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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!

The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot in the corporate world, and businesses in every industry adapted their “business as usual” processes to be safer for employees, clients, and customers. For many, this meant allowing employees to work from home rather than the office to minimize contact and reduce the likelihood of infection.

Although the times of quarantining and fully remote offices are far behind most, many companies saw the benefits of allowing their employees to work remotely and allowed them to continue working from home even after opening their offices back up. This brought with it new opportunities but also new challenges like how to extend in-office culture to remote employees to make them feel included and boost their morale.

Keeping Remote Employees Connected

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.

Most companies don’t know where to start when trying to figure out a way to keep teams feeling connected to the larger mission even when working remotely, and, unfortunately, many remote employees won’t have very high morale when compared to in-office 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.

Are you wondering what the best awards are for boosting the morale of remote employees? Below are some of our favorites and some ideas on how to use them.

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!

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!

Successful business owners or presidents of operations know what their secret to success is, and they’ll likely know the importance of building and maintaining an office culture that motivates employees. Motivated employees work more efficiently, produce higher quality work, and improve customer/client satisfaction. Motivated employees are less likely to be absent from work, and keeping employees motivated also helps employers retain talent. The benefits of motivating employees are very apparent, but the best ways to motivate them are far from obvious. While there are a variety of different ways to motivate employees, employee recognition awards are one of the best. So, why is motivating employees with awards important?

Awards Lead to More Productive Employees

Let’s start with the obvious – motivating employees with awards is important because they make employees more productive, more engaged, and generally happier. People work harder when they know they’re appreciated, and this couldn’t be truer for the Millennials and Generation Z workers entering the workforce. These young workers aren’t just looking for a fair wage and compensation benefits – they’re also looking for meaningful and fulfilling work where they feel like what they do doesn’t go unseen. Part of what makes a job meaningful is recognition for a job well done, and companies with robust employee appreciation programs that motivate their staff with awards will be more appealing to these younger generations of workers. As society and culture change, the workplace must as well. Employers that refuse to adapt and don’t see the importance of motivating employees with awards will be left behind, if not completely go out of business because they can’t find anyone who wants to work for them.

Recognition Is More Effective Than Discipline

Employee awards are also much better motivators than punishment. Employers are better served when focusing their efforts on rewarding employees for good actions rather than reprimanding employees for bad actions or making threats. This is not to say that employers should not take action when an employee steps out of line, fails to meet agreed upon expectations, or does not fulfill their duties, but this punishment should never be used to motivate others. Rather than threaten employees with what can happen to them if they do something wrong in an effort to motivate them, employers should motivate them with awards that show them what can happen when they go above and beyond and produce quality work.

It Pays Off to Award Employees

Motivating employees with awards is also important because it’s the most cost-effective way of doing so. Essentially, employee awards are a win-win for the employees and the company. It’s been said that actions speak louder than words, and this is especially true in the corporate world. Words of acknowledgment are great, but when these words are accompanied by an action like a bonus or promotion, the message is communicated to a greater degree, and employees truly feel as if their hard work is not just noticed and acknowledged but appreciated. When employees feel this way, they are more motivated, productive, and engaged. The whole company benefits! However, companies only have so many managerial positions that can be filled at a given time and may not have the revenue to give every employee a substantial bonus. This makes employee recognition programs and the awards that most companies include in these programs crucial to maintaining a great office culture where employees are motivated to give their all every day.

It's simple – employee awards are an effective way of showing employees how much their work is appreciated than raises, and they’re better at communicating than a simple “thanks for your hard work.” Awards make employees more productive, engaged, and happier, and companies that recognize and award their staff for their efforts will be more appealing to younger workers.

Get High Quality Employee Recognition Awards from EDCO

Now that you know all the reasons why motivating employees with awards is important, you can get all the awards you need from EDCO and start enjoying these benefits today! EDCO is a leader in many types of employee recognition awards including employee of the month awards, crystal awards, and more. Contact us now to get started.

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 awards 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, and there’s no place better than EDCO to find the right awards for your event. We have an award for everything you can think of and more, so shop our collection of employee recognition awards and trophies today!

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!

