important to show appreciation to those who act on employee survey responses.

Best listener award names

• Consider it done award
• Employee advocate award
• Exceptional listener award

No matter your budget, there are plenty of options to recognise and celebrate your employees’ efforts. As we mentioned earlier, writing thank you cards is a very affordable option for letting your teams know you appreciate them.

However, you might be planning on rolling out a more sophisticated reward and recognition strategy . Lots of organisations find all-in-one employee experience platforms to be very cost-effective, as they don’t need to factor in any additional budget for stand-alone reward programs and apps.

Our platform, for example, includes:

Recognition and reward

Perkbox is ideal for organisations who want to encourage their teams to share their wins with real-time recognition, regardless of where they’re working. Managers can also send Reward points digitally through our app, connecting them to their international workforce. Employees can exchange these Reward points for a range of products and experiences. Wherever they are and whatever their interest — be it shopping, dining out, or even DIY — we’ve got a reward for them.

Learn more about how Perkbox can help you with your reward and recognition goals

Culture and communications.

If you’ve created a new award title and want to share it far and wide you can do this Perkbox. However, Perkbox isn’t just a central source of information — which on its own, is incredibly useful. No, it’s much more than that. You can create a notice board of updates with eye-catching visual cards. Create unique cards from scratch, or choose one from the useful range of templates.

The obvious benefit of employee recognition is the value the recipient gains from their manager and organisation. However, what people tend to forget is that the process of giving an award is uplifting in itself. When employee awards are given — be it virtually, or at an awards ceremony — it creates an upbeat atmosphere that everyone wants to be a part of.

At Perkbox, we take pride in rewarding our employees for their success, so we recognise our teams:

• Every day: Perkboxers can send each other recognition on the Perkbox app whenever they want.
• Every quarter: These employee awards are announced during our quarterly kick-off meetings.
• Every 6 months : These awards can take place at our summers and end-of-year parties. Each award is tied to our company values.

Find out how Perkbox can help you recognise and reward your employees

Employee recognition award ideas: your faqs answered, what are some employee recognition awards.

Employee awards can be physical or digital and there are benefits to both. A digital awards program helps HR teams and managers record who wins what, which can assist them in making decisions on promotions and raises. However, a physical award may appeal to other employers, as some consider them to have a more personal touch. Because each company is unique, some employee award ideas may not be suitable, if this is the case for you, don't worry — just make up your own!

What do you award employees for?

Employee awards aim to recognise those who’ve achieved something in your company, be it years of service, outstanding performance, or incredible leadership skills. Some awards may focus on behaviour, such as being a team player or company culture champion, whereas others can celebrate a sales team hitting targets. If you’re running out of award ideas, or they’re all sounding a bit samey, get creative with the titles. Instead of nominating someone for best team player, how about renaming it a high-five award?

How do you reward an employee for having great ideas?

Great ideas need to be nurtured and your creative employees should be rewarded for thinking differently. Some companies reward innovative thinking with a budget to develop ideas into something tangible. Over time, if the idea has legs they may offer additional support, such as freelancers to take the project to the next stage. Whatever the outcome, it’s important to value innovative colleagues as their ideas drive businesses forward.

Take your reward and recognition strategy to the next level

Learn how you can reward and recognise with Perkbox

Celebrate and motivate your employees no matter where they’re working — in one building, remotely or across multiple locations.

• Create a culture of appreciation that engages employees wherever they are
• Boost productivity and employee retention

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25 inspiring employee recognition award ideas

by Kellie Wong

Updated on July 7, 2023

Create a culture that means business™

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At the end of the fiscal year, it’s common for organizations to acknowledge staff members who’ve given 10, 15, or even 20 years to the company with employee awards. Each employee usually receives the same plaque, handshake, and five-minute speech slot. Their years of service diminished to one anti-climatic moment.

This scenario is a reality for many companies, as only 46 percent of employees rate their leaders and managers above average in providing recognition. Organizations looking to improve employee engagement need to build a culture of appreciation and awards.

Read on to learn why you need to recognize employees with personal awards and discover 25 employee recognition award ideas that can strengthen employee engagement across your organization.

• What are recognition awards?

Recognition awards are items given to employees as a way to show appreciation for their contributions, tenure, or achievements. Recognition awards can include things like; trophies, certificates, plaques, or awards chosen by the employee from a catalog of products and services.

• Benefits of giving employee awards
• Employees who are recognized feel a sense of pride in their work and become more engaged.
• When employees are rewarded for their contributions or for behaviors that align with the company culture, they are more likely to repeat those behaviors.
• Giving employee awards elevates performance.
• It also improves retention, as employees who are rewarded are more likely to stay.
• Employee awards can also boost your employer brand, making your organization a more desirable place to work.

Compensation may provide monetary satisfaction, but it doesn’t feed your employees’ underlying desire to feel valued. Implementing an awards system that speaks specifically to each employee’s unique contributions lets them know that you’re paying attention and appreciating their efforts.

“Cash matters in people’s lives, but it’s not all that matters. What really matters in the workplace is helping employees feel appreciated.” – Amy Whillans, Harvard Business School researcher

Thoughtful awards create memories that connect your employees to your company and can mean as much — or more — than other types of rewards. But according to Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trend Survey , only 33 percent of respondents believed their company wanted to improve their awards program.

For example, The Very Group (formerly Shop Direct), an online retailer in the U.K. and Ireland, supports over 50 million products. Since implementing their recognition and rewards (R&R) program , Shine, they’ve gone from providing 8 to 1000 awards annually, and they’ve sent over 355,000 recognitions to date. With Shine guiding the company’s practices, The Very Group was awarded the U.K. Employee Experience Award for Employee Recognition and Reward and earned a profit for the first time in ten years.

• Best practices for employee awards

By following these simple guidelines for appreciation , you’ll be well on your way to recognizing employees with meaningful awards:

• Frequent recognition : Don’t wait for yearly milestones or work anniversaries to recognize your employees for their contributions. Communicate recognition in real-time and on a frequent basis to make it a part of your everyday culture.
• Public recognition : Your staff works hard, even when no one is looking. A public award ensures that those who continuously sacrifice behind the scenes are given center stage, to be celebrated by everyone.
• Award actions that align with your company’s values: Your awards program should align with your organization’s values, brand, and the employee experience you want to create. This is the best way to shift your company into a culture of employee recognition and reinforce key behaviors that reflect your company values.
• Incorporate reward points into the awards process: Award team members with points that they can redeem for a reward of their choosing by using an employee recognition platform that supports points-based recognition. Team members will appreciate being able to choose rewards that they actually want, rather than receiving the same generic mug or T-shirt everyone gets.
• Have fun with award names: Making your awards unique and memorable starts with the name. For instance, instead of an award titled “Here’s to 10 Years of Service,” try “Thank You for Being Our MVP for 10 Years.”

Applying these best practices will ensure that your awards program is effective and meaningful to employees.

• 25 employee award ideas

Review these 25 employee award ideas and thoroughly consider the impact that each award will have on your team members, now and in the future. Keep in mind that your employee awards say a lot about the values you prioritize as a company.

1. Recognition master award

The recognition master award is for the person who recognizes others on the team most often. L eadership and other team members who actively recognize others are the heart of your awards program. Think of them as office influencers. It’s their constant recognition that helps you engage and retain other employees.

When employees are recognized and awarded they feel validated, work harder, and are excited about coming to work. They believe their contributions are valued and are much more likely to recognize their peers as well. To encourage frequent recognition, you should provide this award on a monthly basis.

Ensure that this award is given to team members at all levels of the company to show recognition should be practiced across the organization. Research shows that recognition is incredibly valuable no matter who’s giving it:

• Peer-to-peer recognition can boost employee performance by 14 percent .
• 58 percent of employees believe more recognition would improve their relationship with their manager.
• 44 percent of employees most value recognition from leaders above the manager level.

2. Most recognized employee award

Which employee continuously receives praise from their team and management? Award employees who were recognized the most every month and quarter. Consider handing out a most recognized employee award for each team, department, and across the entire company. This award incentivizes participation in your employee R&R program and lets your team know that you’re grateful for their commitment to the process. You can even reward employees with additional points along with this award to make it truly memorable.

3. Exceptional listener award

Employees want to feel like you care, and 90 percent are more likely to remain at a company where they believe their input is valued. The exceptional listener award is ideal for managers and leaders who solicit and act on feedback. Providing feedback improves employee engagement and productivity as it allows managers to address issues in real-time. Acting on input is critical and can have a significant impact on your team’s development. And give extra recognition to managers who take this feedback to their team and work with them to collectively come up with an action-based plan, so everyone is invested in the solution.

Traditionally, companies have solely relied on annual performance surveys. But advances in technology have made it possible to accelerate the feedback loop using tools like pulse surveys and always-on employee feedback channels such as a workplace chatbot . These tools allow you to act on feedback in real time, so your response doesn’t come too late to matter.

4. Excellent feedback award

Managers and leadership need employee feedback to provide solutions that support the team’s needs. Awarding employees that provide regular feedback is an excellent way to encourage other employees to share, creating an environment where all team members feel comfortable giving feedback . This award should only be given if the feedback wasn’t submitted anonymously, of course. For both legal and ethical reasons, you never want to reveal an unidentified author, even for an award.

5. Coaching champion award

A recent Gallup study concluded that great leaders were also amazing coaches. Coaching is a specialized skill that takes practice to perfect. Managers consult and micromanage, but coaches provide feedback to help team members make decisions. By setting clear expectations, providing appreciation and praise, and placing team members in positions where they excel the most, coaches help employees grow and reach their maximum potential. They also establish genuine relationships with other team members based on mutual trust and respect.

The coaching champion award should be presented to coaches in the workplace who go the extra mile to help others grow personally and professionally.  Recognizing good leaders and coaches helps you motivate and engage employees at all levels .

6. Company values awards

A company values award is a recognition given to an individual or group that upholds, represents, or helps to reinforce the company’s shared values and corporate culture.

Your company values unite your team members as they work to reach a common goal, and 75 percent of employees say it’s very important to work for a company with a set of core values. The award recipient should be someone who integrates the company’s values into everything that they do, acting as a team anchor during uncertain times.

