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August 4, 2020

Top 5 Ways to Say “Thanks” to Employees

Uncertain. Difficult. Challenging.

You have probably heard these words used in abundance to describe these current times, but we can think of a better one:

Thankful!

Given the current climate we are living in, it’s more important than ever to show and express your gratitude to all of your employees. We have five ideas that you can implement right away to let your employees know how much you truly appreciate them and all of their hard work–no matter if it’s onsite or at home.

Protect certificates in Thank You Certificate Jackets.

Continue to recognize milestones like tenure and Employee of the Month.  

Recognition of your teachers and employees does not have to stop just because most of them are working from home or remotely. If you are holding meetings through conference calls and/or websites and programs, take the time to spotlight these special employees with a presentation. Then, mail them a “recognition package” that includes quality awards, like Certificates, Jackets, and Lapel Pins. And don’t forget to include a Greeting Card or NoteCard with handwritten words of gratitude.

Use LetterTop Certificates to thank employees, plus add a certificate or coupon.

Send a “Thank You” note to your employees and consider a gift card.

When you think of thank you notes, you may think of weddings, birthdays, or graduation parties, but they can be used for employees, too! Whether you use a NoteCard, Greeting Card, or LetterTop Certificate, this is a great way to put those appreciative thoughts to paper. You can even personalize them with a unique message for each employee. If your budget allows, you can also include a gift card (printed or plastic) as a token of thanks.

This Appreciation Gift Set is great for thanking employees and keeping morale up.

Send or give a Gift Set.

Our Direct Ship program is the perfect way to send Gift Sets to all of your teachers and employees as a show of support whether they are working from home or onsite. Gift Sets are not only budget-friendly options for you, they offer fun and functional items that everybody can use. Sending Gift Sets directly to each employee’s home lets everyone know they are still an important and valued part of your team.

Telecommute Kits are great for thanking your remote employees.

Send a Kit to help employees work from home.

Unique work-from-home kits are great ways to keep employees organized, “plugged in,” and even stress a little less. Most kits include some electronic accessories with a mix of standard desk supplies, so everyone is sure to a get a lot of use out of them. Kits are affordable ways to show your appreciation for everyone’s hard work and dedication. 

NoteCards make thank you notes more personal.

Words of appreciation go a long way.  

We understand you may have a tight budget to work with; sometimes a simple note of thanks goes a long way. Thank You NoteCards are always much appreciated–and if you mail them they will be attention grabbers because of their size! If you take a few minutes to write your own “thank you” message with a personal twist for each employee those notes will mean a lot more. Thank You Certificates are also a fun, motivational idea; employees can proudly display them at home. Even a simple Lapel Pin with a thank you message on it can say a lot.

We hope you can use at least one of these five ideas to say “thank you” to your employees. It’s so important right now to hear encouraging or motivational messages. No matter which idea you choose, the results will be much appreciated by your employees, teachers, volunteers, and more. 

August 28, 2019

Elite Employee Recognition

Honor the employees that have gone above and beyond on the work that they have done. There are many ways that you can honor employees for their achievements. Recognizing and celebrating employee achievements should be frequent for your company and should honor dedicated employees. 

Frequent Recognition

Continuous recognition for everything your employees do is a wonderful way to show that you are aware of their efforts. Specialty certificates are perfect for coordinating with a certificate jacket for stylish representation and display! Reward your employees right when they’ve gone above and beyond in their work. Recognize them with a certificate that recognizes their excellence in the work place. 

Recognize Employee Loyalty

Honor the employees that have been loyal to your company! Recognize employees with pins that represent their years of hard work. Pins are wonderful recognition pieces because they can be keepsakes and proudly shown off.  Honor the years of excellent service and volunteering with customizable certificates to add that personal touch.  

Gift Certificate Award

Everyone loves a gift certificate to a restaurant or a movie theater! Make sure the gift certificate matches each employee’s personality; it’ll show just how much you care. Our gift certificates are desktop printable, which makes them wonderful customizing. Your employees will love this recognition and will spend the gift certificates gladly.

Recognizing employees’ hard work and commitment is perfect for keeping spirits high. Awarding employees frequently with certificates and plaques, acknowledging their loyalty, and handing out gift certificate awards or trophies are great ways to recognize employees. Visit PaperDirect for more stationery products that your employees will love

December 7, 2017

22 Funny Office Superlatives to Give Out at Your Company Holiday Party

funny office superlatives

Every office is packed with people who stand out for one reason or another. Perhaps they’re the most likely to arrive early and stay late. Maybe they generate the most creative ideas during every brainstorm. Or maybe there’s a coworker who, no matter where you look, they can never be found. Honoring staff members with awards for their standout traits can be a fantastic way to boost morale, encourage teamwork, and have some fun at your company holiday party.

