Let's Give Thanks

As you recount all the different things you are thankful for this holiday season such as family, friends and good health, remember those who have a great part in making your life a success every day.  Often times the holiday season can be the most stressful time of year and it's important not to take your greatest assets for granted.

Your team works hard every day to keep the organization thriving. Whether it's a gift or a personalized card, give thanks to your team as they not only deserve it but will appreciate the reminder of their value to the organization.

Custom Engravings

As a reminder, we offer a wide selection of custom engravings. These personalized gifts are one of the most meaningful ways to recognize your team this holiday season.  We have also recently upgraded our facilities and can now offer personalized gifts at lower cost.  Contact your Sales Executive for more information on what we offer.

From all of us at Herndon Recognition, have a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.

For even more ideas on how to bring more value to your employee recognition program, visit us at www.herndonrecognition.com.

What is Your Most Valuable Resource?

Is it what you manufacture? Is it your customers? Neither! It is your employees, staff and volunteers. Without them your company would cease to exist.   It is very important to treat your most valuable resource with respect and build your company loyalty and longevity. 

Here's a couple of ideas to help add value to your recognition experience:

• Communicate authentic appreciation whenever possible:  No matter how small or large the achievement, a genuine thank you or communication of appreciation can be the boost that your employees need to get through the workday.  Keeping the environment positive will reinforce positive results.
  
• Submit press releases in the company newsletter or local newspapers:  The most valuable recognition is given in front of peers. This will not only build up the confidence level of the employee being recognized but it will encourage other employees within the company.
  
•  Award custom personalized gifts: Showing your employee that you took the time and effort to personalize a gift will not only be appreciated by your employee but having an item that can be displayed on their desk will remind them each day of their achievement and value to your company.
  
  
  For even more ideas on how to bring more value to your employee recognition program, visit us at www.herndonrecognition.com.

Keeping Employees Cool in the Heat of the Summer

This time of year employees are itching to be outside so they can enjoy the weather with their friends and families.  More than likely you’ve had plenty of vacation requests. We all know that vacation is a vital piece of keeping a healthy employee and environment.  It's important to keep employees happy by granting those requests that are reasonable.  It's also important for a productive work place to have employees that know that they have a manager who is going to recognize their need for some time away to maintain a healthy balanced life.

Keep the work force and your clients happy by maintaining an organized system that allows your employees the ability to take advantage of getting away from the workplace without disrupting the actual workplace. At Herndon Recognition, we utilize a sign up calendar and submit vacation requests to management. The department manager then approves or suggests alternate dates to ensure there will be enough team members scheduled to attend to ongoing project details while the employee is on leave. This reduces stress for the company as well as the employee because it allows the employee to feel confident their immediate work is being attended to in their absence.

One of the best ways we communicate in the office environment while on vacation is to have the vacationing employee set up email auto responder and voicemail.  This communicates to clients and associates that the employee is away on vacation, listing dates and offering other team members to go to for urgent matters in their absence.

There’s no questioning that a rested, balanced worker is going to be more productive and contribute more than a disgruntled, over-worked employee. Create and maintain a system that will allow employees the much needed break from the workplace. Co-workers will be more likely to pick up the slack of the ongoing projects for their team members while away when they know they can be confident that they will be given the same support when they go on vacation. A well planned vacation can truly rejuvenate an employee.

For more information on how you can improve the workplace atmosphere, visit www.herndonrecognition.com.

On Your Mark…Get Set…GO!

Here at Herndon Recognition, we’ve recently started and Run/Walk Group meeting once a week as a way of bringing our team together in a fun and beneficial way.  Although people have different levels of fitness, it’s not about competition.   We make a point of choosing a location that has a variety of distances so that everyone can feel good about the experience.  Everyone wants to be healthier but for most, getting the motivation can be difficult when you are on your own.  However, if you have a team to go with then you’re more likely to get yourself out there.

Engaging your team in a healthy activity is a great way to promote work efficiency and boost employee morale.  Exercise burns off steam and stress from the daily work routine.  A clear mind and increased energy are just some of the benefits that can be generated from creating this kind of group.   Some may not be as active as others but providing this kind of outlet can show them how positive keeping physically active can be, which can benefit them in all aspects of their daily life.

One additional activity of this group that is both fun and motivating is we have a 5K Race that we’ve set as a future goal.  This gives everyone something to work up to and accomplish as a team.  Best of all they’ll have a great time doing it!  Giving away small prizes to everyone who participates is also a great incentive for the team to take part in the race.  Whatever you choose to do to bring your team together, make it count and make it fun!

For more ideas on how to jumpstart your recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com.

The Importance of Positive Recognition

Question for you: Do you notice the connection between recognition and behavior?

When a person is recognized, they will respond negative or positively.

Two examples of recognition:

• Please clean up the kitchen - you’re such a pig, you never clean up after yourself. Make sure you leave it clean this time! 
• Please clean up the kitchen - you’re such a great cleaner. The kitchen looks so good after you have cleaned it!

