The end of the year is the perfect time to present your hard working team members with awards. Many organizations have some form of a recognition award program that expresses what’s important at your organization and gives real life examples of your values. Regardless of the size of your team or budget, you should celebrate award winners. In this article, we give you three ideas for honoring recognition award program winners at the end of the year.

First, because of the important role of an award program in your culture, we recommend you present award trophies at a company event or holiday party. The public recognition is an effective way to honor your recipients and motivate the rest of the team. Of course, this makes your speech and prepared remarks extremely important! Download our free Award Presentation Guide for tips on how to provide an excellent award presentation.

Second, your organization may not plan a year end event, but you can coordinate a lunch to celebrate team accomplishments. Take the team out to a local restaurant, have a caterer prepare lunch, or organize a potluck. Over lunch, present recognition award winners with personalized gifts. The gifts should be personalized with their name, the date, and the name of the award. 

Finally, even if your company doesn’t gather for a year-end event, you should you honor your high achievers. When your employees are together for a meeting, present recognition award certificates. They’re an inexpensive option and can be personalized for the recipient. To make a big impression, write your own sentiments for each recipient. 

For memorable team recognition with award certificates, create a unique award title for each recipient. Check out our sample recognition award certificate titlesyou can download from the Recognition Resource Center. Bring your team together to enjoy some holiday treats and call each member up to the front to receive their certificate. The camaraderie and public recognition will bring your team together and will create a positive atmosphere in the months to come.