Meijer, a superstore out of the U.S. Midwest, has seen much success with a similar award. After being in service since 1934, the company sought support from a recognition and rewards platform to engage its 70,000 team members. Now they provide two legacy awards, with one being The Fred Meijer Award. Meijer presents this award to the team member who exemplifies  humility, generosity, and a passion for service, reflecting their core value of putting customers first.

Learn about the easy employee appreciation ideas that you can use to celebrate their contributions today.

Recognition goes hand-in-hand with appreciation

7. Keeping us safe award

When employees don’t feel safe, they are reluctant to provide feedback that could help your company. If their input was shot down or ignored in the past, they might feel uncomfortable speaking up. Gary DePaul, the owner of HR Leadership Curators (HRLC), says that creating an environment of psychological safety helps “team members believe that their questions, comments, and suggestions are received fairly and perceived as valuable.” Give this reward to team members who contribute the most to making your organization a safe, welcoming space for everyone.

8. Always growing award

You want employees who are always looking to grow in new ways, both professionally and personally. Growth isn’t limited to career performance, so consider how employees have grown personally as leaders, coworkers, and individuals. You can give this award to an employee who has just received a professional certification, or one who has just graduated from a new field of study. In addition to providing this award, commit to initiatives that support employee development across all areas, from training and professional development to wellness.

9. Driving success award

Employees who are the biggest factors in your company’s success deserve the driving success award. This could be a team member who has made the most sales, revamped key company processes, or enabled the success of others. For instance, Meijer provides The President’s Award to recognize their team members that drive success in alignment with the company’s winning strategy.

10. Team player award

Some employees hold the team together, from their willingness to provide support to effective communication to recognizing the contributions of others. The team player award is intended to recognize and encourage collaboration. This employee award communicates the expectations for your team and rewards those who meet them. Add a layer of validity by including a voting process and make this a people’s choice award. And if you’re having trouble identifying the team players at your company, take a look at these helpful tips .

11. Going above and beyond award

There’s always one or two team members who show up early, leave late, take on extra assignments without fuss, and give their all to every project. The recipient of this award does more than their outlined responsibilities. They are likely highly engaged, and you want to reward their commitment to the company to ensure they remain that way and that you retain them. Lack of recognition is the third most common reason employees leave their employers. Show your team examples of how engaged and self-driven employees behave, and they’re sure to follow in their footsteps.

12. Customer service award

The customer service award is for those team members who have demonstrated exceptional skills in client communication and relations. Keeping customers satisfied is no easy task, but delivering a great customer experience benefits everyone involved. Employees at companies with excellent customer experience are 1 1/2 times more likely to be engaged than workers at places with poor customer experience.

Recognizing employees who provide great customer service helps your organization build on their success. Meijer found that increasing recognition from twice a month to twice a week resulted in a five percent increase in customer satisfaction scores.

13. Leadership award

A leadership award is a recognition given to an individual who demonstrates leadership qualities, or who leads a team successfully. It celebrates attributes such as problem solving, communication, mentorship, and recognizes positive impacts made on tangible business outcomes.

14. Employee of the month

An employee of the month award is a type of reward given by companies to stand-out employees. It recognizes individuals for outstanding performance and is typically awarded monthly.

15. People’s choice awards

A people’s choice award is an award given to an individual or team, as voted on by their peers. These can include trophies, plaques, or special product or services gifts that are meaningful to the recipient.

16. Most improved award

A most improved award is one given to an individual who has demonstrated personal or professional growth within a specific area over a certain amount of time.

17. Teamwork award

A teamwork award recognizes outstanding teamwork within a team, department, or across an organization. The award celebrates and encourages collaboration and comradery between business units.

18. Innovation awards

An innovation award recognizes an employee or organization that has developed a new technology or has innovated a new technology, service, process or product.

19. Years of service award

A years of service award is the celebration of an employee’s tenure within a company. It is often part of a recognition program designed to acknowledge employee achievements and can increase employee engagement and retention.

20. Creativity award

A creativity award is a recognition of an employee who innovates creative solutions to new or existing problems or who has significantly improved processes, systems, operations, or outcomes.

21. Rising star award

A rising star award is a recognition given to an emerging leader or someone who demonstrates accelerated understanding or skill in their area of expertise.

22. Mentorship award

A mentorship award is given to an individual who encourages others to reach their goals and leads by example. They give their time, attention, and expertise to mentees wanting to improve their skill set.

23. Spotlight award

A spotlight award is a recognition given to a stand-out individual who has achieved excellence in a specific area, or who has accomplished a significant personal or professional goal.

24. Best attendance award

A best attendance award is one that recognizes an individual for their consistency, participation, and for being a reliable member of the team.

25. Loyalty award

A loyalty award is meant to recognize and reward an employee for extraordinary tenure demonstrated by their loyalty to their team, dedication to their profession, and service to their organization.

• What is a special recognition award for employees?

A special recognition award for an employee is an item that makes them feel as though their work and contributions are appreciated. Special awards can focus on behaviors or more tangible results such as sales numbers and can be things like; trips, additional time off, exclusive gifts, and more.

• How do you write a recognition award?

Here are 5 steps to writing a recognition award for a colleague, manager, employee, or group:

• Decide how you will communicate the recognition (i.e. via a recognition platform )
• Summarize the reason for the recognition
• Acknowledge specific individual or team achievements
• Explain how these achievements helped you, the others, or the organization
• Share the recognition with others

Go beyond employee awards with a culture of recognition

The more recognition and awards team members receive, the more they feel a part of the team, appreciated, engaged in the process, and committed to the company’s long-term goals . Still, awards are only one part of your employee R&R program. Implementing a R&R solution is the key to making recognition a part of your culture. In fact, “organizations without R&R technology are 160 percent more likely than those with technology to recognize employees just twice a year or less.”

Achievers Recognize is an award-winning employee recognition solution that makes it easy for everyone in your company to provide social and points-based recognition from anywhere on a daily basis. It streamlines the awards process, provides key data insights, allows employees to nominate others for awards, and includes a one-click “boost” feature that lets leaders spotlight recognitions and award additional points to team members.

The proof is in the pudding: Achievers customers are 3.6 times more likely than customers of other providers to give recognition multiple times each month, 2.5 times more likely to see increased employee retention, and 36 percent more likely to see an increase in employee engagement They’re also 107 percent more likely to give their culture of recognition a high rating than organizations that don’t use recognition technology.

To demonstrate its commitment to fostering recognition globally, Achievers identifies and awards the most engaged workplaces annually through the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces® Awards. Past winners include Kellogg’s , Marriott International , General Motors , Discover , and many of the world’s leading brands. Achievers has also launched the Elite 8 initiative to award companies whose actions best exemplified the eight elements of employee engagement. Amongst those selected include Power Design for vision and values, Cox Automotive for communication, and CHRISTUS St. Michael for corporate social responsibility.

And Achievers practices what it preaches in terms of recognition as well. Each quarter, leaders host company-wide meetings to award employees across all departments. The winners receive points-based recognitions in Aspire, Achievers’ R&R program, and afterward, everyone receives additional points they can give along with their recognition to the team member they believe has made the greatest impact the previous quarter.

It’s experiences like these that set Achievers Recognize apart from other employee recognition and rewards solutions. To take a test drive of Achievers Recognize, request a live demo today.

Discover the direct connection between employee recognition and employee retention

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See workforce trends - 6th annual Engagement and Retention Report

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Years Of Service Awards: A Guide To Recognize Tenure At Work

Finding the right employees can be a difficult task for companies.But retaining them is far more challenging. Despite these challenges, if you have employees who stick with you through thick and thin, it’s time to give back. Their loyalty and dedication deserve recognition, and one way to celebrate their tenure is through years of service awards .

This blog will cover the basics of years of service awards and show you how you can make them meaningful. You will also come across much-needed service awards ideas to help you build a thriving culture of recognition in your company.

Key Takeaways

• What Are Years of Service Awards
• What are the Objectives Behind Years of Service Awards
• Detailed understanding of Years of Service Awards Milestone to celebrate

Years Of Service Awards Ideas

• Virtual Years of Service Awards Ideas
• What are the Benefits of Having Years of Service Award Program
• How to Build a Successful Years of Service Award Program
• Why Should Companies Recognize Years of Service
• Changing Trends in Employee Tenure

What Are Years Of Service Awards?

Years of service awards or service awards celebrate the tenure of employees who have worked with the company for a considerable amount of time. It is a type of employee recognition method that includes commemorating work anniversaries or years of services (5, 10, 20 years, etc.).

However, it is crucial to note that employees are not rewarded for showing up to work every day. The companies aim to recognize the reasons that made these employees stay for such a long time. These reasons may include their learnings, achievements, work relationships, and shared successes.

Think about those “participation certificates” you receive when you attend an event. Now compare it to the award that you got for your extraordinary efforts on a project.

Which one would you rather have? I’m sure you’d prefer the latter.

Objectives Behind Years Of Service Awards

A Forbes survey found that 87% of company recognition programs emphasize tenure.

People want recognition for things they do rather than just their attendance. They want to know that their years of hard work have paid off and played a significant part in the company's success.

Service awards aim to recognize all the above: their efforts, value, and professional development.

Thus, years of service awards have evolved to become more than just celebrating tenure. They are associated with recognizing service milestones at different phases in the employee lifecycle .

That’s why years of service awards are also known as milestone awards. Companies also refer to them as long service awards, employee service awards, or service award recognition. Regardless of the type, they play an essential role in making employees feel valued.

Years of Service Awards Milestone to Celebrate

Years of service awards aim to honor employees at different stages of their employee lifecycle. But to provide the right kind of employee appreciation , we need to understand what these stages entail.

Here’s a detailed understanding of the key career stages of an employee in an organization:

Service Awards for 1 Year

It is the stage of learning. Employees begin to understand the company culture and are proud to complete their first year.Let us get into the details-

Importance of Onboarding and Early Development:

Effective onboarding plays a significant role in determining employees’ success and engagement within the organization. It helps them acclimatize to the company's values, culture, and expectations, allowing them to understand their role better.

Introduce them to early development opportunities like mentorship, training programs, and regular feedback sessions. This helps in nurturing their talent in the long run. Strengthening their foundation during the initial stages helps them develop professionally, boosting their engagement levels.

