Over the past several years, the modern workplace has undergone a slew of changes, some of them more obvious than others. Just to name a few – the pandemic ushered in an era of remote work that made employers and employees alike realize its value, more and more millennials are joining the workforce, and inclusion and diversity are becoming more important to corporations and consumers. This just scratches the surface of all the changes the corporate world has seen, and more are on the horizon. Despite all this change, the importance of employee appreciation and recognizing employees with awards has remained the same. In fact, these changes have arguably increased the importance of corporate awards considering their benefits. Many of these benefits are things all companies would like to enjoy, and we’ll be taking a look at some of the crucial of them below.

Improved Morale

Employee morale affects just about everything in the office, from employee productivity and engagement to customer satisfaction and overall success. Employees with higher morale are more motivated, engaged, and efficient while at work, and they’ll consistently go above and beyond and put in more hours when necessary. Heightened morale also increases the quality of work and gives a company a competitive edge. It’s estimated that employees with low morale cost companies up to a combined $550 billion a year, but low employee morale doesn’t just negatively affect the company. Employees with low morale can also develop depression and even heart disease, according to the American Psychological Association. The bottom line and the health of their employees is something all companies should care about.

Part of improving morale involves giving employees more confidence in their abilities and self-esteem, and that’s where corporate awards come in. Recognizing your employees and their achievements with awards helps to build up confidence in their skills and increases their self-esteem, thereby boosting their morale. Seeing hard workers get rewarded for their efforts also increases the morale of other employees because they’ll see the company cares, and they’ll join in on the celebration for the deserving recipient(s). Being proactive about recognizing employees also makes the workplace a more positive environment, meaning employees will be happier, more collaborative, and more open in their communication.

Productivity

Employee recognition awards can boost productivity in the same way bonuses and other monetary incentives based on measurable employee performance do. Companies that recognize their most productive employees with awards show how all that hard work will pay off to the rest of their staff, inspiring them to work more productively so they too can be recognized for their efforts. This is a win-win for both the company and its employees. The company gets more productive workers, meaning they can make more money and provide deliverables to clients faster, and employees get recognized for increasing their output, along with the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

The effect recognition has on productivity can be measured, just as employee productivity itself can be. Companies with a good recognition program enjoy employee productivity 14% higher than those without. This is estimated to result in a 2% increase in margins. While it may seem like it has a small effect,

Attract and retain talent

As many companies are well aware, millennials are making up more and more of the workforce every day. They’re already the largest segment in the workplace, and it’s estimated that millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025. One of the things companies will need to do if they want to attract top upcoming talent is expand their employee recognition programs and put more of an emphasis on giving corporate awards. Millennials value appreciation and recognition, and they prefer it to come from a manager or company-wide event as opposed to peer to peer. Part of the value of corporate awards comes from the recognition an employee receives, as they are almost always presented in front of the company or by someone in an executive position. A more robust employee appreciation program will help companies attract more talent moving forward.

Corporate awards also help you retain talent. It’s simple – employees that feel recognized and valued by the company they work for will be much less likely to seek employment elsewhere. In a recent survey of adults aged 18 to 38, 79% said that increases in recognition awards would make them more loyal to their employer. Furthermore, 91% of HR professionals say recognition and rewards make employees more likely to stay with their current company. Companies that recognize the achievements of their employees with corporate awards will be more likely to retain their talent and prevent high turnover rates. Improving loyalty among employees also helps the company maintain a positive brand image, and it means they won’t have to spend lots of money during the search to find new talent and during the onboarding process.

Strengthen brand image for clients

Customers care about how companies treat their employees, and the “information age” has made it easy for consumers to see the kind of treatment employees from their favorite brands receive. There have been countless examples of brands being exposed, whether on social media, in the news, or in court, for mistreating employees or having harsh working conditions, and no company wants to have their brand image tarnished like that. Obviously, no company should be treating their employees poorly to begin with. Companies have a responsibility to treat their employees well, but the strengthened brand image and more loyal customer base that results from good press is further motivation to do so.

Part of treating employees well is giving out corporate awards and rewarding them for their hard work. Recipients will no doubt post about the awards they received on social media and excitedly tell friends and family, strengthening the company’s image. Keep this up long enough, and you can build an enviable brand image that attracts talent, customers, and great press.

Create a fun atmosphere

During the weekdays, people spend the majority of their time at work, so employers should strive to make it fun and enjoyable. Creating a better work atmosphere will not only increase morale but make employees more engaged and more invested in the company as well. This prevents burnout and absenteeism, as employees will look forward to coming in to work in the morning rather than dreading it or just going through the motions. Fun workplaces will also help companies attract and retain talent.

There are numerous ways to do this, including hosting in-office events, decorating for the holidays, celebrating birthdays, allowing pets in the office, and giving corporate awards. Giving corporate awards help foster a fun atmosphere by encouraging some friendly competition amongst co-workers, but that’s not all. Awards can also highlight some of the already fun elements in your workplace, further supporting their place in the office and telling employees that having fun is encouraged. Furthermore, companies can get creative with the awards they give out, so when the time comes to bestow them upon their recipients, it adds to the fun. These fun awards can honor employees who are always on time, extremely organized or unorganized, always brings the fanciest lunches, or have the best snacks, and we’re sure you can think of quite a few more!

Best Awards from EDCO

If you want to enjoy all these benefits, you’ll need some stellar awards for recognizing your deserving employees. There’s no better place to get them than EDCO, the nation’s #1 supplier of recognition. We have hundreds of different awards in different shapes, sizes, colors, and materials, so you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for, along with some that may inspire you to add some new awards to your employee recognition program because they’re just so eye-catching! We wanted to highlight a few of our favorites that your recipients will be sure to love.

Mixed Media Trophy: Featuring a gorgeous crystal tower atop a handsome walnuts base, the Mixed Media Trophy is about as modern as it gets. The wooden base will make this award stand out from many of the others you’ll find, but the crystal still has plenty of room for inscription so you can include your message and branding. This uniqueness makes it perfect for the employee whose work ethic, effort, or achievements really set them apart from the rest.

Custom Achievement Crystal Award: With a stunning chrome-plated statue holding up a round piece of crystal, we don’t blame you if you’d mistake this as an award from an award show. That crystal round can be engraved with your company logo, giving the award meaning few others have. This makes it perfect for an employee that’s helped the company reach new heights, just as the figure in the award is doing.

Contour Flame Acrylic Award: This award is perfect for the employee whose personality and positive attitude are infectious and can bring some much-needed levity to even the most stressful days like a light in the darkness. The award itself has a distinctive flame shape that’s modern with clean lines and comes in three different sizes.

What does the modern workforce want from their jobs?

People have always looked for purpose and meaning in their jobs, but the modern workforce is looking for a little bit more. Millennials and Generation Z both not only value recognition but expect it from their employers, and it can factor into their decision to stay with a company long-term or look for employment elsewhere. One comprehensive study found that less than a quarter of the workforce feels strongly valued at their work, so companies without good employee recognition programs will likely be experiencing very high turnover rates very soon if they don’t adapt.  

In addition to recognition, today’s workforce wants coaching and mentorship opportunities that can help them grow. In fact, close to 80% of millennials see mentoring as a crucial element to their career success. Companies can also show how much they value their employees by offering frequent and personalized feedback through coaching and mentorship. Alongside their employee recognition program, companies should also examine their talent development system to ensure it meets the expectations of the modern workforce.

Workers today also want easy access to learning opportunities that will teach them new skills. Because many grew up with technology that gave them the ability to search for anything, anytime, anywhere, the modern workforce expects a wide variety of learning formats to be available to them at all times. It’s also expected that these learning opportunities will be personalized, just as many of the technologies they’ve used their whole lives, like social media, are. Taking a personalized learning approach ends up benefitting both the employee and employer, so it’s something companies need to start integrating.

Extrinsic motivation versus intrinsic motivation

If you want to increase morale, strengthen brand image, and create an enviable company culture, you need to understand the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic motivation is when we engage in activities or display a certain behavior to either earn a reward or avoid a negative consequence. In the workplace, that reward could be a bonus or promotion, and a negative consequence could be a bad performance review or docked pay.

Intrinsic motivation is the motivation we get to do something for its own sake. Rather than engaging in an activities or behaviors in the hopes of earning something, we engage in them because they are their own rewards. In the workplace, intrinsic motivation could be something as simple as the good feeling after a job well done, seeing a client succeed, or knowing that the work one is doing is valued.