To get those creative ideas rolling, we’ve compiled a list of 22 funny office superlatives to award your coworkers.

22 Funny Office Superlatives Your Coworkers Will Love

Black Hole Award: Most Likely to Lose Things on Desk

Confetti Award: Most Likely to Find a Reason to Celebrate

Colorful Star Confetti Certificate Paper

Dewey Decimal Award: Most Organized

Fashion Week Award: Best Dressed

GPS Award: Most Likely to Know Where Anyone is at Any Given Time

Janitor Award: Best at Cleaning up Other People’s Messes

Lady Gaga Award: Most Likely to Push Dress Code Limits

Librarian Award: Most Likely to Keep Everyone in Line

Light at the End of the Tunnel Award: Most Likely to See the Positive

Torch Certificate Paper

Loch Ness Award: Least Likely to be Found

Mind-Blowing Award: Most Likely to Generate Creative Ideas

On the Dot Award: Best at Meeting Tight Deadlines

White and Gold Certificate Paper

Outer Orbit Award: Most Likely to Push all Limits

Page 6 Award: Most Up-to-Date on Office Gossip

Phone Tag Award: Least Likely to Answer Phone

Playground Award: Most Likely to Make Work Fun

Quarterback Award: Most Likely to Pass off Work

Racehorse Award: Always the First Out the Door at 5 p.m.

Skydiving Award: Most Likely to Take Risks

White and Gold Your Make A Difference Certificate Paper

Squirrel Award: Greatest Stash of Stuff in Desk

Vampire Award: Most Likely to Arrive Earliest and Leave Latest

White Knight Award: Most Likely to Save the Day

Once you’ve finalized your funny office superlative ideas, it’s time to order the award certificates. PaperDirect has a wide range of eye-catching certificates, whether you want to go formal, casual, or somewhere in between. Printing options for your funny officer superlatives are also available, or you can print them up yourself. We also offer a wide range of Certificate Jackets in lots of colors to protect and preserve your awards. Match them to your company or school colors!

Blue and Gold Torch Certificate Jacket

Whatever you have in mind, PaperDirect is a prime place to find the snazzy options that ensure everyone comes out a winner. Shop PaperDirect now

July 7, 2016

Individual or Team Recognition: Quick Tips

Individual and Team Recognition

Recognition is simple, and comes naturally outside of the workplace; it’s a habit that more workplaces need to adopt in order to continue to foster a competitive business,” Sasha Bricel wrote in an HR.com blog post.

“Today’s employees want to be acknowledged for successes affecting the company and are more inclined to drive results when their work is celebrated.”

There’s no denying the importance of both individual recognition and team recognition in the workplace. However, there’s a time to use individual recognition for specific employees and other times when team recognition is more suitable.

Learn the best times to use these different forms of employee recognition to improve morale and benefit your business.

Individual Recognition

Certain employees stand out from the crowd.

When these stellar staff members really go above and beyond, it’s crucial to recognize their hard work and dedication. For example, when a group is working on a major project, individually recognize those people who are acting as a driving force. Let’s say Sue composed all of the spreadsheets needed for the project over the weekend so that the team could hit the ground running on Monday morning. 

She needs an individual shoutout

employee of the month certificate paper

Additionally, recognition initiatives such as an employee of the month program is a great method for acknowledging the work of individuals. Regularly taking time to call out the outstanding efforts of individual employees is an important component to effectively motivate and inspire others.

Boosting morale using these recognition methods will have positive effects on your business that you’ll sooner than you expect.

Team Recognition

Businesspeople In Meeting

While schoolchildren are taught the importance of teamwork, this skill can still be a challenging one for adults in the workplace. So when teams work together effectively and successfully to the benefit of your business, it’s of the utmost importance to recognize the group’s impressive efforts.

There’s plenty of perfect opportunities to recognize the work of effective teams in your company. For instance, upon delivering a successful pitch to a client, the team responsible should be recognized for their teamwork and drive. Maybe host a company-wide meeting to recognize the team’s top-notch presentation and the positive outcome, and present each team member with a certificate to commemorate their outstanding efforts. Other small awards, like lapel pins, sticky notes, and a handwritten Thank You card are wonderful gifts of your gratitude.

There’s a time and a place for everything, and that certainly applies to individual and team recognition in the workplace.

As a business leader, knowing when to recognize a person versus when to acknowledge a full team empowers you to galvanize your staff while improving the bottom line.