Awards Focusing on Growth and Potential:

You can confer them with the following awards-

Rising-Star Award: You can recognize employees for showcasing potential, exceptional growth, and initiative-oriented during their first year.

Learning Champion Award: Acknowledge employees for enthusiastically pursuing learning opportunities and utilizing them to fuel their personal and professional growth.

Tips to Make Newcomers Feel Welcomed and Valued:

• Assigning a dedicated mentor or buddy to new employees will help them guide throughout the onboarding process and provide advice and support.
• Conduct regular check-ins and performance reviews to offer constructive feedback to new employees. This will help them understand their strengths and weaknesses. Hence, will allow them to align with the organizational goals. Encourage and involve them in team-building activities and social events. This form of participation fosters camaraderie and helps new employees develop relationships in the workplace.
• Providing professional development opportunities like training, workshops, seminars, and skill-building exercises empowers employees to reach their full potential.
• Celebrate milestones and achievements, such as completing probationary periods or successful project launches.

Service Awards for 3 Years

It is the stage of fitting in. Employees become comfortable with their teams. They are enthusiastic and want to grow professionally.The section below will delve into a detailed understanding-

Recognizing Employees' Contributions and Development:

• Conduct a personalized ceremony to recognize employees' contributions and development over the past three years. Make sure to highlight their milestones, achievements, and the positive impact they had on the team and organization.
• Provide specific instances of the projects they excelled in, the skills they developed, and how well they demonstrated their leadership and teamwork abilities. This will show that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Awards Demonstrating Appreciation and Career Progression:

"Excellence in Performance Award": Recognize employees who have consistently delivered extraordinary performance over the years. This award is a testimony to their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the team and organization.

"Career Growth Achievement Award": Acknowledge employees who have displayed significant growth and development in their careers after joining the company. This award celebrates their progress and commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Tips for Fostering Long-Term Engagement and Motivation

• Continue encouraging open communication and feedback between employees and managers. This makes employees feel valued, heard, and supported in their roles.
• Foster a positive work environment that promotes work-life balance, recognition, and collaboration. Recognize and celebrate achievements regularly to keep them motivated.
• Offer career progression opportunities within the organization, such as promotions, lateral moves, or new project assignments. This works best in engaging employees, bringing out the best in them, and keeping them motivated for the long term.

Service Awards for 5 Years

It is the stage of expertise. Employees are confident and expert in their areas. They value their work but also wonder about better opportunities elsewhere. Below are the things that you can try to make the service year award memorable-

Celebrating Significant Contributions and Impact on the Team:

• Host a special recognition ceremony or event to commemorate employees' 5-year service milestone. It could be at a team outing, formal dinner, a virtual celebration, or an annual event. It should totally depend on the preferences of the team.
• Amid the celebration, ensure to highlight employees’ contributions, achievements, and the positive impact it has created on the team and the organization in general. Share success stories, collect testimonials from colleagues, and give instances of projects or initiatives to which they have contributed significantly.

Awards Emphasizing Teamwork and Leadership Potential:

You can confer the following awards-

"Team Excellence Award": Recognize teams or employees for demonstrating robust teamwork, collaboration, and synergy toward achieving common goals. The award is a celebration of the collective effort and camaraderie within the team.

"Leadership Achievement Award": Confer this award to employees who have demonstrated strong leadership qualities by undertaking initiatives in their roles. The award acknowledges those employees who have the potential to-

• Inspire and motivate others
• Drive positive change and
• Contribute to the organization's success through their leadership skills.

Ideas for Recognizing Individual Expertise and Achievements:

• Feature their personal achievements and expertise by showcasing them in company newsletters or internal communications.
• Allot them a budget for professional development activities and attend conferences related to their expertise. This will keep them updated on industry trends and advancements.

Service Awards for 10 Years

It is the stage of belonging. Employees feel a sense of ownership in the company. However, they want to solidify their role in the company.Below are the things that you can try to make the service year award memorable-

Acknowledging the Employee's Valuable Experience and Mentorship:

• Arrange a special recognition event or ceremony to honor employees who have reached the 10-year service milestone.
• During the event, highlight their valuable contributions to the company. Acknowledge their role as mentors and advisors for positively influencing the growth of their colleagues and team members.
• Give employees a platform to share insights into their 10-year journey with their peers.
• Gift them a beautifully crafted box for storing mementos and keepsakes from their time with the company. Give it a personalized touch with their names and years of service engraved.
• Additionally, you can sponsor a weekend outdoor adventure such as a guided hiking trip, or kayaking excursion or any activity they seek that amounts to an unforgettable experience.

Awards Showcasing Loyalty and Dedication to the Company:

• "Decade of Dedication Award": Recognize employees for demonstrating their unwavering loyalty, dedication, and commitment to the company over the decade. This award celebrates their long-term service and contribution to the organization's success and growth.
• "Mentorship Excellence Award": Reward employees for excelling as mentors and guiding and supporting their colleagues to unlock their full potential. This award acknowledges their invaluable mentorship contributions and the positive impact they have had on the development and success of others.

Tips for strengthening Long-Term Commitment and Fostering Legacy Building:

• Encourage long-tenured employees to engage in knowledge-sharing sessions to share their experiences, insights, and lessons learned among their colleagues. This helps build a legacy for peers to follow.
• Create opportunities for long-term employees to undertake leadership roles and participate in special projects that allow them to put their expertise and experience into practice.
• Establish a formalized legacy program that honors long-term employees' contributions and achievements. This includes creating a hall of fame, publishing commemorative materials, or naming awards or scholarships in their honor.

Service Awards for 20 Years

Employees have seen the ups and downs of the company and are considered to be veterans. They prove to be good mentors.Below are the things that you can try to make the 20th service year award memorable-

Impact and Potential:

• Significant Contributions: Acknowledge employees’ significant contributions to the organization over the past two decades. Highlight their efforts on specific projects and achievements which had a lasting impact on the company's success.
• Expertise and Mentorship: Recognize employees' expertise in their field and their impactful role as mentors to others. Highlight how they have shared their knowledge, skills, and experience with colleagues and helped develop the next generation of talent within the organization.

Experiences:

• Leadership Development Program: Offer employees the opportunity to participate in a specialized leadership development program tailored to their interests and career goals. This could include seminars, workshops, or executive coaching sessions focusing on enhancing their leadership skills and strategic thinking abilities.
• Industry Conference Trip: Send them to a prestigious industry conference or event relevant to their field of expertise. This will keep them attuned to the current industry trends, assist in networking with peers, and gain valuable insights beneficial for the organization.
• Personalized Learning Experience: Provide a personalized learning experience based on the employee's interests and aspirations. This could include funding for online courses, memberships to professional associations, or access to resources.
• Custom Jewelry: Present the employee with a custom piece of jewelry with the company logo intact or other meaningful symbols to commemorate their 20 years of service. This will serve as a tangible testimony of their dedication and commitment to the organization.
• High-End Tech Gadget: You can also give the employees a high-end tech gadget that assists and enhances their work life. This could be a new smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or other innovative device.
• Arrange for an exclusive travel experience for your employees. Offer them a private guided tour of iconic landmarks and a luxury cruise to exotic destinations.

Service Awards for 25 Years

It is a significant milestone in an employee’s career. It signifies triumph and is a time to celebrate all the previous accomplishments.

From here, it is primarily a stage of reflection and nostalgia. Employees are more interested in passing on their acquired knowledge.Let us see how you can make this service year award memorable-

Legacy and Appreciation:

• Lasting Impact: Make this event a grand affair. Celebrate the employees’ legacy and lasting impact on the company's history and culture. Highlight specific achievements, milestones, or initiatives where their contributions have made a sustainable difference.
• Dedication and Loyalty: Show deep appreciation for the employee's dedication and loyalty to the organization over the past 25 years. Acknowledge the milestones and challenges they've encountered throughout their journey and recognize the unwavering commitment they've showcased to the company's mission and values.
• Contributions Across a Quarter-Century: Reflect on their journey and contributions over the past 25 years. Discuss how their expertise, leadership, and mentorship have shaped the organization and influenced their colleagues' and teams' development and success.
• Customized Trip: Organize a customized trip for the employee with a destination of their choice. This could be a dream vacation, a bucket-list adventure, or a cultural immersion experience catering to their interests and passions. The trip will give them ample time to relax, rejuvenate, and create lasting memories to cherish.
• Dream Event: You can also offer tickets to a dream event or experience tied to the employee's passions and interests. This could include VIP access to sporting events, concerts, theater productions, or exclusive cultural events. Granting them an opportunity to attend a once-in-a-lifetime experience will help them indulge in their hobbies and interests and memorably celebrate their milestone achievement.
• High-Value Item: Gift the employee a high-value item that perfectly symbolizes their 25 years of dedicated service and commitment to the organization. This could be a piece of fine art, a customized watch with the employees' initials engraved on it, or any prestigious item with the company’s logo.
• Exclusive Membership or Club Subscription: You can also opt to gift a membership to an exclusive club. This could include a golf club, country club, or private members' lounge, where employees can get better networking opportunities and enjoy leisure activities.

Here are some great ideas to make your years of service awards more meaningful:

1. Symbolic Awards

These include things like service certificates, plaques, service pins, or trophies. They help represent the years of service in a unique, meaningful way. Employees can also connect these awards to something they cherish.

2. Time-off

These may include extra vacation days or weekend getaways. This way, they will enjoy their work anniversary with some quality for themselves. It instills the thought that you care for them and acknowledge their contributions.

3. Personalized Rewards/Gifts

Personalized corporate gifts allow employers to know their employees on a personal level. This paves the way for stronger employer-employee relations.

Consider gifting them accessories like a coffee mug or a shirt with their name on it. For significant service contributions, you may give luxury items or personalized wrist-watches.

Provide them some choice over their service award gift. For example, employees may choose between electronics, work from home items, sports items, travel accessories, etc.

4. Stock Options

You may let your loyal employees buy company stocks at lower prices. Allowing employees to invest in the company gives them a sense of ownership. This acts as an acknowledgment of employee loyalty and an effective employee retention strategy.

5. Recognition Letter From Leadership

Instead of a pre-formatted email, arrange to send out a personal note of congratulations from the company CEO or senior leadership. Plan a nice dinner or lunch party or an outdoor event, where you include the senior leadership along the team to celebrate employee services.

