Can you remember the last time you received true appreciation for your efforts? It could have been anything from a simple “great job” to receiving a certificate of achievement on stage or a trophy or medal. Each of these experiences will remain with you forever and provide motivation for all that you do moving forward. Work cultures that focus on rewarding and recognizing their employees create what many organizations work for years to build: sincere loyalty. Organizations that provide this type of recognition are sending out a message to all their employees that they have been seen, recognised and appreciated for their efforts and that this experience will be remembered in the future. The result for organizations is improved employee morale and retention rates; for employees, the result is a sense of accomplishment for putting in the necessary hours, making sacrifices, and being committed to achieving something great.
There is something special about honouring a person’s achievements and accomplishments. Honouring someone for their success creates memories. A Student who worked hard for months earning academic achievement, a sales executive who achieved record sales in one quarter, and a Football Team that won the Regional Championship are all wonderful examples of memory creation through recognition. Recognition can be more than a grand experience; it is about how sincere it is. The act of providing a sincere act of recognition combined with a carefully selected award becomes a tangible thing. Something the individual receiving can physically pick up, showcase or utilize and refer back to.
Choosing the Right Awards for Every Achievement
Each accomplishment has its own unique way of being recognized. One such example is a retirement ceremony that may need to be different from a school science competition. When you take the time to appropriately match the award with the purpose, the better the recognition will be.
Here’s a look at different awards and which occasions it suits the best:
- Trophies are the classic and commanding type of awards that are appropriate for sports tournaments, business competitions, performance honour and achievement programs, or academic achievement programs. Trophies are often considered the most traditional and elegant style of award, and the silver trophies can be quite understated in elegance in comparison to other types of awards, making them very suitable for traditional sporting events or formal business settings.
- Medals have far more diversity than most people think. Most features are presented in the medal types: gold, silver, and bronze; however, the range of medals has grown beyond the traditional podium presentations (top three medals) into many diverse categories. Examples of medals now being presented at marathons, cultural festivals, school sports days or community fundraisers.
- Crystal Awards: These do not merely look good but also symbolize the properties found in the material itself; therefore, this award represents crystal’s three qualities of brilliance, clarity, and durability – all of which are highly regarded in a corporate or professional setting (i.e., Executive Farewell, Annual Gala and Business Milestone Awards).
- Wooden Trophies: This type of award provides a warm, welcoming presence that cannot be found in any other material; thus, an attractive wooden trophy design becomes a perfect award for any type of competition, such as cultural, eco-friendly organizations, artistic and community leaders.
- Custom Plaques and Shields: These awards lend themselves well to long service awards and retirement celebrations as well as any type of formal certificate (e.g., mounted on a wall) that gives added significance to awards presented to employees.
Ultimately, it is important to evaluate who is receiving the award; ask them if the award is of value to them according to where they can display it (e.g., at home or work).
Choosing an Award or Trophy
When choosing a trophy there is much more than just determining whether it looks good or not. Before proceeding to making a final decision, several considerations must be thought through.
The first and foremost consideration is the specific occasion for which any trophy or award is being provided, and what mood you wish to generate from that event, which will ultimately guide the design of the trophy itself. A beautiful crystal trophy or engraved plaque would be suitable in a formal awards presentation, whereas a bold trophy would be more appropriate for a school sports event. If the selection of the trophy is made according to the event or ceremony, then the recipient(s) will see that you have put thought into choosing the trophy and they will remember how you made their moment extra special.
Personalisation is what makes the award unique and meaningful. Generic trophies will simply sit on the shelf collecting dust, while an engraved trophy that contains the name of the recipient, the date when the recipient has achieved this award, and perhaps a few words describing the recipient’s achievement will be something they treasure forever. For anyone who hasn’t experienced it yet, ordering a customized trophy online is much easier than it used to be. Numerous websites allow you to design your trophy by selecting the award type, material, size, engraving text, and adding a personal touch to your trophy or award, all in one place, and you will typically get your award delivered quicker than you anticipated.
Reflect on the display factor too. After attesting an award, does it look good displayed, and if yes, where will it be displayed? A compact crystal award looks great on an office desk. Tall, polished trophies have more presence that fits in a display cabinet at home; thinking through this ahead of time helps you select items that will be displayed. Also, think about delivery A smart trophy shopping requires paying close attention to the presentation of the award that they receive. An award that has been delivered in a well-presented box with quality padding will provide an impression of care for the recipient before it is opened. The first impression is always important.
Establishing a budget that is thoughtful rather than extravagant; just because something costs a lot does not necessarily make it have more meaning. A skilled wood-crafted award with an extraordinary inscription can move someone with greater meaning than an expensive award with no personal touch to it.
Bulk ordering online for group events that recognize large numbers of people, such as tournaments, sports, or corporate programs, proves to be a practical method as well as a reduction in cost. Many supply companies have pricing tiers depending on volume for their awards, without compromising the quality of their awards.
Conclusion
Awards give acknowledgement for achievements completed. Recognition occurs when someone works hard and is rewarded for that effort with an award. There is an award that complements every occasion, whether it be a wooden trophy design representing culture or a silver trophy for a championship athlete. The award given today will be a story for those who were recognized thus; each choice made by the person giving an award represents how much the recipient’s work is valued. What people receive from the awards given to them today creates stories for them to share with others tomorrow.