Employee recognition awards and employee recognition programs do a lot to create and cultivate an encouraging workplace environment for the people on the ground floor and in entry level positions. It shows them that the company truly cares about every one of their employees, no matter what their position is, how many hours they work a week, or how new they are. It also reinforces ideals of meritocracy and work ethic, allowing company culture to become more engaging, competitive, and enjoyable.

Most employee recognition programs tend to put most, if not all, of their focus on these and neglect to recognize the work of those in managerial positions. This shouldn’t be the case. While managers have been in a sense “rewarded” and “recognized” for their hard work with a higher position in the company, they still deserve to be recognized for their hard work, leadership, innovation, and more. So, how do you cultivate an encouraging environment among managers?

Awards for Managers to Motivate Your Teams

The first step towards cultivating an encouraging environment amongst managers is to have dedicated awards for them. In addition to assigning an employee of the month or innovator of the month award to employees, consider adding a “manager of the month” or “leader of the month” award to your employee recognition program. This will not only show managers that you appreciate them but also encourage them to fulfill their position to the best of their ability.

Managers may compete among themselves to see whose team can rack up the most sales, complete the most client work, or produce the most quality work in a month. This friendly competition can increase the productivity of all the employees they manage, thus making the entire company more productive. The only limit to what kinds of awards you want to bestow upon your managers is your imagination!

Improve Collaboration with Manager One-on-One Meetings & Events

Another way to cultivate an encouraging environment among managers is to conduct regular check-ins or schedule one-on-one meetings to see how they’re doing. Managers will often have these types of meetings with the employees they oversee, thus taking on the stress and concerns of multiple other people all the time. This is a lot to put on one person, and managers need an outlet to vent their own frustrations and go over their own concerns as well.

Giving managers the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings where they can do so with a department head, or their direct supervisor will go a long way in making them feel encouraged and supported at work. You may also want to implement manager-only meetings where managers can discuss their frustrations and concerns with others in their position. This not only gives them an opportunity to confide in others like them but also learn from them and discover or share new solutions to common problems they all face.

Because managers deal with a lot on a daily basis, creating events just for them to get away from it all and relieve whatever stress they may have is another great way to create an encouraging environment. Perhaps plan a monthly event for managers like a dinner paid for by the company or a trip to a place like Dave and Busters where managers can unwind and develop bonds outside of work. At the very least, a yearly event for managers should be a priority for any company. Get out of the office and create an unforgettable experience for your managerial team.

Help Managers Level Up Their Skills

Lastly, you should facilitate ways for managers to learn and grow their skills and support them in doing so. This takes a more literal approach to creating an encouraging environment but creating learning opportunities will do more than that. Managers, and all other employees, will thrive and you’ll see performance increases when your company becomes an organization that encourages and prioritizes personal growth and development.

Awards for Business Managers

If you’ve been inspired to add awards for managers into your employee recognition program, there’s no better place than EDCO to find them. With everything from crystal and acrylic awards to plaques and clocks, we’re you’re one stop shop for all things recognition. 

Recognizing your team’s achievements throughout the year is important to maintaining a productive, engaging, and competitive work environment.  A good employee recognition program helps create a workspace that your employees look forward to coming into day after day, but what about year after year? At the end of the year, you have the opportunity to make a lasting impression on your employees and enter into the next year with a renewed sense of energy and passion that’ll help you accomplish all your goals. While you should hype up your team for all that they’ll achieve next year, you should also reflect on the great things they did this year, and there’s no better way to celebrate another year of great work than by recognizing those responsible!

So, how do you wrap up your year with employee recognition? Most companies will have some sort of end of the year holiday party already, but if not, you should really consider one. At an event like this, your staff can talk with each other about anything they like and really enjoy each other’s company without the stress of work or project deadlines looming over them. It’s a great way to improve internal relations and strengthen bonds between co-workers, so your team works even better together in the coming year. It’ll end the year on a high note and leave your employees feeling more like friends than co-workers. The event can be considered employee recognition in itself since you’ve (hopefully) put a lot of time and effort into planning something they’d enjoy. The event doesn’t have to be expensive or grandiose – as long as it’s meaningful, authentic, and sincere, your employees will appreciate it and know they’re valued.