6. Gift Cards and Cash

With gift cards or cash, your employees have the choice to get the things they wish to buy.

Points-based reward systems can also come in handy in this case. In this system, points are tied to a specific monetary value. These points are usually redeemable for merchandise and other incentives.

7. Promotions

Work anniversaries are an excellent opportunity to promote deserving employees . Make their work anniversaries special by announcing promotions based on their performance or experience.

8. Training and Development Opportunities

While money and security are essential, the majority of employees seek career growth. Providing them with learning opportunities demonstrates that you care about their development as well.

Pay for a certification course or training session for your employees to level up. Help them with their education expenses through tuition reimbursements. You may also consider giving them options to pursue their hobbies of choice.

Read more: 23 Awesome Ways To Make Every Employee Work Anniversary Memorable

Virtual Years Of Service Awards Ideas

Most of the above ideas, like gift cards, stock options, promotions, etc., can also be used to cherish remote workers’ service anniversaries. But you may also explore other options to make their special day memorable. The ideas are as follows:

• Arrange fun virtual activities like “things I like about you” or fellow employees sharing fun facts.
• Arrange for delivery of personalized goody bags, gifts, or even their favorite food to their homes.
• Upgrade their work-from-home office setup with new pieces of equipment and other amenities.
• You can send a personalized handwritten letter from their boss or a customized booklet with messages from the team.

Employee Engagement platforms like Vantage Circle offer a Service Yearbook feature, which is a personalized online yearbook. It allows peers to collect and share memories for someone’s service anniversary.

5 Benefits Of Having Years Of Service Award Program

1. improves employee retention.

Years of service awards improve the retention rates of the company. Employees reportedly stay for 2 to 4 years longer when their company has a dedicated service award program.

2. Increases Employee Loyalty

SurveyMonkey partnered with Bonusly to find out how recognition and retention are related. Out of 1,500 respondents, 63% of those who were “always” or “usually” recognized said that they are “very unlikely” to job hunt in the next 3–6 months. In contrast, only 11% of those who are “never” or “rarely” recognized would agree.

Years of service awards motivate employees to remain loyal to the company. They cultivate a sense of belonging among the employees. When they get genuine recognition consistently, they’d want to stay and contribute to the company’s success.

3. Drives Employee Satisfaction and Engagement

Loyal employees tend to show higher levels of satisfaction. They feel that the company values their efforts, and this, in turn, can drive employee engagement . It not only improves employee experience and productivity but also organizational performance.

4. Strengthens Company Culture

When you celebrate service milestones of employees, it sends out a signal to the whole workforce that the company appreciates their contributions. This, in turn, positively impacts employee motivation and helps reinforce good behavior.

5. Attracts Top Talent

Service awards don’t just help in employee retention, they also help attract top talent . Prospective candidates know that your company values and recognizes true talent.As a result, they show an inclination towards your company.

How To Build A Successful Years Of Service Award Program?

Years of service awards are one of the most popular recognition programs that companies use.

Companies recognize employees on their work anniversaries and send congratulatory emails. Some programs offer certificates, plaques, and other gifts to symbolize their value. But it can still be a very transactional process.

Companies should strive to turn the special occasion into a memorable occasion. Years of service awards must have a personalized touch so that an emotional connection can be built.

While designing their service awards program, companies need to contemplate the following questions:

• Are there any clearly defined goals and objectives? What do you want to achieve with your service anniversary program?
• Do you know the average employee tenure in your company?
• What are the expectations of the employees from you for their service anniversaries?
• Do they like the last career milestone award that they received?
• Is receiving a service award a memorable experience for them?
• Do these awards reinforce the connection your employees feel towards your organization?

The major goal of years of service awards is to express gratitude to employees. So to find out what makes them feel valued, ask the employees how they want to be recognized.Get feedback from recently recognized employees for suggestions to improve the experience. Employee surveys and check-ins are of enormous help to gauge employee expectations.

Building an impactful service awards program will require you to keep yourself updated with the current trends. When designing your service awards program, it's essential to ensure it remains relevant to the current generation. Hence, you should opt to modernize it. This means that you must update the program to align with the needs and preferences of today's workforce.

Let us see how you can modernize your service award program.

Ensure more personalized rewarding experiences. While appreciating employees, be personal, specific, and genuine. Try to focus on their unique role and how they contribute to the company’s mission.

Appreciate daily efforts, but don’t use the same techniques to recognize a major milestone. Combine personalized awards with symbolic awards to make them memorable.

Know that 1 or 5 years is different from 25 years. Ensure that the service awards reflect the expectations of the employees at different career stages.

Recognize their value, their efforts, and their successes. Don’t limit service awards to simply recognizing length of service.

Incorporate social recognition methods by involving team members, mentors, peers, family, and friends in the celebrations.

Empower managers with all the resources and tools they need to create a meaningful experience while recognizing the service of their team members. Train them in meaningful storytelling so that they can efficiently highlight employees’ contributions.

Include different types of awards depending on the milestone you are celebrating. Ideally, the longer your employees serve, the more value their rewards should be.

Why Should Companies Recognize Years Of Service?

Recognizing years of service is essential for companies, particularly to keep long-term employees intact. Long-term employees are vital for companies for several reasons. They are as follows:

• Long-term employees develop an overall familiarity with the company culture and expertise in products and services. Having witnessed the ups and downs, they know how things operate, what works in their favor, and what does not.
• They serve as great mentors for the new employees by becoming a constant source of support to them.
• They reflect stability amidst job uncertainties. This helps in boosting the morale of the workforce.
• Retaining long-term employees is rather cost-effective. It saves on recruitment, onboarding, and training expenses.
• Recognizing long-term employees satisfies the expectations of the millennial workforce, which is expanding.
• With the brewing competitive war for talent, long-term employees will stay with you despite opportunities elsewhere.

Changing Trends In Employee Tenure

Consider the following facts around employee tenure: (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics )

• The average tenure of a salaried employee in 2020 was 4.1 years.
• If we consider the age group of 25-34 years, this number drops to 2.8 years.
• Ten years back, the corresponding figure for all salaried employees was 4.4 years, and for the 25-34 age group was 3.1 years.

In other words, employees today stay engaged with businesses for shorter periods.

According to a 2021 study, 73 percent of employees would consider leaving their jobs for the right offer, even if they weren’t looking for a job at the moment.

Millennials change jobs within the first few years to strengthen their portfolio, higher pay, or better opportunities.

Additionally, it is the era of the gig economy . More and more people are opting for self-employment and freelancing.

It may not be wise to wait for a 5, 10, or 20th work anniversary to recognize their worth. The concept of years of service awards needs to evolve accordingly.

Final Takeaway

Years of service awards programs should aim to make work anniversaries meaningful, memorable, and fun. They should move beyond honoring employees’ contributions to creating an experience that builds an emotional connection between them and the company.

When done well, years of service awards boost employee morale and make employees feel a true sense of belonging in the workplace. They act as a medium of reflection of the good times spent through celebrations of relationships and successes.

How can companies ensure the effectiveness of their years of service awards program?

To ensure the effectiveness of their years of service awards program, companies should do the following-

• Regularly review and update their recognition practices,
• Seek feedback from employees,
• Tailor awards to individual preferences and
• Align the program with the company's values and culture.

Can years of service awards be customized to reflect individual preferences or interests?

Yes, years of service awards can be customized to reflect individual preferences or interests. You can offer an array of gift options or allow employees to choose their preferred form of recognition. Customization can enhance the personalization and effectiveness of the awards program.

This article was co-authored by Riha Jaishi and Swati Baruah , who work as digital marketers at Vantage Circle . For any queries reach out to [email protected] .

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19 Best Years Of Service Awards For Celebrating 1,2,5,10 Years At Your Company

Employees staying with the same company for four or five years — let alone their entire careers — is a rare thing these days. Is that good or bad?

If anything it’s a reflection of the fact that as an employer, if you want employee loyalty and retention, you’ve got to earn it. 

One of the best ways to reward employees who remain loyal, which also incentivizes retention, is to offer years of service awards. 

“Highly engaged business units achieve a 10% increase in customer metrics and a 20% increase in sales.” — Gallup

Typical service award programs simply focus on employee tenure; however, the types of service award program tips, strategies, and awards you’ll find here are all about spotlighting real accomplishments and contributions, along with time spent.

Check out our years of service awards, program tips, and strategies to celebrate milestones in 2024!

What are Years of Service Awards?

Years of service awards are incentives given for anything ranging from service anniversaries, employee anniversaries, long service awards, length of service awards, service milestones to milestone awards. Retaining and engaging employees  with years of service awards is so effective because it’s the ultimate expression of gratitude for their dedication, which in turn gives them even more reason to want to stay!

Years of Service Award Ideas

1. note or award from the ceo, “for an extra special recognition program”.

A note or award from the CEO is enough to give most employees an electric feeling — especially at a large company with hundreds of employees. CEO usually comes with a level of respect for having built or at least managed a company’s growth and development. Hearing directly from the person in charge of the whole operation is the ultimate form of employee recognition.

Best for: 1 year of service

Why your employee will love this service award: Your employee will love hearing directly from the CEO because it lets them know they aren’t just a number or viewed as an asset. Instead, they’re seen as a human, above all.

For additional information: Try sending the note in an  Employee Care Package .

2. Redeemable points

“a gift that keeps on giving”.

Reward your employees with points they can redeem for items or experiences. Redeemable points are a fantastic way to show appreciation and offer rewards that last much longer than just one day.

Best for: 2 years of service and up

Why your employee will love this service award: Points can be used to purchase a variety of items, ensuring employees get something they’re interested in rather than just another generic year of service award idea.

For additional information: Check out a points-based recognition program from a platform like Bonusly  to encourage all your employees to join in on the celebration!

“Celebrate with a special message”

Say thank you to your employees with an ecard that will touch their hearts. An ecard is the perfect way to let each employee know just how much you value and respect their time and commitment by adding a personalized message. Expressing thanks for all of the years they’ve dedicated to the company is a must and once it’s done digitally this particular award style lasts forever!