It’s important to have a healthy supply of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in the workplace, but finding a good mix of both can be difficult. While giving out awards certainly won’t do the job on their own, they can be a source of both forms of motivation. The award itself and the recognition that comes with it serve as extrinsic motivation, while the personal satisfaction associated with the great work that the award recognizes is intrinsically motivating.

How to keep your recognition program fresh

The best way to keep your recognition program fresh is to be constantly seeking feedback from employees and implementing the changes they wish to see within reason. You should also consider giving out special one-time awards or swapping out the prizes on a regular basis to keep employees interested. Additionally, make recognition something employees are active participants in. Allow all to vote on the recipients of certain awards, so everyone is invested in the results, whether it’s to see if they won or the co-worker they voted for did. Choosing a new recognition theme for every month is another great way to keep employees engaged and make your recognition program feel fresh.

Considering the benefits of giving corporate awards and the changing landscape of the modern workplace where they’re more important than ever, there’s no better time to bolster your employee recognition program with some new awards than now. Shop our large selection of plaques, crystal awards, glass awards, and other trophies today!

Adaption of Employee Recognition Programs to Remote

The severity of the global COVID-19 pandemic prompted quite a bit of change in practically every aspect of life, but particularly in the business sector. Abrupt closures of thousands of businesses meant offices and other workspaces were abandoned as a new era of remote work was ushered in for millions across the entire nation. Thanks to technology advancements and work from home innovations, remote work has thrived, and many companies have embraced work-from-home programs as a long-term solution.

Regardless of the reliance on in-person or remote work, a good employee recognition program is still important. In some ways, it’s even more vital to company success in a remote, work-from-home environment. Celebrating achievement helps keep employees motivated, feel appreciated and helps ensure employee retention.

The specifics and frequency of corporate awards will vary from company to company, but all should enjoy the same benefits. By rewarding remote employees and celebrating and honoring their accomplishments and hard work, businesses can motivate their employees to be more productive and work more efficiently.

Continue the Tradition of Employee Recognition

Maintaining a good employee recognition program boosts employee morale and contributes to a more supportive culture that lowers retention rates. It’s simple – if employees feel as though their hard work and dedication is not just appreciated, but publicly recognized, they’ll want to work harder and have less interest in searching for employment elsewhere. This acknowledgement is especially important when facing a work-from-home environment, as you won’t have the opportunities to show your appreciation through words and actions in person in the office.

Considering the importance of employee recognition awards in a work-from-home environments, you’ll want to give a lot of thought into the type of award you’re bestowing. Such awards should be meaningful, public, and personalized so they truly convey how appreciative you are of your employee’s hard work. To create a meaningful award, incorporate some work from home element in the name or physical trophy itself. If some of your employees work in office and others are remote, perhaps give out a remote employee of the month award in addition to an in-office employee of the month.

Keeping Employee Morale High

Obviously, it’s important to keep the morale of all employees high. Higher morale makes employees more engaged in their work and work more productively. They also are less likely to quit or seek employment elsewhere. There are a variety of reasons why a business should strive to keep morale high and employees in good spirits, and while there have been years of insights and experiences that can help when creating a culture like this in an office, there’s not much to draw from when trying to extend the same work atmosphere to remote employees.

Thankfully, boosting morale for remote employees is not as challenging as it may sound, and it should fit in perfectly with one of your existing programs. The pandemic made employee recognition even more important than it already was, so include awards specially for remote staff in your employee appreciation program. Recognition awards made just for remote employees will show them how much you appreciate their hard work, and the specificity will make the gesture feel more meaningful. Awards for remote employees won’t just boost their morale, they’ll also encourage them to be more efficient and more engaged in your company culture.

Embrace the Changing Environment by Recognizing New Achievements

Find new ways to celebrate and acknowledge your staff members! We all know that working remote comes with its fair share of technical difficulties, so perhaps give out an award to those who persevered despite having a bad internet connection or other technical issues. Even if you can’t physically present the award, make sure the recipient is brought up in a company meeting or in some other way where all can see. Lastly, you don’t want to get something generic without the company logo or recipient’s name engraved because it’ll make it seem like you didn’t put any thought into the award.

There are so many ways to celebrate the accomplishments of your employees in a work-from-home environment, including these remote team celebration ideas:

·         Branded Merchandise:When it comes time to celebrate your remote teams, give them something that reminds them of your appreciation. Branded merchandise is a fantastic way to reward your teams while making them feel welcome. Promotional merchandise is a great tool for raising morale among your employees, and they create a lasting impression your employees will remember for years to come. It will be important to choose the right products; if the reward is perceived as useless, it will take value away from the recognition. Check out EDCO’s popular branded merchandise today!

·         Food: Just because you have a team full of remote employees doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with some delicious food. Sending your top employees special snacks and taking them out for a nice meal are great ways to connect with them and make them feel valued for their hard work. Everyone will find appreciation from enjoying some of their favorite foods, and this will help boost productivity and make your team happier.

·         Public Recognition: One of the best ways to make your employees feel valued is to have their accomplishments announced to your whole team. Putting them in the spotlight helps show others what excellence looks like and inspires those around them. Encouraging your team to congratulate your top performers helps build a culture of appreciation and helps retain talent. When employees feel their dedication is not only appreciated by their boss but by the rest of the team around them, they’ll want to work harder and have less interest in searching for employment elsewhere.

·         Custom Trophies and Plaques: Customized trophies and plaques are great options because they provide tangible recognition that the employee gets to keep. Trophies such as teamwork awards provide a continuous reminder of your company’s appreciation when they are displayed on a desk, bookshelf, or wall, helping them feel even more connected to their peers and the company itself. A corporate award such as a trophy helps drive a sense of pride and appreciation and can motivate some employees to work even harder. When your award is customized with the recipient’s name and your company logo, it makes it even more meaningful, making them feel appreciated for their diligent work.

Customized corporate crystal awards are a great way to add a personal touch to employee awards and reward remote employees. Check out some of EDCO’s best employee recognition awards below!

Crystal Service Award Plaque

The Crystal Service Award Plaque is one of the best ways to honor an extremely dedicated employee and something they’ll be sure to have on their desk at home. The award is made from a strong crystal material that’s not only more durable than glass but also more transparent. Our crystal material also has properties that mimic those of a prism, meaning it’s more reflective than glass and sparkles beautifully in the light. Your employee will be reminded of how much you appreciate them every time it catches the light at the right angle.

Elemental Pyramid Award

Typically used to recognize employees that exemplify core values, accomplish certain goals, or is quickly rising through the ranks of your organization, the Elemental Pyramid Award is perfect for a variety of uses. It can be awarded to the remote employees that demonstrate your companies values even in a remote setting, a remote employee that consistently rises above and beyond expectations, or your best team leader that works remotely. The award is constructed with a beautifully clear optical crystal and accented with deep blue crystal risers that separate the three separate parts of the pyramid. It’s truly a sight to behold that your remote employees will cherish.

Ambient Gold Acrylic Hexagon Award

Even though it features a classic hexagonal style, this award is anything but traditional. This is mainly due to the injection of gold color that can be seen at the top and bottom of the award and its sub-surface mirror base. Both elements add some visual appeal to the award. Available in two different sizing options, the Ambient Gold Acrylic Hexagon Award is perfect for recognizing outstanding performance in an outstanding way.

Want to find more great award options for your remote employees? Check out our incredible selection of crystal awards, acrylic awards, art glass awards, plaques, and more today!

 

How to Host a Virtual Award Ceremony

Everybody appreciates some form of recognition for their hard work, so employee recognition programs should strive to include all employees, from those in entry level positions to supervisors, team leads, and others in managerial roles. While most companies are effective in making all their in-office employees feel included and appreciated with their employee recognition programs, remote employees can still feel left out.

Having a good remote work culture is just as important as a good in-office culture, if not more so, because there is none of the daily, face-to-face, in-person interactions that can build relationships, strengthen bonds, and build trust. This is not to say that those things cannot happen virtually or through a medium like Zoom, but it’s harder to do so. Additionally, it’s often much easier to plan in-office events than virtual events or incorporate a virtual element to in-person events. This shouldn’t deter businesses from looking for ways to include their remote employees in events and their employee recognition program because remote employees will understand the effort and truly feel appreciated.