PaperDirect can be your one stop shop for all things recognition. Browse now. 

May 24, 2016

How to Announce Promotions for a Positive Workplace

Promotion at work

One of the most highly regarded techniques for recognizing an employee’s dedication and hard work is with a promotion. Promotions demonstrate your company’s efforts to promote from within to the staff, while communicating to the promoted individual that his/her time and energy has been well spent. Use these methods to announce promotions to your entire staff so you can further cultivate a positive workplace.

Digital Announcements

From e-newsletters to social media channels, announce promotions online.

Snap a quick picture of the person and write a short blurb explaining the reason for the promotion to post/share. This not only helps to build your brand image (when posted on a public channel such as Facebook or LinkedIn) but also demonstrates your pride in your employees and all of their hard work.

Physical Awards

When the employee accepts the promotion you’ve offered him/her, have a certificate prepared to give to him/her. Rarely do people have something physical they can hold that represents the hours of work they’ve given to their job. As you award these certificates, watch as people start showing them off in their offices, hanging them for others to see. Sooner or later, other employees will start working towards their own promotion certificate.

Public Announcements

Call a company-wide meeting to publicly announce recent promotions. This is an opportunity to say a few words about the individuals who were promoted while recognizing their dedication. Their peers will applaud their accomplishments while thinking to themselves, “Maybe I can work hard enough to earn a promotion.” You’ll see productivity and morale increase after you’ve made a few of these announcements.

Personal Announcements

Whether it’s a thank you note or a lunch date, take some one-on-one time to personally announce the promotion to the employee. This personal effort to announce the promotion will make a lasting impact on the employee that s/he will share with workmates. A personal touch goes a very long way and makes a lasting impact on the individual but also reverberates throughout the staff as people hear about the time you allotted to recognizing the hard work and dedication of an employee.

Educational Opportunities

A staff member who is promoted has learned a thing or two about your business. Following his/her promotion, ask this person to host a brief seminar in the office to share their knowledge with the rest of the staff. For instance, if you recently promoted an individual from IT, ask them to teach a workshop about using smartphones for more than Angry Birds and Instagram.

Whether you choose one or more of the above promotion announcement ideas, PaperDirect is always here to help. Browse our blog to find a wide range of recognition ideas and more. Or start shopping our website to find the perfect recognition awards for all employees who have recently been promoted.

October 28, 2015

10 Award Ideas That Fellow Employees Can Vote On

Award Ideas to Vote On

Want to spice up your company holiday party? Channel your inner high school yearbook editor, and hand out some novelty awards at the holiday party this year. Who’s most admired in the office? Who’s destined to win an Emmy or Grammy some day? Let your employees decide! Here are 10 unique award ideas that people can vote on before your party!

Most Admired in the Office Award

Is there someone who everyone looks to for sage advice? This employee is probably a long-time fixture at the company and has worked in several departments before rising to their wise, respected position.

Yearly Leadership Award

There are leaders in every organization and company. Have your employees vote on their fearless leader and announce it at the company party.

leadership recognition lapel pin

Most Poised Award

There’s that one person that always looks put together. Their hair could be photographed for a magazine cover at any moment, their outfit is impeccable, and they just always seem ready to tackle the day no matter what gets thrown at them. This award is made for them!

Rookie of the Year Award

This award goes to one of the newer employees that has not only learned quickly and contributed, but went above and beyond during their first year in office. Make sure there are a bunch of rookies if you plan to use this one.

Most Likely to Become a Talk Show Host Award

Is there a co-worker who can turn anything into a conversation? They’re the person who goes to a conference and instantly makes friends with the person sitting next to them and can tell you the person’s entire history after just 10 minutes of chatting. Recognize that co-worker with this award.

Resident Rock Star Award

Who has a side band? Or, plays music as a hobby? Honor this person’s musical talents by predicting their upcoming fame on the radio airwaves — or local open mike night at the corner coffee shop.

Most Likely to Start a Social Media Platform Award

They Tweet, Pin, Share and +1 faster and more often than anyone else you know. This person is likely trying to devise the perfect social media outlet that combines all the best features of the current platforms. Reward this person with a tech accessory!

Our “IT GUY” Award

Has your cube mate reached over and typed a bunch of code into your website and magically made it look amazing? Each office has that closet hacker who can probably fix all the company techie issues better than the IT department.

Did Someone Say Coffee? Award 

This person has a cup of java in their hand 24/7, day and night. At some point, you think they will start growing coffee beans from their appendages and smell like French roast because they are saturated with coffee.

coffeehouse border papers

Next Food Network Star Award

This person brings in the most delectable homemade treats for office birthday parties and slow cooker creations for company potlucks. You have several of his or her recipes saved in your email and actually dream about what they’ll be whipping up next.