Best for: All years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: An ecard is a thoughtful and personal way to appreciate employees for years of service, allowing you to customize the message to make the award extra meaningful.

For additional information: Get started with Care Cards to start working on your customizable ecard!

4. Gift Cards

“give the gift of choice”.

Show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work and loyalty with easy-to-use gift cards. Gift cards are a perfect way to say thank you, as there is something for everyone no matter what their tastes or preferences may be. In other words, they allow employees to select their own service award!

Why your employee will love this service award: Gift cards allow the employee to choose what they want, allowing them to make a purchase they’ll truly love and appreciate.

For additional information: Learn more about setting up a corporate gift card program with Stadium — the innovative platform for employee rewards and recognition.

5. Send a custom award

“make your recognition meaningful”.

Customized awards stand out in a sea of generic ones lacking warmth and personalization. And so, it’s best reserved for your most committed and long-standing employees to show them that you value their contribution and commitment.

Best for: 10 years in service

Why your employee will love this service award: While generic awards are “nice” to receive, employees know they’re just one of many people getting the same recognition. A custom award gesture like a plaque created in their honor, a dinner out at their favorite restaurant, or tickets to an upcoming game you know they’ll enjoy is a lot more meaningful and motivating to receive.

For additional information: You can put together a whole list of fun awards and medals to give out to celebrate your team members.

6. Offer company stock

“grow as the company grows”.

Stock options are literally one of the best benefits you can give your most dedicated employees. Typically, it’s a share in the company’s equity. It’s an attractive proposition for employees and a fantastic motivation builder simply because employees can see some serious dividends relative to their participation and dedication to the company.

Best for: 10 years or more of service

Why your employee will love this service award: There’s no better incentive for your employees to want to stay with the company and actively participate in doing their best. The faster and bigger the company grows, the faster and bigger its profits!

For additional information: For more information on company stock options refer to this guide from Carta .

7. Weekend getaway

“the perfect end to the work week”.

Let your employees take a break and reward them with a weekend getaway. An extended time away from work can provide the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and recharge.

Best for: 3 years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: A weekend getaway can be a much-needed break from the daily grind, giving employees time to reconnect with themselves and enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

For additional information: Look into local events in your area to gift a new experience for your employees.

8. Charitable Donation

“the gift that gives”.

Philanthropy is extremely important to many employees — especially millennials and Gen-Z. Working corporate social responsibility into your service award program will be a hit because of this.

Why your employee will love this service award: Charitable donations are a great way of promoting corporate values, while at the same time rewarding loyalty. Find a cause that aligns with your employees’ passions.

For additional information: Do your research to find local organizations or charities that are supporting your community. You can also use a tool like Charity Navigator .

9. Team Dinner at A Fancy Restaurant

“winner, winner, fancy dinner”.

Team dinner at a fancy restaurant is a serious milestone flex. Your employee will be the star of the evening with this service award tip.

Best for: 5 years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: Food is tantalizing, tactile, and sensory. Like great music, the things we eat get associated with memory, which in this case, will be a positive one.

For additional information: Book a fine dining experience at a local restaurant.

10. Give them a raise

“Ca-ching!”

A raise is hands-down one of the biggest investments you can make in your employees. It’s a visible reminder of how much your employee means to your organization, and it can be incredibly gratifying to receive.

Best for: Applicable at any time during the employee tenure for exceptional service.

Why your employee will love this service award: Cash rewards in the form of a raise are a universal favorite with employees because they can spend, set aside, or save up the additional funds for their personal needs. It also emphasizes their hard work hasn’t gone unrecognized and there’s more in the pipeline if they maintain their progress.

For additional information: Learn more about how to calculate a raise for your employee here .

11. Milestone Box

“for the superb superlatives”.

Milestone boxes are packages curated explicitly for those major milestones at work. These packages typically include unique items as opposed to your run-of-the-mill swag. For example, a 10 years of service award should include several high-quality gifts that speak directly to your employee. Whether they have specific hobbies, interests, or enjoy a particular food or drink — your milestone gift should celebrate them!

Best for: 6 months of service

Why your employee will love this service award: Milestone boxes are worth the effort because they actually match the gravity of the moment. Milestones require energy — an energy that deserves to be matched.

For additional information: Try ordering a milestone box from  Goody .

12. Trophy or Plaque

“for immortalizing success”.

A trophy or a plaque is a reminder of the moment they crossed the finish line on an objective. The feeling fades over time, but the trophy will allow them to recall exactly how they felt at the time.

Best for: 10 years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: A plaque or trophy etches their success in stone — or whatever material it’s engraved in.

For additional information: If your employee is a fan of the classic television show The Office, you might want to give them a Dundie to celebrate their years of service.

13. Signed Card From The Team + Gift

“for camaraderie”.

A signed card from the team, accompanied by a gift is the perfect way to celebrate milestones with your  coworkers or employees. This long service award highlights their time at your company in a unique and personalized way!

Why your employee will love this service award: Employees will love this service award strategy for the same reasons we enjoyed having our yearbooks signed in grade school — the memories and the connections!

For additional information: You can personalize a years of service card for your employee to gift them something they will want to keep at their desk or workstation for a long time.

14. Throw A Party

“for mixing business with pleasure”.

Depending on the employee and whether or not they are a party lover, throwing a good old-fashioned jubilee could be a rock-solid idea.

Why your employee will love this service award: Throwing a  party for an employee  is the ultimate VIP experience. They simply won’t forget it.

For additional information: If your employees are remote or working in a hybrid environment, there are a ton of virtual party options that engage everyone in a lively Zoom party environment.

15. Unique Swag

“for one-of-a-kind swagger”.

Unique swag is a solid service award idea because you can often customize it to suit the particular employee’s tastes.

Best for: 2 years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: Your employee will love unique swag because they can wear it or make legitimate use of it.

For additional information: Browse through  SwagMagic to find custom-branded swag.

16. Employee Incentives

“big time benefits for big ballers”.

Employee incentives are essential for every service award program.  From personal time off (PTO), sponsored education, retirement benefits to sabbaticals, there’s no shortage of creative ways to provide employee incentives.

Why your employee will love this service award: In the corporate world, money isn’t everything. While  monetary incentives  are great, some of the best work perks are non-monetary.

For additional information: Read this SnackNation article on  employee benefits !

17. Office Upgrade

“for those who’ve worked their way up”.

So they’ve been around for a while. They’ve seen some stuff and are a grizzled corporate veteran. Now, it’s time for an upgrade.

Why your employee will love this service award: Someone’s space is important — especially when they spend so much time in it. Upgrading their office is the kind of surprise that shows you appreciate them to the extent that you want to go out of your way to optimize their environment. Those extra touches boost employee satisfaction massively.

For additional information: Stadium offers customized, highly unique office decor.

18. Vacation / Trip Package

“for work life balance on the fly”.

A vacation or trip package is a luxe gift for employees. This service reward is best-suited for long-time employees.

This is not a cheap idea, but a great option to offer a 10 year service award to employees are have been at your company for most of their career.

Best for: 10+ years of service

Why your employee will love this service award: Material things are great, but experiences are what we live for.

For additional information: Encourage your entire workforce to use their vacation pay and PTO!

19. Social Media Post

“for social recognition”.

Social media posts are an instantaneous way of using social recognition to celebrate a team member. Hop on your company’s Facebook, Instagram, and your various social channels to give a shoutout!

Why your employee will love this service award: Slowly, but surely, the digital world has become about as important as the physical world. Now, it’s almost as if it doesn’t count if it isn’t acknowledged on social, so be sure to make the time to give that shoutout.

For additional information: LinkedIn is the top network for professionals. Any sort of work-related milestones, should absolutely be posted there.

Milestones To Give A Service Award

1. anniversary.

A work anniversary  is a huge milestone, so take a second to celebrate and reflect on this event with the employees you cherish! Mark down the day they started and take some notes about your kind first impressions and the things you’ve enjoyed getting to know about them.

Tip: Set up a recurring reminder that automatically notifies you when an employee’s  anniversary is near — this can also include wedding anniversaries and other outside-of-work anniversaries if you know that information as well. Go above and beyond by sending them a years of service package with Caroo !

2. Daily Wins

Why wait for something to come around once per year when you can find a reason to celebrate every day? Each sunrise is another opportunity to build an even more positive corporate culture.

Tip: Use  Bonusly  to add visibility into your team members’ successes. Now, rewards and recognition will be integrated into everything your employees and managers do!

3. Celebrate Results

Gone are the days of simply clocking in and out. With remote work in full swing, we’ve entered the era of the results-based economy. Celebrate the end of a project, the culmination of an event, performance metrics achieved, and much more.

Tip: Throw a team party — in person or virtual — to celebrate the success of your employees.

4. Promotion Announcement

Promotions are a big deal. To get one, an employee has had to not only work extremely hard, but to actually get great results. Announce their promotion and let them soak in the moment!

Tip: Give  gifts for promotions  to go along with the promotion announcement.

5. Personal Development Achievement

Personal development moves include passing certifications, completing courses, finishing different levels of education, and completing any sort of career advancement. An organization is as good as its talent — and of course, how well that talent works together — so celebrating personal development is cheering on both the employee and your organization as a whole.

Tip:   Buy the team lunch  the next time they complete any type of career advancement or they make conscious efforts at personal development.

6. Retirement

Retirement is a monumental occasion. Unless you’re Michael Jordan, it only happens once in your lifetime. Help your employees get that farewell tour and go out with a bang!

Tip: If you’re short on ideas, check out these  retirement party ideas .

7. Bereavement

While the other items on this list are certainly more exciting and less tragic, loss is a difficult and inevitable part of life. It’s during those moments more than ever that your employees need your compassion and understanding.

Tip: A  sympathy basket  is ideal for bereavement. Nobody should have to suffer alone and this is one way to let your employees or coworkers know that your heart goes out to them.

8. New Baby / Maternity

A new baby is, for many people, the mother of all milestones. Pun intended. Maternity is a beautiful yet sensitive time in a new mother’s life, so celebrating with them gives them comfort and helps them feel connected even as they’re away on leave.

Tip: Finding the perfect baby gift is challenging — fortunately, you can start with  this one .

9. Onboarding

The first impression an employee has of your company can often be the lasting feeling they have while being a part of it. Onboarding is where  employee engagement  and retention begin.