How does each recognition example motivate you?

If it is positive behavior you desire it makes since to focus on and consistently recognize positive behavior.

When we see our peers or co-workers getting recognition we naturally seek the recognition and look for ways to get recognized. However, if recognition isn’t positive people will not be motivated through this method.

Recognition is a very strong motivational tool – but beware it can be a double edge sword. One of our readers experienced this just last week:

“Without warning I wanted to recognize the positive behaviors of the less vocal and less active young people during a group presentation. Without them knowing I jotted down the names of people that were walking around the room, texting and talking during the presentation.

Once the presentation was over, I asked those whose names I had written on my list to stand up - imagine their surprise when I asked them to step aside so the people who were left sitting in the room could be recognized for their good behavior.  Those I asked to stand up thought they were going to be recognized. I had completely overlooked  recognition to the group as a whole by thanking them for being there.

In skipping that step I inadvertently gave negative recognition to the group that I asked to step aside - It was like tossing fuel on a fire. Ouch! Those on the list I called out saw me as not so kind.  Luckily the team was a forgiving group and after I shared my intentions they understood my goal of recognizing positive recognition.”

 

Our reader learned how powerful recognition is and that in public recognition it is vital to RECOGNIZE EVERYONE present positively before recognizing the few chosen for their outstanding behaviors. This will build positive relationships and positive behaviors for the WHOLE group present, including the presenter. 

For more information on improving your employee recognition, visit www.herndonrecognition.com

Leverage Existing Awards

If you are lucky, your organization has some great recognition programs. This means you can kick back and relax, right? Wrong! There is so much you can do to make the awards more meaningful. 

• Announce the award to your entire team.
• It is vital to recognize everyone present, thanking them all for their contributions before honoring the few chosen for this special recognition.
• Send a personalized, congratulatory note to their home.
• If you know the names of the family members, consider including their names in the letter. 
• Plan a celebration after the presentation.
• Celebration can be on or off the work premises.
• Invite the recipient's family.
• If the recipient does not have family nearby invite a close friend.

No matter how wonderful your organization's programs, you can add more meaning!

For more information on how you can maximize your employee recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com

Get Started on the Right Foot

I found an interesting article that makes a great point.  Start your boosting the morale of your employees from day one.  Although it's important to maintain your employee recognition and support with those who already work at your organization, it saves a lot of time and effort when you start off on the right foot with newly hired employees.  Check out this article by Jan Kantor, a Southwest Florida business consultant and executive coach who provides steps in creating a great environment for an employee from the get go.

"Now that we are seeing an uptick in our local economy, hiring also will eventually return. After it does, it may be a good time to share the keys to keeping new employees; setting expectations properly for both the employee and employer with an effective orientation program. Managers are consistently faced with training new people. Many department heads think if only they could get reliable, career-oriented employees, they could quit having to focus on so much job orientation and actually get some work done. What is easily forgotten is maintaining motivation and morale starts from the very beginning..." Read more...

For more information on how to jump-start your employee recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com.

Happy Employee Appreciation Day!

Happy Employee Appreciation Day! Didn't know it was such an important day? Herndon Recognition is here to help!  Here are a few low to no cost ways to let your biggest assets know you appreciate them.  After all, they are what keep your business running right?

• Coffee Break!  Treat your staff to a round of coffee.  Whether you take individual orders or set up a station, it's sure to be a well-received gesture.
• Recognize your employee’s hard work by ending the day a couple hours early.  They will appreciate the extra time, especially being a Friday!
• Give your employees something they can use to make their Friday night even better like giving out free movie vouchers or gift cards to a nearby restaurant.
• Happy Hour:  It’s never too late to offer a happy hour outing to your employees.  They will appreciate the gesture and it’s a good way to bring the team together.

Whatever way you choose to improve your program, your employees will appreciate you for it! For more ideas on improving your employee recognition program, visit us at www.herndonrecognition.com.

Essential Security

Here at Herndon Recognition we never forget our service men and women.   Whether you have a family member or friend in the military, fire department or police force, we understand as much as you do how necessary it is to recognize these heroes with pieces that are created with the utmost quality and care. 

We employ experienced metal-crafters who faithfully produce the images and design elements that make up a custom badge.   From designer board to functional, durable product every piece is crafted to exact specifications and is meant to be worn for a lifetime.   We make sure that our service men and women are as proud to wear our products as we are of what they do for us each and every day.

As well as being a custom manufacture of public and private service badges, we are proud to be an authorized dealer of Blackington Badges.  In being a manufacturer we do not take our job lightly.  With such important pieces of recognition, customers can be confident that they’re working with a company that enforces security and diligence.

