How Important are Trophies and Awards to Your Staff?

I’m writing this from my home office on a Saturday. My wife has a meeting, it’s too cold to mow, my cats are asleep, and well the truth is I like to write. Anyway back to my point. On a shelf about four feet away from my desk sit two trophies. One is from 1994. It’s a year-end award for the best performance by a department manager. The other is from 2004 it was the top award for the organization for that year. The award was in honor of a friend and co-worker who had perished. So, how important are trophies and awards?

The reason I bring these up isn’t to brag. Heck, one of the businesses closed its door. My purpose is to drive home a point. These two trophies, one 24 years old the other 14 years old, still mean something to me. Like I said, they sit on a shelf four feet from my desk. I’m proud of both, and they not only remind me of the businesses, and the people I worked with, but what I did to merit the recognition.

So, are trophies important to your people? If you’re uncertain there’s an easy way to find out. Ask them. You might be surprised how many of your employees have trophies on their shelves.

Why Trophies Are Important

They reinforce positive behavior. One of the best ways to focus people on repeating positive behaviors is to reinforce the behavior through recognition. What better way to achieve this than with a trophy?
They’re a material reminder of the company’s apperception. One that may sit on a shelf for twenty years or more.
Trophies and trophy ceremonies communicate to your entire staff what’s important to your company and its culture. It’s not only the winners who win.
An employee who feels appreciated is more dedicated to the mission of the business.