Tip: Get your new hires an employee welcome kit  to welcome them into your company culture and set the right tone from day one.

10. Sales Award

Sales is competitive, cutthroat, and clearly measured. That means that it also needs to be clearly rewarded. When your salespeople hit their big marks, celebrate those milestones in meaningful ways.

Tip: One of the most meaningful ways to celebrate your salespeople hitting their numbers is through a  Sales Award .

Setting Up A Years Of Service Award Program

Step 1 – establish a process you can build into your culture / job responsibility.

• Milestones and employee recognition need to be seamlessly integrated into the day-to-day culture. Additionally, each job role needs to have specific rewards related to the  activities  it entails.

Step 2 – Follow through from start to finish

• Once the expectation is set, always deliver on the rewards for the milestone. Met goals deserve to be met with milestone awards.

Step 3 – Make sure your award is appropriate for the occasion

• 10 years of service is a different sort of occasion than an employee who has just completed their first. Also, you’ll want to be sure that the award is grand enough for those extra special moments.

Step 4 – Include the team in the award

• Remember how your parents would include you in the card as a gift giver? It’s the same principle. The other employees will appreciate being included.

Step 5 – Make it personal – use what you know about them to make the award special

• The goal of giving an award is to make the recipient feel special. The best way to do that is to personalize it so the work award doesn’t seem generic.

Step 6 – Determine your budget

• Awards and recognition can add up. While you should give graciously, you still need to have a limit that you don’t allow yourself to succeed. Once you do that, make sure to cap off milestones properly so promises don’t go unmet.

Step 7 – Present the award at a specific time and place

• The setting matters. The when and how matters, too. Present the award at a banquet, ceremony, or company-wide meeting for maximum impact!

Step 8 – Tie it into your company values and mission

• The awards have to align with your company’s values and culture. After all, milestone  celebrations  are an ideal opportunity to reinforce your  corporate culture  and team building.

Step 9 – Get buy in/participation from leadership

• Leadership getting behind the service award program in full force will have a large influence on how successful it is.

Benefits Of Giving Out A Years of Service Award

1. improves retention.

Giving out a years of service award boosts retention because  employees  who feel their work is valued are much more likely to stay at the company. Conversely, employees who feel undervalued are eventually  going to leave  if the option presents itself.

2. Simplifies recruiting

When potential prospects and talent are searching for a job or getting ready to apply to your company, they’ll often reach out to current and past employees to learn about their experience. Years of service awards show that loyalty is rewarded.

3. Reinforces workplace culture

Employee years of service awards build trust within the workplace. They also build other important values, which in turn reinforce the positive aspects  of your corporate culture.

4. Creates connections

Years of service awards forge connections across every department in the company. Implementing a service award program gives teammates a sense of belonging. Reducing isolation also enhances empathy, kindness, and emotional safety in the  workplace .

5. Cultivates gratitude and appreciation

When an employer expresses gratitude, it sets the tone for the entire company culture. Creating a culture of appreciation starts with incentives, rewards, and recognition.

People Also Ask These Questions About Years Of Service Awards

Q: what are some unique years of service awards.

• Some unique years of service awards include dinners at fancy restaurants, experiential rewards, team building activities, and anything custom or personalized.

Q: How do I choose the right years of service award for my employee?

• Choosing the right years of service award for your employee is really a matter of personal preference. One fun trick is to pretend you’re getting a surprise for another employee and ask them for cool reward ideas. Then, you can turn around and get them the item or experience they seem most excited about.

Q: What does an employee services award cost?

• An employee services award can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on several factors.

Q: How do I know if our years of service award program is successful?

• You should know if your years of service award program is successful based on metrics like employee retention, engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and word-of-mouth recruiting. Satisfied employees tend to want others to join their team.

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They are really nice ideas to promote employees.

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Tips for Service Award Presentations:

• To get the biggest impact on employees, allow the employee’s manager play a key role in the presentation of the Service Milestone Recognition. For the employee, the most meaningful recognition is from their manager.         For some organizations, it may not be possible for managers to physically present service awards. In these situations, Award Packets can be mailed directly to remote employees. These emails should include a personal recognition message from the employee's manager.
• Do not miss this valuable opportunity to acknowledge and praise the employee’s accomplishments and special contributions, and tie these to your company’s goals and mission.
• Use in-person events to review key information about your company and core values.   After the individual recognition presentations, t alk about how your valued and loyal employees have helped make the company what it is today.
• Newsletters: If you have a company newsletter, include a short article recognizing all employees who have received recent service recognition, and thank them again for their service.         Note: Organizations should consider and respect the preferences of those employees who shy away from public recognition.

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What is an awards ceremony, why award ceremonies are valuable, award ceremony ideas, key takeaways: awards ceremony ideas, 20 outstanding awards ceremony ideas.

Take your next awards show or gala to the next level with these ideas from leading brands. Featuring examples from WeWork, Lean Startup, Gartner and more.

Awards shows, corporate awards and galas are a fun, engaging way to spotlight the people who have contributed the most to your business or industry.

Whether you’re planning an awards ceremony for your colleagues or your customers, it’s important to consider the ways in which this event, like all others, presents an excellent opportunity to further promote brand awareness and thought leadership.

To accomplish these goals, you’ll need to think outside of the box. Get a little inspiration from these 20 curated award ceremony ideas.

Awards ceremonies, also known as awards shows, can help organizations drive brand recognition and donations or revenue from a variety of sources. increasing ticket sales or donations is often a key part of this type of event strategy.

In general, awards ceremonies are commonly produced by media companies, publishers, associations and nonprofits. They can be a stand-alone event or part of a larger summit or conference. An award ceremony can often be similar to gala events, as you’ll see from the examples below.

Having a clear event strategy   is key for any occasion but it’s especially true for awards ceremonies. Regardless of what achievement you are aiming for, there are three main benefits to any event of this kind:

• Increasing brand awareness
• Expanding thought leadership
• Gaining additional donations or revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships

Knowing what you stand to gain from hosting an awards ceremony will help determine how you use your  event software   to measure ROI and, ultimately, how to plan a successful show.

1. Create an authentic experience.

There are lots of ways to celebrate with formal elegance while still being down to earth and personal. Involving attendees in the voting process is a great way to be authentic while also encouraging higher rates of event engagement .

The Europas’ Diversity Pass awards use public voting from thousands of attendees alongside the professional opinions of hand-picked judges, founders, and investors. They also make it a point not to livestream their event so that conversations can feel more intimate and in the moment.

Source: The Europas

2. Offer a wide range of creative awards categories.

Variety is the spice of life but it can also be the spice of your awards show. Use an interesting combination of traditional and unusual or highly specific awards categories to gain the attention of future attendees.

The Digiday Awards celebrates companies, campaigns, and innovative new media marketing. Because they’ve included a wide range of industries, their attendees and awards winners include a variety of publishers, agencies. From big name pizza delivery brands to high fashion advertisers, the Digiday Awards is a great example of how much freedom event planners have for their own awards show.

Source : Digiday

3. Cast a wide net.

While your event marketing needs to be specific, your list of potential awards ceremonies doesn’t. Opening up award entries anyone who has a great submission idea is a fantastic way to increase registrations and participants.

WeWork’s Creator Awards presents a global competition for anyone who qualifies under their theme (“Creating Your Life’s Work”). From comedians to nonprofits, WeWork welcomed interesting and passionate people from all walks of life to their awards show.

Source: WeWork

4. Add a People’s Choice award.

Even if you’d prefer to leave the scoring to your judges, you can still get the audience involved with a people’s choice award. By offering digital entries through your event registration page or onsite paper ballots, offering this award type helps attendees get in on the action.

The Event Technology Awards   offer a highly prestigious awards show experience that gives attendees a serious Oscars vibe. Naturally this presentation style lends itself to a People’s Choice award where winners can bask in the recognition of their peers and colleagues for their exceptional products or services.

Source: Bizzabo

5. Increase the number of awards.

Your awards ceremony can follow the mantra go big or go home by doubling or tripling the number of awards recipients. If you plan to measure event ROI using ticket sales, increasing the number of winners also increases the number of attendees as award recipients are highly likely to attend with their partners, family, and/or friends.

The Content Marketing Awards recognizes the best in content marketing projects and plays host to a whopping 92 award titles each year. The awards cover every aspect of content marketing from strategy to distribution and everything in between.

Source: Content Marketing World

6. Combine your awards ceremony with another event.

Whether it’s another event you plan to host or an already established industry staple, combining your awards ceremony with another premiere occasion can be a benefit for both brand recognition and ticket sales. Since attendees are already planning to go to the main attraction, your awards ceremony will be a no brainer.

Gainsight’s Sally Awards are announced at the annual Pulse conference whose attendees include most, if not all, of their recipients. Adding this extra layer of prestige to the overall conference benefits the main event while hosting the awards ceremony at the conference guarantees a fantastic experiential marketing opportunity.

Congratulations to @crimsonhexagon for the @GainsightHQ #PulseEurope2016 Super Sally Award – Best Adoption of Gainsight pic.twitter.com/9djMojdMjZ — Jason P. Hersh (@jasonphersh) December 1, 2016

7. Honor a single individual.

While it’s always nice to get as many people involved as possible, can you imagine what it would be like to have an entire gorgeous gala dedicated to your success? That’s exactly the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you could give to the lucky recipient of your annual awards ceremony.

The Outliers Awards Gala   celebrates those who do things a little bit differently with fantastic results. Although there are finalists who also receive recognition, there is only one person who will receive the highly exclusive honor. Finalists still benefit from the increase exposure and relationship building opportunities presented through the recognition.

8. Make it luxurious.

No matter what size awards gala you plan to host, you can always make the experience extra special by infusing glamorous elements into the occasion. From venues to food to decor, there are lots of opportunities to add a little extra sparkle on an evening to remember.

Teach for America hosts their annual awards as an “exclusive-all-inclusive” affair with details like champagne, fine wine, and exquisite food. Their venue, the Ronald Reagan Building Rotunda, is appropriate for their Chiefs of Staff Awards which honors leadership on Capitol Hill.