Are you ready to make some award certificates for these uncommon accomplishments? Paper Direct has a huge selection of festive holiday paper certificates to choose from online. Shop and design your awards today!

October 2, 2015

12 Employee Award Ideas Inspired by Christmas

12 Employee Award Ideas Inspired by

Hear that? Sleigh bells ringing in the lane as Christmas rapidly approaches? Before you know it, the weather forecast will be cold and snowy and it’ll be time to celebrate the holidays with your employees. When hosting a holiday event in your office, these 12 Christmas employee award ideas are fun ways to recognize your staff before the year’s end.

Mr. Christmas

Whether it’s the holiday season or a late work night powering through a major project, Mr. (or Ms.) Christmas is always there to boost employee morale. Mr./Ms. Christmas is your company’s loudest cheerleader, inspiring coworkers to make it work during challenging tasks or periods. Reward your employee with the most spirit and positive attitude the Mr./Ms. Christmas title.

Employee gift or award idea for Christmas

The Rudolph Award

Santa Claus called on the outcasted Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to light the way for his sleigh on a foggy Christmas Eve. Therefore, The Rudolph Award goes to your company’s strongest leader. This award recipient is the person who lit the way for your business when times were darkest.

Santa’s Little Helper

Where would your business be without your customer support staff? Recognize the customer service representative at your company who went the extra mile for your clients or customers during the holiday season or throughout the year.  

The Mrs. Claus Award

Every office has a nurturing parental figure who always has a warm hug and a few minutes to listen to concerns and issues. The Mrs. Claus Award goes to the office mom/dad, that employee who is taking care of the staff, whatever it is they might need.

Hardest Working Elf

Maybe this goes to the salesperson with the highest numbers for the quarter, or the entry-level employee who worked nights and weekends on a variety of assignments. Award your hardest-working employee this fun-filled honor to show your appreciation for all the time and effort they’ve dedicated to your business.

Use this stationery paper for ugly sweater contests

Ugliest Christmas Sweater

A great way to lighten the mood during the holiday season is by hosting an ugly sweater competition. Then, at your office Christmas party, announce the winner of the prestigious award. Be sure to get lots of pictures of the ugly sweater nominees to show off during the award ceremony, for a few extra laughs.

snowman

Prettiest Ornament Award

Just like that one gorgeous Christmas ornament your family has treasured for generations, every office has one person who is always dressed to the nines and this award goes to that  best dressed iemployee. The Prettiest Ornament Award should be given to that one person who has a keen sense of style and looks impeccable, even on Casual Fridays.

Customize these papers for certificates

The Abominable Snowman

Some people simply love the winter. They take their kids sledding, they slalom the ski slopes any chance they get, and they’re snowman-crafting abilities are unbeatable. Award your employee’s passion for wintertime with The Abominable Snowman award.

Finest Christmas Fare

During swimsuit season, you deplore this employee’s baking skills and generous spirit but when it’s the holiday season, this person is your absolute favorite. Whether it’s handmade cookies, expertly-crafted candies, or a variety of other calorie-laden treats, thank the employee who has stuffed you full of sweets throughout the year with the Finest Christmas Fare award.

Ebenezer Scrooge/Grinch

While this employee might be a bit gruff and rough around the edges, this person captures the kindness of the holiday season with any nonprofit or charitable work they do outside of the office. Even though Scrooge and The Grinch seemed like cruel-hearted jerks on the outside, both ultimately gave into the Christmas spirit and embraced the Season of Giving. Honor the giving spirit of an employee in your office with the Ebenezer Scrooge/Grinch award.

Hand out Tumblers as Christmas gifts or awards

Christmas Tree Climber

While your company has already recognized the hard work of certain employees by promoting them, the Christmas Tree Climber award celebrates one worker’s climb to the top. This is your chance to call attention to this employee’s incredible strides for the company over the past year.

Most-Beloved Christmas Tradition

Loyalty is a valuable trait that tends to be overlooked. Your company’s Most-Beloved Christmas Tradition award goes to the person who has worked with your business the longest. Through successful years and lean ones, this employee showed up for work every day regardless of whether things were looking up or down.

The Christmas season will be much more enjoyable at your place of business with fun awards like the ones listed above. Use any or all of these ideas, and don’t forget to come up other creative employee award ideas, too!

April 19, 2012

9 Goofy Awards for Team Building

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: , , — Kristine Richards @ 8:00 am
goofy office awards

If you like the sitcom “The Office,” you may remember “The Dundies” that Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) awarded to his Dunder Mifflin employees during a ceremony at the local Chili’s restaurant.