Employee Recognition Awards At the End of the Year

This end-of-year event can be considered a reward in itself, but there’s more you can do to really wrap up the year with employee recognition and show your employees just how much you’ve appreciated their hard work over the year. In fact, it’s the perfect time and place to hand out some special employee recognition awards.

You likely already know the benefits of employee recognition awards and how they contribute to a great work environment and culture, but if not, here’s a quick rundown. Employee recognition awards can increase employee productivity, engagement, and satisfaction, boost morale, improve customer service, and decrease employee turnover. There are a wide variety of different employee awards one can give out throughout the year, and while the kinds of awards you bestow upon your employees are ultimately up to you, there are a few we’d recommend you make staples at an end of the year company event to wrap up the year with employee appreciation.

Employee Recognition Award Types

Employee of the Year: Most companies will give out an employee of the month award, so it only makes sense to name an employee of the year. Not only will this communicate your appreciation, but it’ll provide an incentive for your employees to be productive and engaged all year long. Think about including some other prize – maybe a gift card, gift basket, or PTO – to go along with this award.

Team of the Year: Just like the employee of the year award, this award will show a team how much you value their work, and it will provide an incentive to all the teams in your company to put in great work day after day. While the ultimate decision is up to you, we recommend giving it to the team that overcame the most difficulties, took on a lot of big projects, or went above and beyond all expectations and were super productive. In addition to the award, think about including a team dinner or some other reward with it.

Innovator of the Year: Every year, you probably have a number of employees who think up creative solutions to the problems your company faces, or totally reinvents the wheel and finds an easier alternative to a process you’ve had in place for years. By honoring the year’s best innovator in your company, you’ll be showing other employees how much you value their ability to think outside the box.

Blunder of the Year: It’s important to be able to laugh at yourself, and we all make mistakes from time to time. You can’t expect your employees to be perfect all year long – nobody is – so why not find the humor in a situation and ask employees to nominate some of their biggest “oopsies” of the year. In addition to the award, you can use it as a teaching moment and recognize that your staff learned from their mistake.

Don’t let the end of the year creep up on you – get the employee appreciation trophies you need today from EDCO! Shop our wide selection of crystal awards, glass awards, acrylic awards, plaques, and more to find the perfect ones for your employee recognition program.

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 despite the fact that 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 low 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.

So, how do you go about ensuring talent stays with your company? One of the best ways is to make your employees feel appreciated and communicate to them how thankful you are for their hard work. The saying goes “actions speak louder than words” so rather than just telling your employees how much you value their efforts, show them with an award! There are a variety of different kinds of corporate awards that help make up an effective employee recognition program, and a variety of trophies, plaques, crystals and so you can find the right one for your business.

Although actions may matter more than words, that isn’t to say that words don’t matter, so you should put equal thought 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 typically a very popular choice, and this then begs the question what are five powerful quotes for corporate awards? As the nation’s leading supplier of recognition, we thought we’d answer it for you! Here are five powerful quotes for corporate awards:

“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 very 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.

Like we said before, EDCO is America’s leader in recognition, so when you’re looking to get corporate awards for your business, you won’t find a better selection elsewhere. And if you can’t find something you love, don’t worry we can create a custom award unique to your business! Shop our selection today and get what you need to build a great office environment and keep talent with your company.

Considering the history and the fact our modern understanding of retirement has been a very recent phenomenon, you may be inclined to believe that there hasn’t been much of an evolution in retirement awards but you’d be wrong. Rewards have existed for as long as the idea of what retirement was has existed and they’ve changed along with it.

It took a while for society to recognize the benefits of retirement awards, 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 all the more important to honor retiring employees who’ve been with the company a long time.

So, what has the evolution of retirement awards looked like? Read on and find out!

The First Retirement Award

The first instance of an “award” for retirement dates all the way back to ancient Rome when Emperor Caesar Augustus offered certain legionaries in the empire’s army a retirement package. The package was about 13 times a soldier’s annual salary, and this monetary compensation can be considered the first retirement award in recorded history. It was available to soldiers who had completed 20 years of service in the Roman legion alongside five in the military reserves. This idea was first implemented in 13 BC and was initially funded by general revenue but eight years later in 5 BC Caesar Augustus established a special fund to award retired legionaries their compensation.