Source: Teach for America

9. Hire a funny host.

Sometimes it’s great to liven up formal affairs with a bit of comedy. Whether you plan to include a professional performer or a naturally funny executive, having a professional host to set the tone for the evening could make all the difference.

TechCrunch’s Crunchies has repeatedly invited comedian and actress Chelsea Peretti to entertain their usually hoodie-clad recipients for these highly prestigious innovators awards. Making the occasion both more festive and relaxed, hosts like Peretti are often asked back due to popular demand from attendees.

Source: TechCrunch

10. Simplify awards entry.

No matter what corporate event theme you choose, removing barriers for submission to your awards show through the use of event technology is a powerful way to improve conversion rates. Through website design, eye-catching CTAs, and entertaining videos, streamlining awards entry can be included in your plan for any event.

The Summit Awards are a great example of how to simplify the entry process. Not only do they include all awards criteria for every category, they also offer submission assistance from their friendly office staff. Their simple four step entry process is carefully outlined, making entry very simple and straightforward.

Source: ASAE Center

11. Livestream the show.

Sometimes there are travel or budget restrictions that keep potential attendees out of the loop. However, live-streaming the awards ceremony offers one way to get them interested and involved, no matter where they are located. Already a popular method for watching entertainment awards like the VMAs or  the Oscars , live streaming has become a natural stepping stone into the digital sphere for more and more events.

Lean Startup’s focus on technology innovators makes using modern tools like live streaming a very on brand and appropriate choice for their awards ceremony. Because their focus was more on building an audience and less on intimate roundtables, live streaming made a lot of sense for their awards ceremony.

Source: Lean Startup

12. Be the first.

Sometimes you may find that your industry doesn’t have awards ceremonies, or at least not like the one you’re planning. There are a lot of benefits to pioneering a show or award type.

The International Travel & Tourism Awards celebrated its inaugural event this year. They filled a need within their industry – recognizing travel business, locally and globally, on a grand scale. Their audience exceeded over 500+ senior industry professionals and has established itself as a strong contender for years to come.

Source: WTM

13. Honor those who give back.

While it’s always great to recognize excellence in career or professional achievements, there are plenty of opportunities to honor those who are doing work that aligns with the greater values held by your brand. Whether it’s a social cause or an environmental effort, adding that extra element of recognition adds to your brand image overall.

The Shorty Awards offers a separate but significant category for excellence that they call Social Good. Whether it’s one particular campaign that had a strong impact or an entire platform strategy, taking time to acknowledge that businesses are more than just their annual revenue call brings a welcome element of heart back into the occasion.

Source: Shorty Awards

14. Book a special keynote.

In addition to having a great host, awards ceremonies are excellent places to showcase unique speakers. Be sure to choose someone who represents your event brand and is recognizable to your industry.

The PR News’ Social Media Awards invites speakers like Jennifer Dulski, Head of Groups & Community at Facebook to share useful tips on how all organizations can organically build and grow communities. This exclusive opportunity makes attending the event even more attractive.

Proud of my teammate @joffaloff for leading a thoughtful discussion with Facebook’s Jennifer Dulski at @PRNews Social Media Awards. pic.twitter.com/4oJoV4gQWE — Sophie Maerowitz (@SophieMaerowitz) May 23, 2018

15. Educate your industry.

Whether it’s a new product or philosophy, awards ceremonies provide ample opportunity for industry leadership. Event planners can incorporate the educational aspect into their theme or make the event itself a leading example.

The Finance for the Future Awards were created in part to highlight how important the finance function really plays in promoting collaborative logic in leadership and successful models of business. In addition to honoring winners, their goal is to drive awareness and inspire action amongst leaders in their industry.

Source: Finance for the Future

16. Host a panel.

Event ceremonies are still great places to engage in lively debates or thoughtful discourse. Hosting a panel of experts, showcasing your judges, and interviewing awards nominees are all great ways to incorporate panels into your strategy.

The Behind the Chair Awards hosts a total of four discussion panels leading up the main event. Their conversations revolved around topic issues in their industry and often provide helpful insight from forward-thinking innovators.

Source: BTC

17. Provide exciting opportunities for winners.

Getting recognition from your colleagues is great, but what if you kicked it up a notch by changing the trajectory of their entire career? Besides offering your prestigious title, consider adding development opportunities that can nurture top talent.

The Independent Music Awards recognizes excellence in self-released music all over the world. Winners are connected with opportunities for performances, career promotion, distribution deals, possible offers for representation, and, of course, the chance to increase their fan base.

Source: Independent Music Awards

18. Provide dinner and drinks.

Who doesn’t love to eat? Sometimes offering a delicious meal is incentive enough to push attendees over the edge. You can even theme your dinner to the event itself like in this next example.

The FIT Awards honors achievement in the fitness world and hosts a cocktail reception followed by a three course dinner. Because health is a top priority to attendees, the meals themselves were finely crafted with fresh ingredients and thoughtful cooking methods to help guests maintain their stunning physiques.

Source: Sport360

19. Become the new standard of excellence.

If done well, event ceremonies can become a hallmark of excellence for your industry as a whole. Although this can take some time to achieve, setting yourself up to produce a high caliber event now will get you there faster.

The annual Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards has become a best-in-class rating system for all financial services companies. Gartner assess all submissions and provides a detailed explanation on how they define excellence through benchmarking, in-depth research, and analytics from high-performing brands.

Source: Gartner

20. Offer fabulous prizes.

In general, the awards ceremonies themselves can derive inspiration from any corporate event idea or even fundraising event idea that proved successful in the past. What really makes this event type stand out are the awards and prizes themselves.

The Global EdTech Startups Awards offers a plethora of cash prizes, global exposure, valuable PR, exclusive mentorship opportunities, and business development coaching. Winning an award at their ceremony often means the recipients will move up to a new playing field in their careers.

Source: Global EdTech Awards

Awards ceremonies mean more than just a shiny trophy or engraved plaque. They’re memorable and entertaining evenings that create lasting impressions of your brand. Keep these things in mind when planning your next awards ceremony:

• Make it fun through special extras like great hosts, panels, or a delicious meal.
• Get creative with who and what you choose to honor.
• Align your awards ceremony event choices with your brand’s audience and shared values.

No matter what theme, location, or activities you choose, remember that your award ceremony is made special because of the people who attend.

You may also be interested in

Satellite Events: How Localized Gatherings Can Help Scale Your Event Strategy

Why Integrate a Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ Leader into Your Event Tech Stack

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Presentation Ideas for Years-of-Service Award Events

October 12, 2011

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Topic: Employee Recognition

Everything You Need to Know About Service Awards (Best Practices and Examples)

Updated on 

April 30, 2024

Anniversaries matter. That’s true not just in people’s personal lives, but also in their work lives. And in today’s competitive hiring market, you want to do everything you can to recruit and retain the employees that make your business a success. This is where service awards come in.  

Service awards celebrate and commemorate employees at major career milestones. They’re a time to reflect on each person’s accomplishments, help them feel valued and seen, and communicate your organisation’s values.   Employee service awards are a critical part of any recognition program —and they can (and should) go beyond giving out certificates, plaques, or pins for retirements. Let’s look at how to build the best years-of-service award program possible.

What are service awards?

Years-of-service awards commemorate the amount of time a person has worked for their company. These awards are often given out for lengths of tenure, such as 1, 5, or 10 years.

Your company might call them something different: milestone awards, service awards, service milestones, length-of-service awards, employee anniversaries, or service anniversaries. But remember, employee awards for years-of-service can be about so much more than the length of a person’s tenure. When you commemorate a work anniversary , make sure to call out each employee's particular contributions—their accomplishments and everything they have brought to their role.

To be as meaningful and effective as possible, service awards need three ingredients: Celebration (a gift the employee truly wants and chooses ), Relevance (a symbolic award to connect the milestone to the organisation), and Presentation (personalized messages, often including a printed keepsake , from leaders and peers to make the award authentic and memorable).

Benefits of service award programs

Your service awards program has the potential to improve your organizational culture, business outcomes, and the workplace experience of each team member.  

And keep in mind, while it may be a stereotype that only older workers value years-of-service awards, the reality is quite different. Even the youngest members of your workforce care about being recognized for the length of time in their job—whether it's 5 years or even just one.  

Everyone, including members of Gen Z, wants to know their work makes a difference. Younger workers in particular want to be seen, heard, and recognized. They want to know you care about their contributions.  

Seventy-five percent of managers believe managing multigenerational teams is a challenge, and 77% of employees say “different work expectations” between generations are a challenge. Years-of-service awards can help bridge those gaps.

3 ways a service award program benefits your business

1. reduces turnover.

Research shows that years-of-service award programs improve employee retention. Employees stay at organizations for 2–4 more years when their company has a strong service awards program that celebrates employee tenure in meaningful ways.

2. Improves employee experience

Compared to employees at businesses that don’t have service award programs, employees at organizations with service awards programs report higher rates of feeling like their employer cares about them .  

And that benefit extends to all employees, not just those receiving the awards. Watching a team member get recognized, signing their Yearbook, cheering each other on—participating at any level translates into happier employees. (In fact, there’s a 35% increase in employees enjoying a feeling of belonging at work when their organizations offer years-of-service awards.)

3. Builds trust

Years-of-service award programs build employees’ trust in leaders , strengthen loyalty , and shape company culture through stories that illustrate what your organisation stands for and cares about. They reinforce that company leadership cares about each employee—their successes and their personal career development.  

Best practices for celebrating work anniversaries

Don’t think of service anniversaries as simply marking time served. Your years-of-service awards should be part of a fully integrated employee recognition strategy that praises everyday effort, rewards results, and celebrates important career milestones.  

Here’s how to build a program that strengthens your workplace culture and delivers meaningful business impact.  

Empower managers

Ensure your leaders and people managers have the resources they need to facilitate a great recognition experience. Find tools that will automatically remind them of approaching anniversaries. Train them on best practices , like using storytelling to prepare a great presentation about the employee’s career.

Culture Cloud Anniversaries by O.C. Tanner shares automated reminders with leaders for team members’ upcoming anniversaries so an important moment is never missed.

Personalize each celebration

Workplace anniversary celebrations shouldn’t feel cut and paste. Each recognition moment should suit both the employee being honored and their specific accomplishments. Celebrate things like personal growth, accomplishments, and relationships—all the reasons people choose to stay.