One of the best ways to both include remote employees in company events and make them feel valued is to host a virtual awards ceremony. While most award ceremonies have a sense of spectacle and grandeur to them that may be hard to replicate virtually, there are a variety of benefits that will offset whatever technical troubles companies may associate with a virtual awards ceremony. Remote employees will be more productive, more engaged with the company and their co-workers, and less likely to look for employment elsewhere and leave the company. So, how do you host a virtual award ceremony?

Prepare for technical difficulties

While the entire world recently got a lot more familiar with video conferencing apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, it’s inevitable that technical difficulties will arise. Whether it’s a slow connection, audio that just refuses to work, an issue with screen mirroring, or something else, you should account for technical difficulties and have a backup plan. Have the host test things like the network connection and audio beforehand so any potential issues can be addressed. As a backup plan, we recommend you have a simple PowerPoint presentation that communicates the same information just without some of the frills ready to go. The meeting host can share their screen and go through the slides.

Keep Your Audience Engaged

To keep audiences engaged and not tune out the presentation or become distracted by something in their environment, we recommend you offer like polls or quizzes, ensure the medium you chose to host the ceremony has a chat feature, and assign a moderator to take care of comments or questions that may come up. You’ll also want to save the best awards for last to ensure the attendees don’t leave early. It’s also important to have an engaging opening sequence to make a good impression on attendees and grabs their attention from the start.

Keep the Show Short and Tightly Scripted

Having a ceremony that moves quickly with a fast-flowing script is another way to ensure attendees stay engaged and don’t tune anything out. It’s smart to write a script beforehand so speakers know exactly what they should be saying and run through the event a few times to practice and ensure there’s no confusion that will prolong it and make attendees lose interest. Pre-filming some of the content that will be included in the ceremony is also a good way to make an event tightly scripted because you can pick the best, most concise takes.

Determine how the Awards will be Distributed

You don’t want to be caught without an answer to how award recipients will get their award if asked, so work out whether awards will be shipped, personally delivered, or picked up. Give your award recipients multiple options so they can pick how they’d like to receive their award.

While your award ceremony will be virtual, you’ll need physical awards to make it all come together. At EDCO, we offer a wide selection of customizable corporate awards that help you show your gratitude for every employee’s hard work. We have an award for everything you can think of and more, so shop our collection of employee recognition awards, Corporate Awards, and trophies today to begin rewarding remote employees!

Custom Engraved Corporate Awards and Employee Recognition

Corporate gifts are a thoughtful way to say your company has noticed an employee’s hard work and wants to say thank you for the dedication. A personalized gesture, like a custom engraved corporate award from EDCO, helps promote happiness, fulfillment, and loyalty among employees.

Following the receipt of custom corporate awards, don’t be surprised to see your employees working even harder than they were before. When employees are singled out and specially recognized in this way for what they bring to the company, you can bet they will continue to be top-notch employees. Sometimes tangible recognition means more than a paycheck ever could.

Offer your employees gifts that are custom printed. Awards like these can include the individual’s name along with their achievement engraved beside your company’s logo. Anything from simple engraved plaques to obelisk structures in the form of crystal awards are great ways to show employee achievement. Companies also have been known to host entire dinners where these awards are presented to the employees.

However, how you choose to present corporate gifts to employees most likely doesn’t matter. In this instance, it’s more the gesture and what that means. When you single out each employee to present the custom engraved award, you’re also giving her, or him, a moment of glory to bask in.

Corporate Award Buying Tips

EDCO Awards & Specialties has prepared a list of 7 tips to help any business develop a successful corporate recognition awards program. Order awards online after checking out these helpful tips for custom corporate award selection:

 

1.        Look for quality: Above all, it’s important to consider the quality of the product. Pricing will give you a good idea when comparing employee awards vendors. A $35 corporate award, while perfectly suitable in a lot of situations, will not be of the same quality as an award that costs $135.
2.        Buy like you’re shopping for a diamond: Clarity, color, finish, and weight all have meaning when shopping for quality corporate awards. The difference between a glass award and crystal award is the clarity of the material. Glass awards will typically fall into a lower price range as a result. The weight of the award is important as well. You want a good quality glass or crystal, one-half to three-quarters inch thick, so it’ll have good weight.
3.        Go for the sizzle: You can buy a nice crystal award that is very traditional, but don’t do that till you’ve checked out the newer selections that combine colors and materials. We have several new optic crystal awards that combine optical glass, crystal, black glass, or colored glass. EDCO’s line of Contemporary Crystal Awards features several new styles that offer traditional glass designs with vibrant colors including blue and red.
4.        Appreciate custom engraved awards: The impact of a nice award can fall flat if it’s not engraved in a way most suitable for the material. Many local trophy shops will laser engrave crystal, which is inferior to the more state-of-the-art sandblasting process. Sand engraving or carving uses aluminum oxide as the blasting medium, which is a very fine material that does a very good job on detailed artwork and which delivers a precise, deep etch. Laser engraving doesn’t cut deep, so it doesn’t look as crisp and can really compromise the intricate details of a company logo. Depending on the material, color, and design, EDCO uses one of five different engraving methods: sand carving, laser etching, UV printing, sublimation or deep edge and color fill.
5.        Ask for help: Work with a trophy or awards vendor whose customer service department has in-depth knowledge of its product line. Time is of the essence. Most companies will order their awards 3-5 days before they need them and some request a 24-hour turnaround. As a result, you want to ensure that the staff member you are talking to understands how much time each step takes, what’s involved in the art design process, and how those affect the timing schedule.
6.        Buy from a manufacturer: Most local trophy shops lack expertise in corporate awards. Working directly with a manufacturer, like EDCO of Fort Lauderdale, enables companies to ensure they are receiving the highest quality product possible for their budget in a timely manner. Understanding time constraints, it’s important to work with a leading awards vendor that has the product in-stock, offers quick service and turnaround, and can individually work with the customer on art design. 
7.        Talk to a person:  The Internet has made it easy for businesses to purchase most of their office and production supplies without ever having to talk to another person.  But, when it comes to your corporate awards program, the outcome is too important to rely on a faceless and cheap Internet site. Economy sites don’t offer the quality craftsmanship, custom corporate award selection, or customer service of a traditional manufacturer like EDCO. Our team can do a lot more for our clients to make their corporate awards programs very meaningful. Because we stock all our items and do our art design and engraving in-house, we can create custom pieces for our clients and meet short turnaround times and tight budget constraints.

 

Corporate Awards and Employee Retention

A good employee recognition program with corporate awards has always been an important part of maintaining a successful business, but even more so considering today’s job turnover rate. Since 2010 the turnover rate has increased by a staggering 88% every year, and this is even though the number of people in the US workforce gets higher every year. On average, employees only stay with a company for a little over four years – managers about six and a half years – and this lack of talent retention has proven to be costly. By 2030, current data estimates predict that the US will lose $430 billion annually because of employee turnover rates. Granted, that loss is split up between hundreds of thousands of companies, but it’s still a staggering amount. Finding ways to retain talent should be a top priority for your company, assuming it wasn’t already.

Custom Corporate Award Quote Ideas and Inspiration

So, how do you go about ensuring talent stays with your company? The saying goes “actions speak louder than words.” So, rather than just telling your employees how much you value their efforts, show them with a custom engraved award! Thought should put into the kind of awards you give out and what they say. Perhaps you want a company motto, a personalized thank you message, or maybe a quote.

Quotes are a popular choice for customizing a corporate award. Here are five powerful quotes to consider adding to corporate awards for valuable employees:

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” - Vince Lombardi

Longtime Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi’s team won five NFL Championships in seven years and won the NFL’s first two Super Bowls in the 1966 and 1967 seasons, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about leadership. This Lombardi quote is perfect for a leadership award that recognizes the great managers, supervisors, and those who set a great example for others in your company!

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

While the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle lived well before today’s corporate world, his words are still applicable and still ring true today. This quote is perfect for achievement awards that honor those who always go above and beyond and turn in excellent work day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace." – Doug Conant, Fmr. President and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company

Conant’s quote underscores the importance of positive work environments and office culture, both of which should be considered “winning in the workplace.” Thus, it’s a great fit for awards given to those who make the biggest contributions to office culture by making work a fun and exciting place to be.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs delivered this timeless bit of wisdom in his 2005 Stanford commencement speech, and it’s a great quote to put on a retirement award to honor someone who was loyal to your company for some time and clearly loved what they did.

“Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things.” – Peter Drucker, Management Consultant and Author

Like the Lombardi quote, Drucker’s quote about leadership is a perfect fit on a leadership award that acknowledges those who lead by example and are always doing right by your clients, customers, and employees.

