Seeking Creative Ideas for Meaningful Employee Award Titles in Our Small Company

Dear All,

Our company plans to recognize employees by issuing awards. With a company strength of 40-50, where most individuals handle multiple tasks, clarifying job roles can be challenging.

I need suggestions on how to best title the following awards we intend to declare:

1. Best Worker - for entry-level categories such as office boy and production mechanics.
2. Best Management - for the head of Marketing, who supports management in all activities.
3. Best Technical Leadership - for the head of R&D, a level below management focusing on programming and new projects.
4. Most Efficient Employee - for middle-level management individuals who work diligently without expecting recognition.
5. Best Loyalty - for those who have contributed significantly to the company's benefit and growth.
6. Most Progressive Employee - for newly joined employees showing rapid progress.
7. Best Newcomer - for newly joined employees who have made a positive impact.
8. Best Embedded Software Developer - for excellence in embedded programming.
9. Best Web Developer - for outstanding performance in the respective field.
10. High Value Sales - for securing a substantial order from a single client.
11. Best Technical Innovator
12. Best Salesperson - for achieving the highest sales quantity and customer satisfaction.
13. Best Software Support
14. Best System Support

Please assist me in suggesting attractive and meaningful award titles.

Thank you,

Ramya Shankar

Dear Ramya,

It's always nice to have good titles for awards because they motivate the employees in the long run.

I assume that these are yearly awards.

My suggestions for new names are given in the brackets at the end of each award:

1. Best Worker - for the entry-level category like office boy and production mechanics. (Best Support)

2. Best Management - For the head of Marketing, who is the right hand for management in all activities. (Best leader to work with)

3. Best Technical Leadership - Head of R&D, the next level to management who mostly handles programming and new projects. (Best Technocart)

4. Most Efficient Employee - middle-level management, who does their work without any expectations from management. (Torchbearer Award)

5. Best Loyalty - Who worked a lot for the company's benefit and growth as a friend. (Employee of the Year)

6. Most Progressive Employee - Newly joined employee (The Future of the Company)

7. Best Newcomer - Newly joined employee (The name you suggested seems good)

8. Best Embedded Software Developer - best in Embedded programming.

9. Best Web Developer - in the respective field

10. High-Value Sales - huge order in a single transaction (from one company)

11. Best Technical Innovator (Eureka Award)

12. Best Salesman - Highest sales in quantity and customers

13. Best Software Support (Support category)

14. Best System Support (Support category)

I am sure these names will help you to get more ideas.

Regards,

Krish

Hey Ramya,

You can consider the "Rookie of the Year/Month Award" for newcomers who have shown outstanding performance in their first year/month.

Additionally, you may opt for the "YCCAwards (Your Contribution Counts Award)" for those contributing to revenue generation through a support division.

For employees exceeding their targets, the "Extra Miler" award could be fitting.

I hope this information helps you in designing some appealing titles.

Regards,
Ankita Kohli

Hi Ramya,

Without any intention of sounding overly critical, I have a few comments on the award system that you have designed:

- For a company with an employee size of 40-50, having 14 awards seems to be a bit excessive, even if it's one per month.
- You run the risk of creating an expectation among employees, as the high number of awards may lead them to anticipate receiving one sooner or later.
- You may consider rephrasing them to something other than 'best,' as there are too many instances of 'best' in the list.

This is only my feedback and opinion. However, at the end of the day, you know your organization better, and you are the best judge.

Regards,
Prachi

Hi Ramya,

Prachi rightly mentioned that having too many awards for the staff of 40-50 people may lose its relevance. "Too many cooks spoil the broth!" :)

I suggest that you limit the awards to three or four based on priority, for which everyone can be eligible.

Regards,
Rajat

Hi Prachi & Rajat,

I agree with your point. Thank you very much. The same was suggested and argued by me. However, it is a private company, and the management (a one-man army) wants to reward all the staff who have stayed and helped from the beginning. Since this is the first company to give the award, he wants to recognize all. From next year onwards, I think we can select 2-3 people.

Another lacking point is that as it is a small company, for each department, hardly one person will be working. In such a case, we have to recognize all. Sometimes we have no other way; we have to fall in line even though we know the cause and effects of it.

Thank you to all.

Regards,
Ramya Shankar

Hi Ramya,

I understand your point. However, you may want to recommend to your manager to recognize every individual's contribution by celebrating the organization's successes for 2006 through a company-sponsored lunch or dinner. At this event, your manager could acknowledge individuals who have been key partners in the successes.

This approach would be more personal and effective than a 'mass reward' system.

Regards,
Prachi

Hello everyone, I am Sobia and working in the HR department of an NGO. I would like to know, while determining awards like Employee of the Month, how do you differentiate and evaluate all the employees on the same level or parameters, especially those from different departments? For example, how can an HR person be compared with someone in Conservation, IT, Accounts, or other departments?

Secondly, I would also like to know what can be the best way to nominate and select the Employee of the Month without bias. This process seems very subjective, and understandably, employees from the same department may prefer to nominate and vote for their peers rather than others, influenced by personal views and preferences.

Thank you.