Unlike the retirement awards given out today, which are meant to honor an employee’s hard work, dedication, loyalty and show appreciation, this financial compensation was awarded for entirely different reasons. Caesar Augustus awarded his legionnaires money not out of appreciation for their service but to keep them from revolting against the Roman Empire. It was an incentive that aimed to keep retired soldiers loyal. In addition to this, some soldiers were awarded a parcel of land, but it remains unclear if all soldiers were given both land and money or a choice between the two.

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.

Monetary compensation in the form of pensions would again be used as an award for retired soldiers, this time almost 1600 years after the Roman Empire awarded their legionnaires money upon their retirement. In sessions between 1592 and 1593 the British Parliament made a pension for soldiers that had put themselves in grave danger, lost limbs, or became disabled from injuries sustained in combat. Lieutenants could get up to 20 English pounds while privates could get up to 10.

Retirement Awards For the Modern Era

For the next few hundred years in human history, retirement plans would become available to more and more people across the world, but monetary compensation remained the norm for retirement awards. 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 – 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 retirement awards as we know them today were born.

Find Modern Retirement Awards at EDCO

When you’re looking for the perfect award 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 nations leading supplier of recognition. Shop our vast selection of or create a custom award today!

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.

While the concept of retirement has been around for thousands of years, retirement as we know it today has only been around for 90 years. To better understand it, 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 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 rise up 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 is all the 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’re the nation’s leader in recognition and have a wide selection of retirement awards that are all perfect for showing your employees how much you appreciate their continued hard work over the years. Shop our selection today!

The severity of the global COVID19 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. The abrupt change, coupled with the uncertainty of the pandemic, meant that as employers scrambled to transition their operations online as best they could some elements were lost in the process. Unfortunately, this resulted in many employee recognition programs falling to the wayside or put being put on hold.

In the year since the onset of the pandemic, many companies have learned how to successfully digitize much of what they do, and many now offer more digital services, but 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.

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

Continue the Tradition of Employee Recognition

Maintaining a good employee recognition program will also boost employee morale and contribute to 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.

Embrace the Changing Environment by Recognizing New Achievements

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.

Regardless of how you decide to celebrate the accomplishments of your employees during a work-from-home environment, EDCO has such a massive selection of trophies, plaques, crystal awards, and more that you’re guaranteed to find an award that meets your needs. Shop our selection today!

It’s a good sign when you’re having a tough time narrowing down the list of employees who are up for an award – every company would love to have multiple employees who are highly motivated, hardworking problem solvers that can always be counted on – and they should be recognized, but it can be hard to figure out what kind of award is best. Do you get a plaque or a trophy? Not to worry, because as the nation’s premier supplier of recognition EDCO is here to help you figure out the best way to show staff, team, or customers that you recognize their excellence, commitment, and passion.

Employee recognition awards can largely be split into two groups: plaques and trophies. However, prior to deciding which of these options to go with, you’ll want to determine what exactly corporate awards mean to your business. You want awards to speak to the services you provide, as well as company values or a company mission, so it’s important to walk the right line when it comes to recognizing employee achievement. You don’t want these awards to lose their meaning or have their purpose lost.

Considering the many benefits of a good employee recognition program such as increased motivation and employee morale, it’s paramount to get things like this so it can be a win-win for the business and the people who make it successful. Whether you choose a plaque or trophy may seem like an insignificant decision, but it’s important and there are several things to consider.

Award Plaques vs. Trophies

So, should you get a plaque or a trophy? Each has their own pros and cons. Trophies obviously don’t take up any wall space and while they do take up desk space they can be passed around among employees. For example, an employee of the month award can be transferred from recipients on a monthly basis. This doesn’t just save space but it will save the company money as well because it’s one less thing that needs to be purchased every month. If you won’t have wall space to spare or are particular about the things that go up in the workplace, trophies are they way to go.

 There are also more unique designs and materials to pick from with trophies, giving you the ability to bestow an award that’s truly different and exclusive. With plaques the materials and designs are far more limiting while employee of the month trophies can be made out of glass, crystal, or acrylic and shaped into a wide variety of different designs. At EDCO, we have a wide selection of gorgeous crystal awards shaped into diamond, flame, stars, globes, and more alongside pristine glass awards in black, red, green, blue colors and artistic shapes.