Crystal Corporate Award Examples

EDCO has the best selection of unique crystal awards on the market. Our high-quality crystal awards are made with pure K9 optical crystal. Our unique designs capture light to create colorful prisms offering a stunning presentation. No other medium captures light and color quite like crystal, and it is sure to highlight your top employee’s excellence for years to come. Our unique and custom corporate awards are crafted by our artisans, who have over 50 years of experience creating beautiful pieces to help our customers celebrate excellence. If you are ready to create a memorable recognition experience, check out some of our finest unique awards below.

The Majestic Eagle Crystal Award is a one-of-a-kind trophy that will become a centerpiece wherever it is displayed. Like the majestic bird itself, this trophy captures feelings of courage, strength, and freedom. This award is perfect for those on your team who exhibit these traits. The Majestic Eagle award is crafted with stunning crystal that will offer an impressive presentation when light shines upon it. This award sits atop a black crystal base where your recipient’s name, company logo, and personalized message can be added. Show your appreciation for those who soar above and beyond with the Majestic Eagle Crystal Award today.

The Crystal Torch Trophy is a stunning award that features a triple-flame design resting atop a clear crystal torch. This design is crafted with our stunning amber crystal in the flame and an impressive clear optic crystal for the torch handle allowing for a beautiful presentation. This timeless design was crafted to embody the spirit of the Olympic Torch and is perfect for awarding your team’s best employees. At the base of this unique award, there is room for your company logo, recipient name, and a short message to show your appreciation. Use this award for the leaders who guide your team to victory.

The Vulko Flame Art Crystal is a phenomenal piece of art that will celebrate your team’s achievement. This extraordinary award is constructed from glazed crystal and sits atop a jet-black crystal base. This base can be crafted with your company logo, recipient name, and customized message. The flame on this award will change color from deep purple in natural light to attractive blue in fluorescent office lighting, allowing for excellent presentation in any setting. This handblown design is sure to provide a wow factor to your next awards ceremony. This award is perfect for those who strive for excellence every day.

The Achievement Ovation Art Glass Award is a unique design that can be given to those who are paramount to the company’s success. This award features a hand-blown sculpture mixed with deep blue hues sitting atop an optic crystal base. This base offers ample room for your company logo, recipient name, and offers room for a short message, all etched deep into the base. Next time you need a unique award for an impressive victory, this award is for you.

Custom Engraved Corporate Awards – Order Awards Online

EDCO America’s leader in recognition and is your home for unique awards. Our high-quality crystal corporate awards will show your employees how much you appreciate them every day. Shop our selection today and order awards online at EDCO to get what you need to build a great office environment and keep talent with your company.

For help with your corporate award program, call 800-377-8646.

 

While the concept of retirement has been around for thousands of years, retirement as we know it today, with retirement trophies, gifts, parties, and awards, has only been around for 90 years. To better understand this life milestone, why it’s worth celebrating, and recognition in the workplace in general, it helps to look at early examples and track how the idea of retirement has changed over time. Such an understanding will only enrich your current employee recognition program and make celebrating the retirement of a co-worker or employee even more meaningful.

The first example of retirement gifts dates all the way back to 13 BC when the Emperor of Rome Caesar Augustus offered his legionnaires a retirement package which was roughly 13 times their annual salary. Soldiers became eligible after 20 years of service in the legion and five in the military reserves. Caesar Augustus intended this to be an incentive for soldiers not to revolt against the empire they once served and overthrow the government. Eight years later in 5 BC, Caesar Augustus doubled down on this idea, establishing a special fund to pay retired legionnaires rather than taking money from the empire’s general revenue.

The next major example of retirement also involved establishing a pension fund for soldiers, but almost 1600 years after Caesar Augustus was the first to do so and this time in England. In sessions between 1592-93, English Parliament established a pension for soldiers who lost limbs, became disabled, or otherwise put themselves sin great danger. Private soldiers could get up to 10 English pounds while lieutenants could get up to 20.

1684 saw the first nonmilitary members become eligible to receive a pension, as London Port Authorities became the first public servants to qualify for pension. Throughout the 18th century more and more members of the military became eligible for retirement and pension funds, as the US congress established pensions for naval forces, the Army, officers who stayed in service after the Revolutionary War, and more.

In 1857 New York became the first state to establish a retirement plan for police officers and by 1917 85% of US cities with populations over 100,000 provided some form of pension plan for their police forces. The first retirement plan for private-sector workers in America was introduced by American Express in 1875. American Express employees who had worked for the company for over 20 years and had reached the age of 60 and been recommended for retirement by a manager could receive up to half their salary annually. By 1919 there were over 300 private-sector plans in existence.

 

Retirement as we know it today came to be with the Social Security Act in 1935, largely influenced by the effects of the Great Depression and the Industrial Revolution. The act created a federal safety net for Americans who were elderly, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged. Over the next several decades the act would be amended to allow more people to qualify for retirement benefits and for the number of benefits to be expanded. BY 1983, 40 million Americans were covered by private-sector pensions. Today, 84% of retirees collect social security and 44% collect other benefits like 401(k)s.

 

Considering what retirement looked like prior to the turn of the 21st century, and how few would have even been eligible for retirement benefits back then, celebrating retirement today is even more meaningful. Celebrating it is not just about honoring past accomplishments but also celebrating the fact that we live in a time where so many can have fulfilling, enjoyable lives after their careers have run their course. And what better way to commemorate retirement that with a beautiful award? At EDCO, we are the nation’s leader in recognition and have a wide selection of custom retirement awards that are all perfect for showing your employees how much you appreciate their continued hard work over the years.

 

It took a while for society to recognize the benefits of custom retirement gifts, along with any other award in a good employee recognition program, but that doesn’t mean that these benefits could soon become obsolete. If anything, awards like these are even more important in today’s world considering few people stay with the same company for most of their working lives. Turnover rate has increased by a staggering 88% every year since 2010 and this low talent retention rate is proving to be costly, making it more important to honor retiring employees who’ve been with the company a long time.

Today, we understand that keeping employees happy with their work and loyal to their employers shouldn’t be done after the fact, but this just goes to show how much retirement awards have evolved over the years.

Retirement Awards for the Modern Era

It wasn’t until 1935, with the enactment of the Social Security Act and later amendments to it, that retirement became a real possibility for millions of Americans. Following this act is when retirement awards as we think of them today – retirement trophies, plaques, vases, and more – came into being. Since more people were eligible for financial compensation in retirement, something special was needed to celebrate and honor those who had been with the same company for a long time and custom retirement gifts and awards as we know them today were born.

 

Find Custom Retirement Awards at EDCO

When you’re looking for the perfect custom retirement award and gift that truly communicates how much you and the company appreciate the dedicated work and loyalty of a retiring employee there’s nowhere better than EDCO – the nation’s leading supplier of recognition. Shop our vast selection of retirement trophies and create a custom retirement award at EDCO today!

 

 

Examples of Successful Retirement Awards

Employee recognition programs are vital to boosting company morale and creating an engaging, competitive, and productive workplace and no employee recognition program is complete without a retirement award. The award publicly honors those who’ve provided the company with quality, meaningful work over the years and gives them a physical token of your appreciation. Retirement awards also show that your workspace is one that cares about and invests in its talent. It’s one of the most important employee recognition awards you give out because it shows younger, shorter-tenured employees just how much you value hard work and loyalty and the kind of treatment they can expect twenty, thirty, forty years down the road. Additionally, it’s one of the last opportunities you have to show that employee just how much you and the company appreciate everything they’ve done over their tenure.

So, you know the importance of retirement awards, but what kind of award should you get the employees who make your business the last one they work for full-time? Considering this will be the last chance you have to show your appreciation, and it’ll make an impression on younger employees, you want to get something which successfully communicates the company’s gratitude. So, what are 5 examples of successful retirement awards? Clocks, plaques, sculptures, vases, and custom trophies will all ensure you’re giving the employee a proper goodbye. 

Retirement Clock Awards

Clocks are the most versatile type of retirement award because they can be placed down and hung up, giving employees two different display options. The award also combines functionality with aesthetics so the retiring employee will be reminded of just how much you appreciate them whenever they check the time. Additionally, the time aspect of the award reflects the employees time with the company and shows that you’ve really put some thought into the award.

Retirement Plaques

Plaques are a tried-and-true method of showing appreciation and work great as retirement awards. They’re relatively easy to display and offer far more room for custom messages than any other type of award. With a plaque like our Continental World Globe, you’ll have room to include more than just a simple “thank you” and can that makes the award all the more special.