Remember Pam’s “Whitest Sneakers” award? While Carell’s character did not use the best judgment when it came time to present goofy awards to his employees, you can make a goofy award ceremony for employees an annual occurrence to boost morale and have a little fun during (or after) the workday.

Why Host an Event?

Hosting some type of fun event during the workday is a  great way to keep employees motivated, show them you appreciate their hard work, and maintain a light, enjoyable work environment.

You know the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…” All work and no play in the workplace will create an atmosphere of drudgery, unhappiness, and lack of enthusiasm. One great way to motivate employees and create a light, fun atmosphere in the office is to give goofy awards in a company- or department-wide awards ceremony.

Recognition Certificates

PaperDirect has recognition certificates for all occasions and in all different types of styles, so there’s definitely something for all types of tastes. PaperDirect certificate templates assist you in designing and printing certificate layouts.

Our free desktop printable templates format your certificate automatically, with preset margins, borders, and tabs. Recognition certificates from PaperDirect make quick and easy goofy awards for team building efforts.

Goofy Award Ideas

Due to the sensitive nature of the workplace, you’ll want to avoid references to appearance or character traits that could potentially embarrass recipients. For office party settings, create funny awards that focus on humorous situations common to the workplace. Here are some examples of goofy awards that you can give to employees to motivate, inspire, and build a sense of camaraderie:

surfer award

The office is where many people spend almost a quarter of their time during a given week, and for some, it’s even more. Working in an office environment can be stressful and tedious at times. That’s where funny office awards come in handy!

These awards were created to provide office humor and entertainment by recognizing office workers for their entertaining gifts. These funny awards are perfect for company events and parties and are great for everyday office humor and jokes. Shop for the perfect certificates and other quick gifts, like Lapel Pins and Trophies, to showcase your goofy awards on PaperDirect today!

February 3, 2012

Employee Motivation Ideas for the New Year

Extra Mile NotebookThe start of the new year can be a slow time for many companies, especially retail companies (post-holiday down slide) and other types of businesses involved in sales. Businesses often tighten their belts after the holidays, and your sales staff may be lacking motivation to pursue new leads. To get things moving and keep your business going, you should try to implement tactics designed to renew your staff’s interest in selling. In doing so, you can create enthusiasm, boost incentive, and help your business thrive in the new year. While these ideas are geared more toward the sales industry, these employee motivation ideas can be applied in some fashion to most any business.

Contests are a good motivator to get Extra Mile Tote Bagemployees off to an enthusiastic start to the new year. A sales contest can be a way to re-energize your sales team and fire up their competitive spirit. Design a competition based on your sales needs: focus on new customers, for example, or who can get the most new leads. Instead of having a long-term contest where prizes are not awarded until the end of the year, aim for short-term contests to keep the excitement going and give recognition to winners as the contest progresses to provide added incentive to keep up the hard work. Make sure the prizes/recognition are worthwhile. Receiving a reward that has no meaning or value will not motivate your employees to keep up their pace.

You can’t deny that cash is the greatest incentive for most employees, especially after the holidays most people are a bit strapped for cash. Choose a specific goal you want your staff to achieve, one that will help your business address a weak area or achieve a strategic goal. Set a time limit and individual goals and then reward your staff with cash when the goal(s) are met.

Extra Mile NoteCardsBe flexible in your employees’ work schedule and location of where they work. In the dreary winter months at the start of the new year, give your staff the freedom to work from wherever makes them most comfortable, whether it’s a coffee shop or from their own home, if that’s feasible. By giving them the freedom to design the working environment that works best for them, you may see an improvement in performance. Some employers feel that allowing staff to work from home will decrease their productivity, but, many businesses have found that the opposite is true. When given the privilege to work outside the office in a more comfortable environment, many employees tend to be even more productive. They want to prove that it’s not necessary for them to be tied to their office desk nine hours a day in order to meet or exceed company and individual goals.

If you sense your staff members need motivation to improve their sales, reward progress with power. Announce that the top sales person will get a special treat: the ability to hire an assistant, for example, or the ability to lead a meeting or make sales assignments.Extra Mile Water Bottle

Motivational gifts are also good rewards and serve as an incentive to keep up the good work. Learn a little bit about your employee before purchasing a gift; make sure it’s something he/she will value and actually use. While trophies and plaques make very nice rewards and employees appreciate recognition such as an “Employee of the Month” certificate, there are many other employee motivation ideas out there.

Check out the PaperDirect blog for more ideas on boosting employee morale and other ways to motivate your employees.

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