One of the most effective ways to improve teamwork is by recognizing team members for their contributions, both as individual performers and as valuable team members. Studies have shown that organizations with well-developed teams outperform those that lack them.  As a manager, it’s well worth the time to consider how you can help your employees develop those skills.

This article will look at some of the best ways to recognize your team members and what you can do to encourage more positive interactions between team members.

Why are teamwork awards important?

Recognition awards play an integral role in motivating employees to achieve success within their organizations. In addition to providing positive reinforcement for those who have achieved excellence, recognition awards also serve as a reminder that others are watching and evaluating performance. This motivates the entire team to continue striving toward excellence and provides them with a sense of pride and accomplishment when they succeed.

How to make a ceremony of teamwork awards

This question has been debated for years. Experts write about a hierarchy of needs and how we should create an environment where people feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

How can we create an environment where team members are recognized for their contributions to the team? It seems like such a simple concept, but for managers, actualizing it has always been difficult.

I recently had a conversation with someone who was asking how he could get his company to implement a recognition program. He told me that he wanted to give out “awards” to his employees for being involved in activities that benefited the company. He felt that these awards would help him motivate his employees because they would know that everyone else in the company was recognizing them for their efforts.

This is good start.  But how does one go about building a team that works together effectively? Some of the most important questions to ask yourself to create a more effective team are:

– How do you build trust between members of your team?

– What is the difference between working with a team, and being part of a team?

– How do you motivate people to achieve their goals?

– How can we help our teams become more effective communicators?

– When striving to create a high performing team, do the benefits outweigh the effort?

What role do recognition awards play?

The purpose of a recognition award is to recognize an individual, team or organization for outstanding achievement in their field. They are especially useful in encouraging team members to work together towards common goals.

To maximize the positive impact, the recipient should be nominated by his/her peers and selected by a committee made up of peers, with management having some role in determining the guidelines or KPI’s necessary to win the award but leaving it to the committee to decide based on those guidelines.

A formal presentation ceremony should take place (virtual or in person) at which time the award is presented to the winner.

If it’s a team award, follow the same approach. Instead of an individual, the nominees would be different teams.

A combination of both individual and team awards can also work well, with it being possible for the same individual to receive a team and an individual award.

Who should use recognition teamwork awards?

Recognition awards are used by all types of organizations including small businesses, large corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations.

What kind of recognition awards are there?

There are many kinds of recognition awards available. Some are given out annually while others are only given once during the lifetime of the program. Some are designed to honor one person while others are intended to acknowledge several people working together. Some are awarded for specific achievements while others are given for overall performance objectives.

Social Recognition

Social recognition is a form of non-monetary compensation that can be used as an incentive or reward, and it’s also known as “positive reinforcement.” Social recognition can take on many forms.

In today’s world there are almost unlimited choices to bestow social recognition.  Some of the more common forms are plaques, trophies, crystal and acrylic awards that can be laser etched or engraved with appropriate images and wording.  It is also possible to transfer high quality images, logos, and photos to the selected award. Statuettes, cast bronze plaques and park bench plates are common forms of outdoor awards.

Peer-to-peer recognition

Peer-to-peer recognition is a form of social networking that helps to better connect and interact with others – whether friends, peers, or co-workers.

According to Andrew P. Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas and author of the book “The Art of Collaboration: Building Trust in Complex Organizations” (Cambridge University Press, 2019):

We cannot always rely on our own perceptions to guide our decisions. Sometimes we need to ask someone else to help us make sense of something.

We can do this through peer-to-peer recognition. Peer-to-peer recognition involves asking individuals to share their experiences and insights with each other. By sharing these stories, we gain insight into the minds of others. In turn, we can better understand ourselves and our own behavior.

By recognizing peer contributions, we give credit where credit is due. This helps build positive relationships between peers and encourages them to continue contributing.

 Examples of successful recognition award programs

The most successful recognition awards have these common characteristics:

  • They are not given out for the sake of giving them out. They’re given to people who have made a significant contribution, and they should be recognized as such.
  • They are not about popularity or political influence. They are about recognizing someone’s accomplishments.
  • The teamwork awards are open to everyone within the selected group regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, physical disability, etc.
  • Teamwork awards are not just about money. They are about recognition and appreciation of an employee’s contributions to the company.
  • They are based on merit rather than seniority.
  • They are given to people who have already been identified as being worthy of receiving them, e.g., nominated by someone, usually a peer.
  • They are usually accompanied by a trophy, plaque or certificate of recognition
  • They include a written description of the awardee’s accomplishments.
  • They are given to the recipient in a public setting.
  • They may include a monetary prize or bonus.

Call Us at 610-326-8841 so we can help you decide on the best recognition awards to foster teamwork in your organization.