Sculptures

Sculptures, whether they be glass or acrylic, are a beautifully artistic way to communicate your thankfulness and are very unique. Sculptures deliver your message of thanks with unmatched style and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors so you’ll have no problem finding a unique award that best represents your company.

Retirement Vases

Vases are arguably the most elegant type of awards you can give retiring employees, and they’ll certainly feel appreciated with how stunning these vases are. If you’re getting a vase for your employee appreciation program you’ll want to ensure it’s made from high-quality materials and handblown, as that extra care and attention will go a long way in making the retiring employee really feel special and appreciated.

Custom Retirement Trophies

What better way is there to show how appreciative you are of an employee’s dedication, loyalty, and hard work over the years than with custom trophy designed especially for them? There isn’t one! With the care and thought you put into the award, the retiring employee will know that you didn’t just search up “retirement awards” online and pick the quickest and most cost-effective option. Thus, they’ll truly feel that their hard work has been recognized and will have a display piece they’ll cherish forever.

Don’t let an employee retire without a proper thank you and goodbye that communicates how thankful you are for their work over the years! Especially in today’s world where employees don’t stay with a particular company for a long time, retirement awards are very important.

Whenever you’re looking to honor a retiring employee in your company, there’s no better place than EDCO to find an award they’ll cherish or create a custom one they’ll love. Shop our retirement award selection today!

Do you have an outstanding employee who brings sunshine to your office? If you’ve worked with someone like this, you know that their bright and sunny personality can spread optimism and make the workplaces they reside in a better place for everyone.

Every great employee is worth celebrating, but those with bright and sunny personalities deserve something extra because they make the workplace environment more enjoyable for their co-workers and contribute to that oh-so-important office culture by just being their bright selves. Their cheerful attitudes are contagious, and everyone surrounding them benefits from their presence. Employees with a cheerful demeanor who you can always count on for some optimism and wit in a difficult or stressful situation also tend to be more successful, hardworking, and productive, giving you more reason to celebrate their success with a one-of-a-kind employee recognition award or trophy that radiates that same bright and sunny energy.

Synergy Flame Crystal

The Synergy Flame Crystal is a truly unique piece of art sure to impress those radiant leaders on your team and will stand out amongst the other awards you give out just like its recipient stands out amongst your other employees. The crystal flame itself has been hand blown and sits atop a crystal base that features plenty of room for the recipient’s name, your company’s name and logo, and a congratulatory message. All etching is free of charge, so get creative with what you’d like to say!

Gold Star Tower Acrylic

The Gold Star Tower Acrylic is perfect for those who shine like a star and rise above and beyond the rest with their positive attitude. The corporate recognition award has an ultra-thick base that gives it a more substantial feeling and makes it carry more weight, both literally and metaphorically. The base itself is made from a reflective gold material that reflects through the crystal tower in different ways depending on what angle you’re looking at the award from. The tower offers plenty of room for your company name and logo, the name of the recipient, and any other message you have in mind. Choose from three different heights: six, eight, and 10 inches.

Achievement Flame Crystal Award

The Achievement Flame Crystal Award is a spectacular employee recognition award for those who ignite your team and always provide a light of optimism and levity even in the more stressful or challenging moments. The clear optical crystal changes colors from gold to yellow depending on the way light hits it, making it dazzling to look at from every angle. The clear crystal base features plenty of room for engraving so you can communicate just how much this special employee means to the company.

Amber Flame Award

The Amber Flame Award has the most understated look of this bunch, but the clear crystal and golden yellow crystal still achieve a stunning design perfect for celebrating the brightest personalities on your team. The shape of the clear crystal resembles a flame, and the smaller golden yellow portion could be the ember that sparked it, much like the recipient sparks a positive attitude and more enthusiasm in their co-workers. Both clear and yellow crystals sit atop a black base, and both have space for engraving so you can get creative with how you communicate your congratulatory message of appreciation.

Why Awards are Important

These special employees whose positive attitudes and enthusiasm shine bright in your office are certainly worth recognizing with an award, and you should consider adding something like this to your employee recognition program. These employees are certainly deserving of being awarded for all they do, but that’s not the only reason why employee recognition awards are important.

Consider the fact that 82% of employees say that a lack of recognition influences them to consider looking for a job elsewhere. Recognizing and awarding employees is one of the ways a company can reduce turnover and retain top talent. A company should never pass up an opportunity to highlight the achievements of their staff with corporate recognition awards, and regular praise keeps them motivated to hit future milestones and continue their career growth and success.

Awarding employees for their efforts also contributes to a more positive and supportive workplace culture. Every company likes to brag about how great their culture is, but how many live up to their words? Giving awards to deserving employees helps create a culture of recognition where employees feel that the company values them and their contributions, and that’s an environment everyone wants to work in. This workplace culture then helps a company attract more talent. This benefit of employee recognition awards is especially important considering millennials place a high value on company culture, and they’ll soon be making up most of the workforce.

Highly motivated employees and an improved company culture will, in turn, result in less stress and absenteeism among staff, increased productivity and engagement, and better customer service interactions. As you can see, virtually all aspects of a company can benefit from employee recognition awards.

Get High Quality Employee Recognition Awards from EDCO

Considering all the benefits of awards and what makes employee recognition increasingly important in the workplace, you should reevaluate your existing employee recognition program and consider giving out more awards to your employees. That means you’ll need some new awards and trophies, and there’s no better place than EDCO to find what you need. We have an unparalleled collection of employee recognition trophies and awards in all different shapes, sizes, colors, materials, and more! We’re the nation’s leader in supplying recognition, so shop our selection of quality awards today!

Compensation may provide monetary satisfaction to your team, but it won’t be what makes them feel valued for their daily commitment to the company. Implementing an employee appreciation award for those who lead by example is a great way to let your team know that you notice the effort they bring to making your company great while increasing engagement, productivity, overall morale, and more. Thoughtful awards that reflect an employee’s personality create memories that help connect your employees to the company and make them feel that much more appreciated for the hard work they put in every day.

In this guide, we will help you select a custom employee appreciation award that reflects your employee’s personality.

Understanding your Teams Personalities

You may have taken a personality test like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Big 5, or one of the many others available. These tests often rank people on a scale depending on how much of each trait they show. Personality tests measure attributes like extroversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and more. They can be a great way to better know your unique team players. Depending on where your team falls upon these categories can help you understand what they value, and it could help determine an award that will match their unique personality.

Pay Close Attention to your Teams Interests

Your employees have interests outside of work, and if you overhear them talking about their favorite hobbies and things they like to do after the workday ends, this can serve as your inspiration to personalize your next employee appreciation award. If you know they have a favorite restaurant or store, including a gift card in your next awards ceremony could be the perfect touch to making your star employees feel appreciated and noticed at work.

Choosing the Right Style

Choosing an abstract award won’t be right for everyone. Knowing what your team appreciates will help you select the right style for your next award ceremony. If they are very humble and softspoken, a large eye-catching employee recognition award that brings lots of attention might not be the right option. If someone on your team does show signs of extroversion, going with the beautiful eye-catching art piece might be the perfect option. For the introvert, a smaller trophy or customized plaque might be just right to show appreciation for their dedicated work.

Customization

Customization will play a significant factor in giving your team an employee appreciation award that matches their personality. You can give a humorous note for those for an appreciation for a good laugh or a heartfelt message for the empaths on your team. With the ability to customize almost any EDCO award, you can write a unique personalized message to match the recipient’s personality and make your next employee appreciation ceremony stand out.

EDCO is your home for custom employee recognition awards. Shop our collection today and show your team the appreciation they deserve.

Looking for an award that truly highlights your stand-out employee’s achievements? EDCO has the industry’s best selection of high-quality custom crystal awards that will help show your appreciation. Our unique designs are made with pure K9 optical crystal and will capture light perfectly, offering a stunning presentation in any environment. Our team has over 50 years of experience crafting beautiful awards for corporations across the country, and we are ready to help you customize the perfect award to celebrate your stand-out employees. Check out some of our finest awards for your top performing employees below.

 

Endless Appreciation Art Glass Award

The Endless Appreciation Art Glass Award is a one-of-a-kind glass award perfect for recognizing achievement. This beautiful design is crafted with hand-blown glass and features a uniquely intertwined spiral atop a clear crystal base. This award makes the perfect centerpiece that shows recognition and is stunning to all those who pass by. Your congratulatory message can be laser etched onto a black plate that matches this design perfectly. The Endless Appreciation Art Glass Award is the best corporate award for those who give it their all every day.