For example, a 1-year anniversary will feel very different from a 25-year anniversary. At 1 year, you’re celebrating everything your new team member has learned and the relationships they’ve started to build. Now imagine that same team member in 25 years. This is a time to honor the major impact they’ve had on your team and your organisation—and the deep relationships they’ve nurtured along the way.  

Involve others

Invite peers, previous leaders, family, and friends to participate in a celebration of the recipient’s work. Consider collecting photos, comments, and stories from co-workers to create an employee yearbook that illustrates the history of one person’s work.

Go the extra mile

Don’t use the same awards for a career anniversary as you would for a thank you or to recognise extra effort. A career anniversary deserves a memorable award. Offer a mix of symbolic items , custom awards , and brand-name awards appropriate for each career stage.

Starbucks celebrates work anniversaries and major milestones with a custom Careerscape to tell the unique story of each partner’s career.

Extend the experience

Continue the celebration over lunch or treats. And spread the news of the service anniversary on internal social channels, in newsletters, and through your recognition program.

Don’t let your employee recognition moments end at service awards. There is so much to appreciate in your organisation, and we share how to do that in our employee appreciation guide .

Service award gift ideas for each career milestone

How employees feel about themselves, their work, and their organisation changes over time. Years-of-service awards should reflect those different stages of the employee lifecycle .

Here are suggestions for awards to complement how employees might be feeling at each stage of their careers.

Year 1: Learning

At the end of this year, employees have made it through the initial learning curve and are soaking everything up like a sponge. They are beginning to add value, and they feel pride in finishing their first year.  

Award idea: A Rookie of the Year award can give a major confidence boost to a new employee. Consider giving company swag or a gift card to a local restaurant so they can celebrate. Don’t forget to host a recognition moment in their honor to help them feel seen and valued.  

Year 3: Fitting in

By now, employees are grounded within your organisation’s culture and have developed strong connections within their teams. They want to grow and develop and are looking for more opportunities. Giving appreciation for 3 years of service will go a long way toward helping an employee feel they have a place in the company.  

Award idea: Consider giving tech or homeware—something they will use often that will remind them how much you value them.

Year 5: Expertise

By year five, employees are feeling confident. They’re experts in their areas. They value their relationships with coworkers and feel like the company is home. However, they may also be questioning their worth and wondering if they might be more appreciated elsewhere .  

Award idea: Consider giving a basket of specialty items or a unique local experience to celebrate all they've contributed to the company. This is the perfect time for a bigger recognition moment—make sure to invite family and friends and to commemorate the occasion with symbolic tokens that align with your company values.  

Year 10: Belonging

After a decade with your company, employees feel a real sense of ownership. They see their coworkers as family, but they’re still solidifying their role in the growth of your organisation.  

Award idea: Staying with the company for 10 years is quite an achievement, so be sure to recognise the special occasion in a big way. Consider gifting a symbolic desktop object or a weekend getaway.

Year 15: Invested

Employees feel settled and can balance their work and personal life. They understand their value and are proud of their contributions to the company’s success.  

Award idea: An invested employee should also be invested in, so don’t let this year pass without notice. Consider giving a glass trophy or a personalized gift box.

Year 20: Veteran

These employees have seen a lot of change, both in their personal lives and in their companies. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience to impart to younger employees.  

Award idea: At 20 or more years of employment, employees deserve significant respect and recognition. Consider giving jewellry, a personalized watch, or a trip package.

Year 25: Triumph

Employees often feel that 25 years marks the most significant milestone and an accumulation of all previous milestones. It’s a time to celebrate victories past and present.  

Award idea: Consider a customized service trophy, a special bonus, or a donation to the charity of their choice.  

Year 30: Mentorship

Three decades in, employees are more nostalgic and reflective. They have plenty left to contribute, but they’re also interested in passing on what they’ve learned.  

Award idea: Celebrate their contributions with something like a bucket-list experience or a party in their honor.

Compared to competitors, 94% of surveyed organizations found O.C. Tanner’s service award selection to be better. See why .

4 tips for offering service awards your employees will love

1. opt for luxury.

Years of research and analysis are resoundingly clear —when honoring career milestones, give employees things they want, not things they need. It might sound counterintuitive, but you want to aim for gifts that would otherwise feel like a big splurge or that the recipient would be proud to show off. Career anniversaries are one scenario where luxury beats practicality.

Be conscious of brands and quality. If you want the award to have a lasting impact, the gift itself needs to last.

2. Curate a wide assortment of options

Your award catalogue should offer a wide (but not infinite) variety of items for employees to choose from. Be sure to include a good mix of items to cover everyone’s interests—think health and wellness, apparel, home goods, tech gadgets, and more.

While unlimited choice (think Amazon-type catalogs) can result in choice fatigue and lower satisfaction in the chosen item, a smart selection of 100-200 items provides a good variety for almost any size organisation.  

If you’re an international organisation, it may also help to consider global preferences and cultural differences. For example, in European countries (and denser cities everywhere), many employees live in apartments without space for large awards like grills or gardening tools. Smaller appliances, high-end cookware, jewellry, and bags for commuting are popular there.

Here are some categories to consider including when creating or refining a recognition catalogue:

3. Choose items over cash

While it can be fun to hand out cash around the holidays or for a birthday, career anniversaries deserve something more. Cash is easily forgotten and often gets used to pay everyday expenses. (If you’ve ever received a cash award at work, try to remember what you spent it on.) By contrast, a meaningful, memorable award that properly expresses appreciation creates an impact that lasts far longer.

4. Incorporate symbolic awards

In addition to a gift of the employee’s choosing, consider giving a symbolic award to represent their years of service and connect it to the company and its culture.

Symbolic, or custom, awards are often more meaningful and memorable than anything available in a catalogue. Like Olympic medals, Oscars, Grammy awards, or Super Bowl rings, symbolic awards remind employees of the great work they’ve done and how much they’re appreciated. And when the design is inspired by the company, its history, or the job itself, it can elicit even stronger feelings.

Learn how to create impactful symbolic awards your employees will display with pride.

Roto Rooter wanted to recognise the hard work and years of service their 2,900 employees gave to the company. Because service technicians aren’t especially interested in jewellry, they changed their entire gift catalogue and commissioned customized numerals that generate an “overwhelmingly positive” response.

The financial side of service awards

Service awards budget.

Service awards can represent a career’s worth of contributions. So they deserve to be celebrated. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to give awards or create experiences that are as meaningful and memorable as they could be.

Some spend very little on employees in their first five years. Others don’t start recognizing employee anniversaries until 10 years. And many put most of their money into 25-year awards.

According to the Bureau of labour Statistics , most turnover happens within the first five years. So if you consider the costs of recruiting, onboarding, and training, a service award program that helps retain newer employees easily pays for itself. Additional research shows people stay at organizations with service award programs two years longer than organizations without these programs.  

And here’s another insight to help appropriately allocate money within a service awards budget : a gift with a larger monetary value can have much more impact on employees with less tenure, who often have a smaller salary, than those who are more established.

Offering tangible items for service awards actually gives companies tax advantages in the United States. Tangible awards are tax-free for both the employer and the employee, so organizations can stretch their dollars and maximize their service award program. Gift cards and tickets to experiences are not tax-exempt and, if included, can make your service award program ineligible for potential tax advantages.  

Keep in mind: Often organizations will want to combine their service and performance awards or co-mingle recognition points. This can interfere with tax compliance and result in programs that cost companies extra money each year. (As always, cheque with your finance team and other tax experts.)

Examples of employee service award programs

BHP, a global resources company with over 37,000 employees, uses their Big Thanks recognition program to create a culture where each employee is motivated to bring their best every day. Honoring career milestones is an important part of their integrated recognition program.

To commemorate work anniversaries and retirement, BHP employees are given a custom Yearbook filled with personalized notes from coworkers and company leaders and beautifully crafted custom pins. Each pin ties into the BHP story and communicates the company’s history and values—from the trucks they use every day to the tools invented by BHP employees to tokens of teamwork and collaboration.

“For us, recognition has always been part of our DNA, and Big Thanks has enabled us to reach every single employee across the organisation. It’s become a hallmark of moving forward to make us better and stronger.” — Jad Vodopija , Chief People Officer

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 45,000 employees. CIBC had a quarterly awards program to formally recognise employees for great work and a career milestone program to recognise years-of-service. But the bank wanted to modernize how it recognized employees.

O.C. Tanner worked with CIBC to create the MomentMakers program . In addition to a recognition program for great work, CIBC also updated its career milestone program with a customized, personalized Yearbook that allows leaders and colleagues to add comments, photos, and memories to celebrate years-of-service.  

“We can take the most important element of our culture—our purpose—and have it be visible throughout the platform.” — Jackie Goldman , Senior Vice President, Rewards, Recognition and Performance.

In the year following the program’s launch, the bank saw not only higher engagement but also a shift in its recognition culture. Almost 9 in 10 employees (85%) feel their personal contributions are recognized—8 percentage points higher than the industry benchmark.

Dow Chemical

Dow Chemical has a company culture of openness, innovation, diversity, team spirit, and growth, and wanted their recognition program to reflect it. Using feedback from employee surveys to understand what connected people to their local cultures, they created one cohesive program customized to individual locations .

“When employees feel validated and feel a part of the bigger picture, and a part of the strategy, we all work harder. We do more. We put more effort into everything we do and we do better work. That impacts the shareholders. That impacts corporate initiatives. That impacts the bottom line. It’s very good business sense to make sure that we have an engaged workforce.” — Curtis Kesler , Recognition and Appreciation Program Manager

How a service awards partner can make all the difference

Without a qualified partner’s help, setting up a years-of-service award program may feel daunting. O.C. Tanner has the expertise to simplify the service award process from start to finish. This will not only save you time and money, it will help you build a service award program that employees love.

Years-of-service awards present you with a chance to create peak experiences for your employees and communicate how important each and every employee is to your organisation’s success. Modernize your years-of-service award program and give your people meaningful, memorable recognition experiences that make them feel connected to purpose , accomplishment, and one another .

If you’d like to know more about years-of-service awards, or any of the other employee recognition programs offered by O.C. Tanner, get in touch . We’d love to hear from you.

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