Most workplaces have some sort of awards events every so often. Many times, they coincide with the holidays, the end of the fiscal year, or a board member’s retirement. And every awards ceremony tends to be similar – not just at workplaces – everywhere. So how can you spice up the trophies and award plaques you’re presenting your honorees? After all, you want employees and key staff members to feel excited and honored when they receive their unique corporate gift. But it’s hard to spark excitement if recipients are receiving the same boring and rote awards year after year.
Believe it or not, there are trends in corporate gifts and awards. Employees are looking for tokens of appreciations that feel personal and have genuine thought behind them – they can tell when their special “gift” feels generic. It’s important to keep employees happy and satisfied, especially high performers and those who constantly bring in top sales. When it comes to your next gift-giving ceremony, focus on designing unique, personalized gifts that evoke a sense of belonging, excitement, and showmanship.
Colorful Art Glass Trophy Awards
Art glass awards are a great way to add fun and color to a traditional glass trophy award without sacrificing the formal vibe that one expects a luxury office gift. Each piece available is unique work of art that can’t be replicated elsewhere. That type of rarity, coupled with a personalized engraving will leave your employees in a state of gratitude. Far too many corporate gifts feel stale, especially if staff members know what to expect time after time. So, wow them with bright colors that represent the celebration of achievement! And if you’re awarding a fleet of team members, what’s a more unique corporate gift than hand-blown art glass awards that they can compare with one another. The beauty behind these one-of-a-kind awards is that they double as a beautiful display piece in the office or at home, making them perfect for both in-person workers and the remote crowd.
Architectural Lines
Sleek, modern angles and lines are in. An especially trendy example of this is transparent glass or acrylic plaque awards that mimic the monumental architecture of skyscrapers or obelisks. Obelisks are quite literally a timeless shape – they’ve been used to commemorate success since well before Ancient Egypt was an empire. The clean lines and light refraction of a monument-style glass trophy make the engraved achievement stand out, and draw the eye while still remaining a subtle fixture in any office or conference room.
Engraved Pens
Presenting personalized, engraved pens to your employees as a “Thank You” for their hard work is a big gesture in a little package. Pens are an especially relevant corporate gift if the recipient signs checks or sensitive documents on a daily basis. Not to mention that having matching pens throughout the office is a smart and subtle way to send a message of teamwork in your work culture. More and more, corporate workplaces are shifting focus to collective and cooperative collaboration in the office space. So, presenting everyone in the office with a personalized professional gift that is still a part of a whole, like matching engraved pens, is a great way to stay in line with that messaging. Engraving your company’s logo is a great way to promote synergy and maintain your brand but consider individualized pens that boast employee names, nicknames, or departments for a more personal touch.
Personalized Bar & Drinkware
Whether your company is working remotely or in-person, a special gift that you can treat your employees to is personalized, engraved bar and drinkware. Everyone has a favorite mug to go with their coffee, so why not make theirs the one with their name and department on it? After a hard day’s work, your staff can pour out a cold one into their personalized pint glass, feeling a nice sense of accomplishment. Employees love the idea of practical gifts that they can use on a daily basis that makes their lives a bit easier.
There are tons of other great employee award ideas, especially since COVID hit and we all needed to figure out how to do work life virtually. Don’t forget – you can still celebrate your staff even if they’re working from home! Hopefully this short brief on what’s what in personalized corporate gifts right now can help you shake off the cobwebs and land on some great choices for your next awards event.