 

Clear Crystal Octagon Award

The Clear Crystal Octagon Award is a captivating premium quality award perfect for celebrating success. Made from our clear optical crystal, this design features wide diamond-faceted sides and a beveled base that reflects light in a beautiful prism of color. This design offers a large surface area for customization, allowing you to add your company logo and unique message with style. This beautiful crystal award will make a lasting impression on your stand-out employees. Order the Clear Crystal Octagon Award today!

 

Accomplishment Peak Crystal Award

The Accomplishment Peak Crystal Award is perfect for those who rise to the top of your organization. This award is constructed with clear optical crystal and sits atop a colorful faceted base that reflects light beautifully. This design creates a beautiful prism and will be the star of your next award ceremony. Customization is available on both the base and body of the award, allowing you to show your added appreciation with a unique message. This award is perfect for an employee who always displays peak performance.

 

Crystal Triumph Award

The Crystal Triumph Award is a powerful and unique design that represents victory. Shaped in a victory tower, this bold crystal award is made from flawless optical crystal and sits atop a jet-black crystal base. The award has a large space available for customization, so you can add your company logo and an engraved message. It is the perfect award for celebrating your stand-out employees’ next major milestone.

 

EDCO is your home for Corporate Awards. Our high-quality awards will be sure to impress and show your dedicated team the appreciation they deserve. Find the perfect award for your stand-out employees today.

It’s no secret that employees will work harder, be more productive, and be more engaged in company culture when their efforts feel appreciated. People want to know that their work has meaning, and recognition from bosses and fellow co-workers does a lot to instill that sense of meaning in your employees. Many companies rely on their employee recognition programs to acknowledge the hard work their employees do, bestowing awards for leadership, adhering to company values, making the most sales, and more. These awards are appreciated by their recipients and inspire them and others to continue to bring the best version of themselves into the office every day and do great work.

For a company to enjoy all the benefits of employee recognition, these awards have to be significant and meaningful. Simply handing out cheaply made plastic trophies you’ve ordered in bulk from Amazon won’t do, and employees will see right through the gesture. They may even feel insulted and undervalued, causing them to look for employment elsewhere. Getting substantial awards made from a material like crystal, glass, or wood that come with customization options are far and away the best way to show employees you appreciate them in a significant and meaningful way. Customization is especially important.

A customized award also shows that a company not only appreciates the work an employee does but appreciates them as an individual as well. Customized awards come with more meaning, so the recipient will feel more appreciated, and everyone will be more inspired. Here are just a few reasons why customized awards mean more in the corporate workplace:

Customization Gives the Award More Meaning

As previously mentioned, customizing an award gives it more meaning. This is true in both the literal and physical sense. An award engraved with the recipient’s name, their title, a short message of appreciation, and featuring the company logo communicates more than an award without customization, literally giving it more meaning. It also carries more meaning because employees will recognize the company took the time to get the award personalized for them and paid a little extra to do so. A great example of this is our employee appreciation crystal blocks award.

Custom Awards Improve Employee Recognition at Work

You know how crucial employee recognition is in the workplace, and it takes different types of it to create a good office culture. There’s peer-to-peer recognition which occurs on a daily basis, and then there’s company recognition which is the rarer of the two. Giving out a custom award, such as our distinguished service crystal award, certainly qualifies as company recognition and getting custom awards for your top performers only adds to the amount of recognition employees receive.

Custom Awards Increase Loyalty

Employees that feel recognized and appreciated in meaningful ways are less likely to seek employment elsewhere. When you give out customized awards, you’re showing your staff that you recognize the value they bring to the business, and it makes them more loyal to your organization. It also shows that you share the same values and vision and want them to be a crucial part of your company for years to come. A great way to accomplish this is to implement custom year of service awards for your employees.

Custom Awards Offer a Shared Experience for Employees

In addition to wanting to feel that the work they do is meaningful, employees want to feel connected to their peers and the company itself. Giving out certain awards to different employees every year creates a shared experience, and the customization still lets each retain a sense of individuality. This will also create a bond between employees who have won the same award, and as the company grows, these groups will grow too. They will also give back to your organization with their industry knowledge, and the awards themselves will become even more prestigious as time goes on.

At EDCO, we recognize the value customized awards have for both employees and organizations, and that’s why we have a wide variety of different awards and trophies that can be customized to suit your needs. Work with us on your next corporate award and create something your staff will cherish for years!

Awards vases bring in the style of trophies and plaques while also giving you the functionality of a beautiful display item to hold flowers or compliment an interior design. They also have the elegance to fit with many different designs, desk styles, and home decors. Find out more about the various vase awards that could be the perfect employee recognition awards for your staff.

Need something different than your traditional trophy this year? Decanter sets are a great way to reward your top employee’s dedication and hard work. Decanters provide an aesthetically pleasing look and look great upon bar carts, bookshelves, and more. Some even argue that taste is enhanced when whiskey is stored in a decanter, and this device is sure to provide a sophisticated feel to your next office happy hour.

Cut Crystal Decanter

This award is perfect for celebrating your team’s next special victory. This award is hand cut from flawless crystal, providing a complex starburst reflection when light shines upon it. The etched pattern allows for easy handling and increased durability. This award can be customized with company logos, along with a short message to help show your appreciation. Next time you need an award for your whiskey connoisseur, the Cut Crystal Decanter is the perfect option.

Cut Crystal Rocks Glasses

If you are in need of a rock glass to compliment your top performers, our Cut Crystal Rocks Glasses are the perfect option. These glasses are sure to complement any bar set and can be customized with company logos and more. These glasses are hand cut from pure crystal and are elegantly designed so your team will want to show off at every opportunity. These are sold individually as well as in sets of 6. For an award that will be used regularly and cherished for years to come, consider the Cut Crystal Rocks Glasses.

Royal Cut Crystal Decanter Set with Rocks Glasses

Our Royal Cut Crystal Decanter Set with Rocks Glasses is a spectacular award for celebrating achievement. This amazing set is hand crafted from pure crystal and gives an elegant feel to any room or office. This award can be customized with your company logo on everything from the decanter itself to the glassware. This set is durable and will compliment any desk or bar it sits upon. Next time you need to give a celebratory award, the Royal Cut Crystal Decanter Set with Rocks Glasses is sure to impress.

No matter what corporate award you are looking for this year, EDCO is your #1 destination. We have everything you need to show your team the appreciation they deserve. Shop our wide selection of awards & trophies today!

Rewarding your top sales associates is one of the most important things your company can do. Sales are an essential part of your business’s success, and it is important to reward your top performers, reminding them how much you value and apricate their hard work and dedication. Awards help boost motivation and promote a strong work ethic across your entire team. Sales awards are commonly given at the end of a sales period or the end of the year, and to help businesses find awards that recognize the top performers of your sales staff, here are 3 of our top Sales Awards for 2022.

Perpetual Goal Buster Award

Our Perpetual Goal Buster Award is sure to recognize the top performers on your team and make them feel valued for their outstanding accomplishments. This award is crafted from beautiful optical crystal and is designed to be built upon after every achievement. This spectacular award is designed to fit up to 10 custom etched achievement blocks that can be customized and added after every new milestone is met. Additional blocks can be purchased as needed and cost $25, which includes set up and color fill. This award is perfect for your top performers who consistently strive for greatness. Order your Goal Buster Award today!

Achievement World Globe Award

Our Achievement World Globe Award is perfect for your sales associates who go the extra mile. This magnificent award is made with an optical crystal base and features an eye-catching chrome figure hoisting a blue crystal globe above its head. The base of this award can be customized with company logos, recipient names, and more. This award is perfect for those who uphold your companies’ best values and set an example of excellence to your entire team.

Accomplishment Peak Crystal Award

Our Accomplishment Peak Crystal Award will stand out on the desks of your outstanding sales associates. This design has a simple and has a clean appearance and is designed with premium quality optical crystal. This award features a faceted colorful prism-effect base giving this award a wow factor unlike any other when ignited with light. A large engraving area is also available to provide a custom message of achievement along with your company logo. This fantastic sales award will make a lasting impression on your team’s top performers.

EDCO is your #1 destination for Sales Awards & Trophies this year. Providing your team a well-earned sales award is an important part of improving morale and retaining your top talent. We have the high-quality awards you need to recognize your employee’s milestones. Shop our selection of sales awards & trophies today!