For more information about service and security badges, visit www.herndonrecognition.com

Employee Recognition Gone Digital

Not only does Herndon Recognition offer a variety of programs that can create a positive environment in your workplace but we’ve also made it easy for you to implement the program.  We provide a number of ideas and tools to get you going on your program and best of all we take care of the heavy lifting for you so that you have one less thing to worry about on your path to success. 

When putting together your recognition program, we provide you with the option of setting up an online cart system.  Utilization of this program allows your employees to browse and order incentive awards electronically.  Within this cart we provide you the ability to set visibility limitations so that your employees only see the gifts for their particular achievement level. 

Just as the brochures and programs are customized to meet your organization’s needs and budget, the online system works in the same way.  We create a look and feel for the website that is unique to your company and you have the option of including a customized welcome letter.  Just some of the features included are:

•    Unique Product Groups with products within your budget parameters.
•    Unique Shopping Cart URL by request.
•    Order Tracking for Management with the ability to export reports.
•    Unlimited customer service assistance.

The best way to truly understand all that this system can offer is to request a free demonstration.  With the assistance of our team of sales executives you will receive a thorough review of the system as well as additional available options.

For more information on how to jump start your employee recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com.

Share the Love

In light of Valentine’s Day being just around the corner, we thought we’d take you back to grade school when during this holiday, little cards and candies were exchanged among peers.  Remember how excited you got when you saw one of those shiny red cards on your desk?  Although we might be a little older and much busier, that feeling of appreciation for another’s consideration remains. 

Taking the time to write a quick note for a job well done can give your employees the pick me up they need to get through a tiring day.  It doesn’t take much effort and certainly not much money to provide this gesture of gratitude and it can have much more of an impact than just telling a person.  Making it personal can also show the employee that it is coming from a genuine place.  What did they do to earn this special note of appreciation?  Make sure they know that they are a true asset to the team and that their efforts do not go unnoticed.  This will be sure to boost their confidence and give them motivation to keep pushing for excellence.

Thanks to the help of Cindy Ventrice, best-selling author Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works (which can be purchased via our website http://www.herndonrecognition.com/ourknowledgebase.php), we’ve discovered a new recognition social media site that we think is a great and easy way to share the love throughout an organization.  The site is called SPARCET and is a way for your company to send notes and share kudos on the web.  We think it’s pretty innovative! Check it out at www.sparcet.com and let us know what you think!

For more information on ways to maximize your employee recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com

Include Your Employees in the Conversation

Employee recognition is not just about showering your employees with gifts or bonuses.  It’s more importantly about making sure that they know that you value their contributions to the company.  Not only is it essential to receive feedback from your employees, but giving them a voice can bring new ideas to the table that could greatly improve your business.

Next time you hold a meeting about a new idea or the progress of the business, invite the employees in on the conversation.  Give them the opportunity to share their ideas on what they think can be improved.  You may find that their suggestions bring on a new perspective that you would not have otherwise considered.  It can mean a lot to the employee that you are including them and they will appreciate that you value their opinion. Times are still tough and chances are you have too much on your plate to think of every solution to every problem.  You hired your employees because they have the talent and expertise to keep your business running.  Put trust into their talent by opening up dialog so that valuable ideas on how to improve the quality and efficiency of your business are shared.

Improving the communication between you and your employees can make a world of difference and this is just one way to do just that.  Not only will you be getting value out of different perspectives but your employee will also get a deeper understanding of the business.  That knowledge alone can help them to be even more successful at their job.

For more information on how you can improve your employee recognition program, visit www.herndonrecognition.com.

A New Year Means a Fresh Start

2012 is finally here and while making your list of resolutions, be sure to add “improve my recognition program” to the list.  This is your time to make a fresh start with your employees.  Maybe you didn’t put enough time aside for recognition or maybe you just didn’t know the right ways to show your appreciation last year.  When it comes down to it, that was then and you can make the change now.

While you are making your list of resolutions, remember that your employees are making that same list.  Some resolutions are common with everyone, like to be healthier.  What’s nice about this resolution is that it can greatly benefit your business because healthy employees mean more efficient employees. In addition, showing that you care about their well-being will show that your gesture is coming from a genuine place.

Here are a few ideas to promote good health while providing your employees with the appreciation they deserve:

• Offer employees a health bonus. For example, reimburse employees for anything they buy or use to stay healthy up to $100.
• Invest in some free weights or other exercise equipment for the break room so that they have the option of burning off energy during a stressful day.
• Offer fitness center memberships.  Although this can be on the pricier side, sometimes fitness centers will give special deals to companies because they have the opportunity of getting multiple clients.
• Hold a “Health Day”.  Put aside a day dedicated to teaching employees the importance of staying healthy by inviting a health practitioner or masseuse to speak on what they can do at work to improve their health. Offering a free fifteen minute massage with it is also a great bonus!
• Upgrade your equipment.  Replace some of your old chairs or computer equipment for more ergonomic options.

Whatever way you choose to improve your program, your employees will appreciate you for it!  For more information on employee recognition, visit herndonrecognition.com.