Managers and business owners have many unique challenges these days, from finding qualified applicants and keeping them onboard to keeping productivity high when staffing levels dip. Keeping the best performers motivated while urging everyone else to do better requires a delicate balance, and no small amount of skill. Getting the best out of your workers requires a combination of sticks and carrots, and the best managers have learned what works and what doesn’t.

Many of the most successful companies have found that motivating employees with special gifts and awards can do wonders for company morale. Often a simple pat on the back will do more to boost the morale of an employee than anything else, and awards are a great way to show those top performers that their efforts are appreciated by the entire management team.

Employee awards and recognition run the gamut from simple certificates that can be produced in house to elaborate plaques and crystal paperweights available from the local trophy company. No matter what the award, however, it is important to present it properly and to make each employee being recognized feel that his or her efforts are appreciated and valued.

Special lunches and recognition ceremonies are always a popular venue for the presentation of special employee recognition awards. We all value the opinion of our peers in the world of business, and being recognized in front of those peers can make a special award even more prized. Rewarding all the employees who worked on an important project with a fancy lunch at a great local restaurant is a great way to recognize their contribution and keep them motivated for the next vital company project.  

Presenting employees with special awards at the office is another great way to thank them for all they have done and encourage them to remain on board for future projects. Especially popular are those awards that can be tastefully displayed at the office, like recognition certificates, plaques and other keepsakes. These valuable employee incentives are a great way to remind top performers every day that their efforts are appreciated and that all future work will be rewarded as well.

Personalized employee recognition awards provide even more incentives for top performers to continue their great work. Virtually every employee award and recognition item can be customized with the name of the team member being recognized, and perhaps a special message from the company president or CEO as well. Personalized gifts are always a great choice, and personalized employee recognition items are a great way to thank the best employees for a job well done.

Now that you know what it should include, it's time to review your strategic reward system. Does it address compensation, benefits, recognition and appreciation? Is it aligned with your remaining business strategies? Is it driving the right behaviors for your company, as well as your performance goals? If it needs fixing, don't wait. It can mean the difference between your business' success and failure.