When the time comes to determine what employee will be receiving the employee of the month award, there are likely a few members of your staff that are always in the conversation. These are your company MVPs – they consistently produce quality work, go above and beyond expectations, and are great problem solvers that make everybody else’s lives easier. Maybe they’re leaders who everybody in the office knows and respects, or maybe they have a less visible role that doesn’t garner the same amount of attention but regardless, you need to ensure that these MVPs get the recognition they deserve.

Simply awarding these members of your staff with an employee of the month award almost every month won’t do because it wouldn’t feel right to the other people in the office, nor would it be fair to them. This isn’t to say that they shouldn’t receive an award every now and then, but there are a few different, better ways to uniquely honor these MVPs on your team. Here are 5 ways to honor your MVPs:

Company-Wide Shout-Outs

There is a certain level of pride some people take in knowing they’ve done a stellar job in their work, and hearing it from a boss or person in an executive position is even better. Publicly acknowledging your MVPs is not only a great way to make them feel appreciated but a great way to inspire and motivate others to do amazing work that gets them noticed by the higher-ups. These shout-outs can be done at company meetings, through email blasts, or through other company-wide correspondences. Or gather your employees together at a seemingly random time to make the shout-out more impromptu. As an added bonus, this doesn’t cost a cent!

Offer Professional Development Opportunities

You likely have your eye on the MVPs in your office for a higher position in your company, so give them the opportunity to grow their skills and knowledge while also recognizing them for their hard work. Additionally, if you know one of these MVPs has interest in learning a certain skill or exploring something work-related, why not sponsor them in a class or get them tickets to a local conference or seminar?

Special Parking

By granting your MVPs a special parking space, you’re giving them the gift of convenience. These special parking spaces will typically be those closest to the building, but you can also think about spots that get a lot of shade or covered parking depending on the weather in your area. While this way of honoring your MVPs doesn’t cost anything, don’t be afraid to decorate the spot, so everyone knows who gets to park there and why.

Surprise Treats

Give your MVPs the opportunity to provide an in-office treat like coffee and donuts to the rest of the office using the company card. They can choose their favorite spots to eat around town to get some food they know they’ll enjoy and get everyone in the office hooked as well.

Award a trophy

Because of how special these MVPs are to your business, they deserve a special award that you haven’t given out to any other employees. You could simply name it the “MVP Award,” but get creative with the title, so they truly feel special. Our crystal Goal Buster Award is an excellent choice for recognizing exceptional performance.

As the nation’s leading supplier of recognition, EDCO has a wide variety of award trophies for you to choose from, so you can find the perfect one to honor these MVPs with. Shop our selection of crystal awards, glass awards, and acrylic awards that will be perfect for your MVPs and order today!

Most companies that have a robust employee appreciation program will consistently award their employees with trophies to acknowledge their hard work and when they go above and beyond expectations. These trophies take various forms and are made of various materials. For example, we have crystal, glass, and acrylic award trophies in a wide variety of different shapes with different theming, trophies for leadership, teamwork, sales, achievements, and a host of other trophy awards for everything in the corporate world worth recognizing and celebrating.

Although we have a vast selection of trophy awards, we realize that some companies may want to do something a little different with the employee recognitions awards in their employee appreciation program. Some employers may be looking for a way to make a new award stand out from all the rest. There are a variety of other reasons an organization may say no to trophies and seek out award alternatives, and as the country’s leader in recognition, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite alternatives to trophies if you’re looking for a more unique way to recognize your employees’ efforts.

No to trophies? Here are 3 alternatives to trophies!

Award Plaques

The most noticeable difference between award plaques and trophies is how they’re displayed. Trophies don’t take up any wall space and because they can be easily picked up and moved around, passed around between employees. Plaques are mainly hung on the wall but can also be displayed on a desk if you get a stand. That’s a level of versatility that trophies don’t offer. Awarding employees with a plaque gives them more options, and they can display it as they see fit. Plaques also give employers options with their employee recognition program as well. Most employers have an employee of the month award, and plaques give them the option to have one that gets passed between employees every month, a new one awarded to the winner every month, or one hung up in a communal space with nameplates being added to it every month.

Branded Products

The world of branded products is even more diverse than the world of employee recognition trophies. There’s apparel, bags and totes, drinkware, and so much more! If you can think of something, there’s likely a way to put your company logo and a custom message on it. The possibilities are nearly endless, meaning you can always find a product that the recipient will appreciate. Have a great employee that loves sweets? Get them an executive gift box with your logo printed on the lid as an award. Does one of your staff frequent the gym? Get them a new branded duffle bag with your company logo printed on it. The possibilities are virtually endless!

Custom Engraved Clocks

Custom engraved clock awards offer unique functionality that trophy awards don’t. While employee recognition award trophies are typically only something your employees would only display at work on their desks, they’ll likely want to display these engraved clocks in their homes. This can make the gesture feel more genuine and personal. Custom engraved clocks are especially great for the awards that celebrate retirement or years of service, as they reflect the time an employee spent with the company. Although there are some restrictions with the designs that can be created since a functional clock must be incorporated, you may be surprised to see the variety of designs that can be created when you take a look at our selection.

If you’re looking to ditch the trophies and make your employee recognition program a little bit more unique, EDCO is the perfect place to find the alternatives you need. Shop our selection of award plaques, branded products, and custom engraved clocks today!

As the year comes to a close, it is important to recognize your employees’ hard work and dedication. There are many benefits that come from showering employees with accolades. Corporate awards help boost morale, retain talent, promote productivity, increase teamwork, all while being cost effective. When your employees return in the new year, start it off right with awards that are sure to impress.

5 Best Trophies for the New Year

1. Majestic Unity Art Crystal Award

The Majestic Unity Art Crystal Award is one of the most impressive awards in our collection and will be sure to highlight your team’s hard work and commitment to the company. This unique design features a mouth blow design that will enhance any space this award is displayed. This crystal award features a blend of colorful streams that flow upward and unite at the peak. This beautiful award truly represents the pinnacle of achievement and is the perfect award for your top performers.

2. Excellence Award Crystal Obelisk

The Excellence Award Crystal Obelisk is a remarkable design that is sure to bring a wow factor to your corporate awards. This award is designed with the highest quality optical crystal and can be customized with your company logo along with a short message. This excellence award is one of our favorites and is sure to impress your standout performers.

3. Granum Red Crystal Award

The Granum Red Crystal Award is the perfect way to highlight your team’s achievement. This award is created with pure optical crystal that emits hues of red throughout. This beautiful piece has a stunning red crystal base and can be customized with your logo and message etched directly into the crystal itself. This fantastic award is sure to reward the efforts of your company and staff in an unforgettable way.

4. American Diamond Award

The American Diamond Award offers a slick and sophisticated style to your awards ceremony. This award is constructed with sturdy jade crystal, and it is sand etched with precision. This light green award is available in 3 sizes, 11”, 13”, and 15”. The American Diamond Awards will keep your best employees engaged and motivated and is the perfect award for those who go the extra mile.

5. Azure Star Crystal

The Azure Star Crystal is a outstanding award for your star employees. In this design, a sparkling crystal star emerges from a blue crystal triangle giving it a distinct look that your team will want to show off. This award is constructed from ultra-thick premium quality crystal and is deep etched to help show off your logo and message for all that pass by this eye-catching award. Honor your top employee with this spectacular award to keep them pursuing achievement for years to come.

EDCO is your one-stop-shop for corporate awards in the new year. Whether you are looking to start an employee of the month program in the new year or award your top achievements from 2021, EDCO has the high-quality awards you need to recognize your talent. Check out one of our amazing designs in this list or browse our expansive collection of crystal awards, achievement awards, leadership trophies, and more!

Finding talent that’s loyal and dedicated to your company has always been important to succeeding in the corporate business world, especially today with employee turnover rates steadily increasing. Since 2010, turnover rates have increased by an astonishing 88% despite the fact that more and more people enter the US workforce every year. In 2021 alone, 42% of American companies said employee turnover had increased that year, costing them an average of $26,511 in lost productivity. This number can get even higher for larger companies, especially when they must replace highly skilled employees.

It is crucial to create a supportive and engaging work environment where employees enjoy coming to work and can see themselves doing so for years to come. It also makes recognizing and rewarding those who have been with your company for 10, 15, 20 years or more important. You should show them how thankful you are for their years of dedicated work not only because they deserve it but also because it will show shorter tenured employees the kind of treatment they can expect if they work for your company for 10 or even 20 years. But what do you get an employee for 20 years of service?