On the other hand, award plaques take up no desk space. If your office space has limited space, or is already quite cluttered, employee recognition plaques would be the smart choice and won’t get in the way of things. However, there are some plaques that can be both freestanding and hung on a wall which give you far more versatility than a trophy. Additionally, this gives the recipient far more freedom to either use their desk or wall space as they see fit.

While the design options are a little more limiting, EDCO carries glass and acrylic plaques in addition to the typical wooden and metallic variants. There are also typically more customization options with plaques, as most have space for more than just an employee name and year to be added while not all trophies have much space for engraving.

Making the Decision

So, do you go with a plaque or trophy? Weighing the pros and cons of each is up to you, but regardless of your decision EDCO has a wide enough selection of each that you’ll be sure to find one that meets your preferences and budget. Shop with us today and be sure to come back to EDCO for all your employee recognition needs!

What are our top eye-catching crystal awards of 2021? Read on to find out and learn why crystal is far superior to glass!

When it comes to employee recognition plaques and trophies, crystal awards are among the most popular and for good reason – they’re not just stronger and more transparent than glass but they can be molded into a variety of shapes. While both start out as melted sand before becoming the firm, clear material we’re familiar with crystal contains 20-30% more lead and it’s this higher concentration of minerals that makes it clearer and far more durable than glass. The density of minerals also means a crystal award will weigh more than glass, making it seem far more significant than a glass award. Both literally and metaphorically, crystal awards will communicate how appreciative you are of your employees’ efforts. The larger number of minerals could lead one to believe that crystal awards are less visually appealing and transparent than glass, but this isn’t the case. Crystal actually is much glossier and transparent because of these minerals and they give the material qualities than mimic those of a prism, refracting light and transforming it into a wonderful rainbow. There should be no debate – crystal awards are just more sparkly and visually appealing than glass awards.

So crystal awards are clearly the best, but what awards are the best of the best? Here, we’ll briefly go over some of our top eye-catching crystal awards of 2021 so if you’re thinking of starting an employee recognition program or upgrading an existing one you know which to check out first.

Excellence Award Crystal Obelisk

This stunning excellence award is perfect for honoring the top performers in your company. The refined obelisk design is truly a masterpiece to behold and is constructed all from the highest quality optical crystal we could find. Your company logo, or whatever image you desire, can be deep etched into the award’s top imprint location and your custom message can be etched on the bottom. If you’re looking for an award with wow factor, this is the one.

Crystal Super Five Star

Crafted with a variety of detailed cuts and bevels, this gorgeous award is incredible at refracting light, making it one of the most eye-catching crystal awards we offer. The most forward facing, center diamond can be etched and there is a larger etching spot on the base. In addition to being one of the most stunning awards we offer it’s also one of the heaviest at 15 pounds.

Leadership Pyramid Award

The pyramid shape of this award makes a great for honoring big accomplishments, perfect for the person who has risen to the top. It offers etching areas at all four levels. Standing at 10 inches tall and weighing nearly 11 pounds, it’s a sight to behold!

Diamond Edge Flame Red Crystal Award

This award has a deep red crystal base and has been specially crafted to reflect light and carry a red hue all throughout the body. If you’re looking for an award with a pop of color that’ll stand out from all the other clear crystal awards out there, this is the one for you.

Azure Star Crystal Award

A perfect choice for honoring the shining star, or stars, in your office, this award features a deep blue base and crystal masterfully cut into the shape of a star for a truly one-of-a-kind design. The crystal itself is close to three inches deep in some places and at nine and a half inches tall it’ll certainly make an impression.

Empire Globe Award

As the name would suggest, this award has a crystal model of the Earth which has been held up by three separate pieces of crystal that stretch upward and curve out. The model of our planet itself is four inches in diameter and includes the tri-pillar design refracts light beautifully.

No matter what award you decide needs to be incorporated into your company’s employee recognition program, EDCO will ensure it’s a high-quality product that the recipient will love. Shop our selection of high-quality crystal awards and more today!