Hello everyone! You may not know me well since I have not been an avid contributor to the Baudville blog, but I have something that I am really excited to share with you all!

Over the past couple of months, we have been working very hard to create Product Videos. Product Videos showcase all the elements of a product and explain how to use it as a day-to-day recognition tool. We are very excited to launch a handful of them now, and we are continuing to add more, so stay tuned.

Look for the icon on the product pages and click on the link to learn more about the product. You can also watch the Product Videos on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

The products that now have Product Videos are:

• Cheers Kits & Caboodle
• Pintastic Managers
• Shout Outs
• Spot On Peer Recognition Program
• Recognition Binder

I ran across this quote over the weekend:

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." -Voltaire

Hmmm, Voltaire knew a thing or two about employee recognition!

Whether intended or not, all organizations have a culture—that is, shared attitudes and values that are conveyed among all members of an organization. A culture can be clearly defined, or just something that is “in the air.” And it can be positive or negative. I’ve seen both, for sure.

It goes without saying that we want our corporate culture to be rooted in positivity. But it’s more than just about having happy people. A clearly defined culture allows employees to know what is expected of them and what to expect from their organization (and, well, that’s just efficient!). Recognizing and appreciating employees is a strategic way to set those expectations.

If your culture is hanging in limbo—or worse, negative—then celebrating Employee Appreciation Day may be the first step in turning that around. Kurt, our Director of Positive Mojo, shares some great ideas in our first Recognition TV Webisode. Click here to watch this 15-minute video for free right now!

My favorite point that Kurt makes is that Employee Appreciation Day is just the beginning. Regular employee recognition and appreciation, not just on one day of the year, is a tactic for reinforcing the attitudes and behaviors that define your company in a positive light and build the strong employees that ultimately help make your company a success.

In addition to Kurt’s helpful hints, you can also check out our Recognition Tool Finder and the Manager Tools sections of our web site for more great ideas for Employee Appreciation Day and beyond!

Allison is Baudville’s one (and only) Copywriter. She’s been writing for a variety of media for more than eight years, so if she tells you she has been there and done that, she probably has. Before embarking on a career in writing, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!

We broadcasted our first webinar this morning live on Ustream and had a great turn out! If you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry! You can view the recorded version in any number of locations: in the Recognition TV section on our website, Baudville's Facebook fan page, or on Baudville's ustream channel!

We showed a lot of different Baudville products in the presentation, and I wanted to make sure you could find them for your Employee Appreciation Day planning.   

• Candy bars, Fun Treat Gift Bags and mints can all be found in the edible gifts section of our website. PLUS, Facebook fans save 15% this week only!
• Scratch off cards and coupons can be found in our Recognition Binder. You can use the other tools after Employee Appreciation Day to keep the positive mojo rolling!
• You Rock rock. Need I say more? This thing is fun!
• To find the lapel-pin card combo I showed earlier, check out our Pintastic Managers. Watch the product demo video for a quick how-to training session.
• The Pad of Fun is full of activities like mad-libs and cross words that make recognition fun and easy for you.
• And don’t forget notecards for all those handwritten notes you’ll be writing!

Like we said during the webinar, if you have any Employee Appreciation Day questions that didn’t get answered during the broadcast, email them to us at recognition@baudville.com, post them as a comment here or on Facebook. Our recognition specialists will respond to every question!

More great Employee Appreciation Day ideas are available on our blog, in our Recognition Resource Center and on Facebook. You have all the tools necessary to have a memorable Employee Appreciation Day. Now start recognizing!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

When it comes time to plan for Employee Appreciation Day, I always recommend making manager-to-employee handwritten notes a part of the day.  My enthusiasm for this simple act of appreciation comes from my experience at Baudville.

Each Employee Appreciation Day, I've always started the day by finding a handwritten note from my manager on my desk.  I still have each of these notes (and many others) stored away for safekeeping because the personal note reminds me that I'm a valued part of the team.

As you prepare for Employee Appreciation Day, – only 16 days to go! – you may want to start writing your notes of appreciation early, especially if you have a large team. I’ve put together 8 steps that you should follow when writing each note. Follow my guide, and your employees will be saving their notes for safekeeping, too!

If you’re looking for more ideas to make Employee Appreciation Day personal and meaningful for your employees, sign up for our live video webisode this Thursday at 11:30am EST. You can register on our website!

1. Begin with the recipient’s name.

2. Say “Thank you.”

3. Be specific about what qualities in the recipient you appreciate. 
    “The dedication you put into every project…” 
    “Your positive attitude…”

4. Discuss the impact of the behavior or action. 
    “Your effort keeps our projects on time and under budget.” 
    “Your creative thinking keeps the team energized with new ideas.”

5. Connect the behavior to the company’s goals and mission. 
    “Thanks to you, we’re sure to meet our goals!”

    “You’re a great leader.”

6. Say “Thank you” again.

7. Wrap up your thank you note with an appropriate sign off. 
    “Keep up the great work!” 
    “Cheers!”

8. Sign your name.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her daily Employee Appreciation Day tips and weekly deals by becoming a fan of Baudville on Facebook.

We all love receiving gifts. And giving a gift is a unique way to let someone know you were thinking of them. Each gift we receive carries a significant message. We know that the giver was thinking about us, spent time choosing the right item and used hard-earned resources to give it to us. That’s a lot of thought and effort!

Everyone is on a budget these days, and gift-giving has likely taken a back seat to more pressing priorities. However, like the good bargain shopper that I am, I would advise that you can find a great gift at a great value as long as you know where to look.

To make a big, positive impact on your employees, celebrate Employee Appreciation Day by giving gifts to your employees. It doesn’t have to be big, name brand or trendy – it just needs to be thoughtful. Like giving a new travel mug and a coffee gift card for your employee who walks in everyday with, not one, but two Starbucks coffees. Or a fresh bag of candy for your employee who always has a full candy dish that she’s willing to share.

After all, it truly is the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving.

We think employee gifts are a pretty important element of Employee Appreciation Day, and Baudville is making an effort to make gift giving affordable for all managers. Each week leading up to Employee Appreciation Day, we’ve got special discounts and offers for our Facebook fans. This week, you can save 15% on all mugs, so you can give your team a fresh cup of coffee. The offer is only available on our page, and you have to act quickly because it’s only valid for a week. We also just discounted nearly 200 items on the Clearance section of our website.

You can even get help selecting just the right Employee Appreciation Day gift with our Gift Finder tool on our website. You input your gift criteria, and we’ll suggest products we know your employees will love. 

So put on your bargain shopping hat, shop responsibly, be sincere, and make a big impact on Employee Appreciation Day!

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her daily Employee Appreciation Day tips and weekly deals by becoming a fan of Baudville on Facebook.