What Do You Get an Employee for 20 Years of Service?

You likely already have an employee recognition program that includes employee recognition awards in place, but simply giving a long tenured employee a plaque or award alone won’t suffice. In addition to a plaque or beautiful crystal service award, these employees should receive other items like a gift basket customized to their tastes and interests, tickets to a special event, gift cards, fun trips, or extra personal days off or paid time off.

There’s no one right answer to a question like “what is a good gift for 20 years of service?” and it can depend on what the company can reasonably afford and what kind of passions and interests the employee has. Regardless of how you answer the question “what do you get an employee for 20 years of service?” and the gifts you get an employee for their 20 (or more) years of service, something that will make them even more special is presenting them at a ceremony or special presentation in front of the whole office. This makes it a celebration, something your long tenured employees deserve.

Personalized Employee Service Awards

When deciding what to get an employee for 20 years of service, you should consider how you’ll want to personalize their award. Personalized awards will always be received better than a generic one because they show that an employer put a lot more time and effort into selecting the award, and this makes employees feel more appreciated. Every recognition award we offer can be personalized, and each offer several lines of customizable text in addition to space for the employee’s name.

Years of Service Awards

EDCO’s years of service awards are made from gorgeous crystal that’s reflective, transparent, and more durable than glass. Our Crystal 20 Years of Service Award features a large number 20 elevated on top of a deeply beveled base with room for a company logo in addition to several lines of text for your custom message. It’s the perfect way to recognize and commemorate an employee’s two decades of service. We also offer years of service awards for 5, 10, 15, and 25 years of service, each with the same large number(s) and beveled base that has plenty of room for personalization.

Find Employee Recognition Awards at EDCO Today

As the nation’s leader in recognition, EDCO has all the plaques, trophies, and awards you need for your employee recognition program. With our help, you can create a great work culture and engaging workplace that will help you retain your talent for years and even decades to come.

What are 3 beautiful crystal awards for corporate leaders that excel in your office? Read on and we’ll give you our picks for the most stunning crystal awards for corporate leaders.

You should always put thought and effort into picking the right kind of employee recognition trophies, especially for those that will be awarded to corporate leaders. This includes people in executive positions like chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief information officer, chief marketing officer, chief financial officer, and vice president.

Your organization may have slightly different names for these positions, or might have the same person fulfilling multiple of these roles. Regardless, it’s crucial to extend the breadth of your employee recognition programs to the people in these important positions because they do so much for your company.

Why Corporate Leaders Love Crystal Awards

Because your corporate leaders do so much important work, you need to give them a special kind of award that truly symbolizes how appreciative you are. A simple plaque or plastic trophy won’t do. No, your corporate leaders should get the best kind of employee recognition trophies available – crystal awards.

Some may argue that glass is the superior material, but when you compare the two, it’s clearly crystal. What makes crystal awards so great? Compared to glass, crystal awards are more transparent and far stronger. This is because crystal contains as much as 30% more minerals like lead which makes it more durable and able to reflect light beautifully. This also means crystal is denser, and because the molecules are packed together more tightly, the material is heavier than glass. This will give the award more weight, both literally and metaphorically.

The higher concentration of minerals also allows for more creativity in the shaping of awards because crystal is a lot more malleable than glass. Lastly, crystal also has better reflecting properties and is more transparent than glass.

High-Quality Crystal Leadership Awards

Crystal awards are more majestic and opulent than glass, can be created in a variety of different shapes, and don’t come with the same high risk of breaking if dropped. This makes them the best way to express gratitude and recognize top performance among your corporate leaders. Now, let’s discuss the 3 most beautiful crystal awards we have to offer!

Leadership Eagle Award

In our culture, eagles are synonymous with many of the things you’d look for in a corporate leader like respect, honesty, truth, integrity, victory, and resilience. Eagles are also known to symbolize determination and represent the drive within us to push further and reach higher. Therefore, they make perfect sense, and this crystal leadership eagle award brings the bird of prey to life with wings outstretched, ready to take flight, in stunning crystal. The award can symbolize how the recipient soars above and beyond expectations.

Empire Crystal Globe

This award features a dynamic design with a crystal globe award model of the Earth propped up by three curved pillars, all of which reflect light beautifully. The globe is 4 inches in diameter, and the award itself is 12 inches tall, large enough to stand out but not too big that it’s distracting. The globe design makes this award perfect for your corporate leaders that manage international branches of your business or make global sales.

Apex Obelisk Crystal Award

The Apex Obelisk crystal award isn’t just one of our best-selling crystal awards; it’s one of our best-selling corporate awards – period. Its popularity is likely due to the impeccable design and craftsmanship on the obelisk that stands at 10 inches tall with bevels that reflect light beautifully. The towering nature of the obelisk can represent how the award’s recipient has risen above their peers.

EDCO is your one-stop-shop for every employee recognition you need to build a successful employee recognition program, and with the end of the year rapidly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about end of the year awards. Learn more about how to wrap up your year with employee recognition right here, and then browse our incredible selection of crystal awards, achievement awards, leadership trophies, and more!

It’s no secret that employee recognition is the best way to develop and retain a talented workforce. When your employees feel appreciated, it makes them feel good about themselves, and in return, they are motivated to continue working hard every day. Positive reinforcement sets an example for every employee in your organization, showing everyone the kind of hard work the company values.

If you are in need of a few ideas for recognizing your top employees, check out our creative recognition ideas below.

1. Team Lunch

Providing lunch for your team’s top performers is a great way to reward hard work. It is important to get your employee’s input on what they want to ensure the reward is truly something they will enjoy. Rewarding your top performers or best teams is a great way to bring your office, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and show appreciation.

2. Company Merch

Who doesn’t like a free shirt or stickers! Offering your employees company themed merchandise is a great way to encourage hard work. Make sure the merchandise you give away is high quality so your employees can wear it for years to come. Adding your logo is a great way to get your name out there, and it gives your employees a chance to show their love for where they work.

3. VIP Parking

Providing one of the best spots to your employees of the month or top salesman is a great way to show appreciation. No one likes a long walk to and from their car after a long day of work, and providing the best parking spot is something every employee will appreciate. This is an easy way to show your employees you care, and your appreciation is felt every day they show up to the office.

4. Time Off

Rewarding your employees with time off is a great way to give them a chance to recharge and come back ready to keep up the good work. Offering an extra day of leave for exceeding goals is a great way to promote hard work and a day off provides the most value to the average employee. It’s a great way to let your employees rest, and the best part is they get to spend it in whatever way suits them best.

5. Charitable Donation

Offering a donation made in your top employee's name to a charity of their choosing accomplishes more than recognition. Not only are you recognizing their efforts in a way that's meaningful to them, but you're giving back to the community and putting your money where your mouth is when it comes to employee recognition.

6. Offer Fitness Opportunities

Providing your top employees, a membership to their favorite gym or studio is a great way to encourage performance and promote healthy lifestyles. Letting your employees choose their favorite gym or class is a great way to give them access to a new hobby or support an activity they already love. Make sure you are flexible with this reward to ensure the reward fits your employee’s schedule and lifestyle!

7. Let your Top Employees Choose the Next Team Event.

Letting your best employees choose the next team building event is a great way to get everyone involved. It lets your best employees choose their favorite activities and promotes hard work from everyone else. By allowing everyone else to participate, your top performers will receive recognition through the whole team.

8. Traveling Trophy

A traveling trophy is a great way to create competition and reward your team. This is a great way to show off outstanding performance and reinforce the behaviors you want! Choosing a trophy that stands out is important for these. You want this recognition to stand out, and your employees will see this award every day it is displayed on a desk.

9. Wall of Fame

A wall of fame is a great way to show off your employees today and for years to come. This reward is a great way to show the legacies of your best employees, and those who work the hardest are likely to show up multiple times throughout their career. This is best done by placing a customized plaque on a wall and should stand out to all employees inspiring and motivating all that pass by.

10. Combine Rewards

Combining your recognition awards is a great way to reward your team. We recommend offering a physical reward along with some kind of event. This way they have the recognition of a reward that stays with them along with the enjoyment of an experience.

Employee appreciation programs are essential for success. They help build trust, boost productivity, decrease turnover, and increase your team’s happiness!  At EDCO, we are the leaders in recognition and have an extensive collection of employees recognition awards that are perfect for showing your appreciation. Shop our selection of corporate achievement awards today!