5 Fancy Ideas for Staff Appreciation and Recognition

Lauren Deegan

Employee recognition and staff appreciation is an everyday mission. After all, getting the most out of your team means making sure that the people who go above and beyond know that they’re appreciated. Sometimes that’s a simple matter of giving verbal praise or corporate gifts for employees. Other times, you need to do something a little more glamorous. Here are five employee appreciation and recognition ideas for those times when you need to bring something fancy to the table.

Three people with Employee gifts – building replicas

1. Organize a Classy Staff Dinner

Fancy business dinners with company higher-ups are often featured in films and TV shows. These prestigious gatherings are unique and special in everyday life. If you need to recognize an employee or small team for a big accomplishment, such a dinner is your perfect chance. If a mid-level staff member helped bring a major deal to life, invite that person to a dinner where company leaders are getting together to celebrate.

2. Let Employees Be Executives for a Day

Encouraging your employees to perform at the highest level possible is part of what a recognition program is all about. If you want a particular employee to attain executive-level skills, why not let that person see what awaits? Ask an executive in your organization to trade places with that employee for the day. Make sure that the person you’re honoring enjoys all of the perks of the job including the cushy office and ability to interact with other high-level staff.

3. Create Old-Fashioned Recognition Awards

Sometimes being fancy means tapping into the traditions of the past and choosing something that’s decidedly less digital. Making a thank you card by hand or hiring a calligrapher to create a stunning award scroll is a great recognition strategy. It’s fancy and classic, and it makes a keepsake that the employee honored will be proud to display. If you don’t have any artistic talent yourself, seek out an employee who you can commission to complete the project.

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4. Choose Art Special to Employees

Wall art for the office makes a great employee recognition gift. Unfortunately, too many companies fall into the trap of giving stellar employees cheesy motivational posters in cheap frames. While these might work well in your organization’s training center, they’re not the best choice for recognition. Instead, choose eye-catching art that will appeal to the style sensibilities of the employee you’re honoring. You can find high-quality, affordable prints in many art galleries and gift shops.

5. Give Gifts for Employee Talents

Choosing a recognition gift for a deserving employee can be difficult. Instead of going with a generic gift card or desktop clock, consider creating a gift basket just for that person. Find out what kind of hobbies or creative activities that person enjoys and fill a basket with supplies that correspond to that interest. It’s an upscale way to tell an employee thanks while communicating that you’re interested in your team members as individuals too.

Of course, making a big impression with heightened staff appreciation methods means striking a balance. At Cristaux, we believe that it’s good to make both light-hearted and serious designs. It keeps things interesting, and it makes the fancy things stand out more too.

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