Award certificates are commonly used for volunteer appreciation, and many organizations will be ordering their certificate paper and getting designs ready as National Volunteer Week approaches!

Award certificates are especially popular for National Volunteer Week because they are a very affordable recognition option. National Volunteer Week will be here soon, April 10-16, so we’ve put together a few resources that will make your award certificate creation easy!

Award Certificate Bundles – There are so many options for award certificates, it can be overwhelming! Award Certificate Bundles coordinate all the items you need for a beautiful presentation. Bundles include folders, paper, seals, and ribbons. 

Award Certificate Templates – Once you’ve selected your award certificate paper, you’ll need to design your certificate. Each award certificate paper product details page on our website includes a free certificate template. You won’t even have to think about playing around with margins!

Sample Employee Recognition Award Certificate Titles – If you struggle with finding the right words for your award certificate, download our Sample Employee Recognition Award Certificate Titles. The PDF is part of our Free Downloads sections of the Recognition Resource Center. It includes two pages of both formal and casual award titles you can use for the entire group or individuals.

Informal Award Certificates – You don’t have to reserve award certificates for only formal occasions. Informal and day-to-day certificates are perfect for recognizing volunteers right on the spot. With most of the day-to-day certificates, all you have to do is fill in the blank! Check out the Day-to-Day Certificate Bundle and Fun Everyday Certificate Pads.

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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

Thank you for joining me for today's Recognition TV webisode!  You can watch the complete recorded webisode with all my Employee Appreciation Day ideas on Baudville.com or on Baudville’s Facebook page. Several of my tips, ideas, and best practices are below, but I recommend you watch the entire video (it’s only about 15 minutes!) to catch everything. Now get ready! This is a long post with lots of info for you!

Spring is a popular time for appreciation events, and both National Volunteer Week and Administrative Professionals Week are coming up in April! National Volunteer Week is April 10-16 and Administrative Professionals Week is April 204-30.

To help you make the most of these recognition opportunities – and do a great job - I have six tips and examples to share with you.

Tip #1: Show the Big Picture
When I was in college, I volunteered at a local elementary school as part of their reading buddy program. Every week, I would go to the school for an hour and help young students practice reading. At the end of the semester, the program director hosted a volunteer appreciation event. The theme was “You make a world of difference” and the gym was decorated in blues and greens, and the volunteers got globe stress toys and pens as small gifts. It was a fun event, but the most meaningful element was when students read poems or small stories in front of the entire audience. It showed volunteers that their efforts truly made a difference.

For your volunteer and administrative professional appreciation this year, be sure to look at the big picture contributions of these people. Celebrate their efforts with the entire organization. You can do this publically at an event by saying a few words. Share specific stories of when an admin really came through to save the day or the impact a volunteer has had on the life of a child. Be sure to replicate these stories in your company newsletter, on your intranet, blog, and social media. Don’t be afraid to shout to the world how much you appreciate your volunteers and administrative professionals!

Tip #2: Make them feel special
Your administrative professionals and volunteers are often the least recognized individuals in your organization. During their week of appreciation, make them feel like rock stars! A great way to make volunteers and administrative professionals feel appreciated is by throwing an event in their honor.

 One of our customers, Janet, annually hosts sensational events for her volunteers. One year she centered her entire event on the Essential Piece recognition theme. She used the colors from the theme artwork and created additional decorations like puzzle piece placements and puzzle piece cookie bouquets. The entire room was decorated in red, orange, yellow, and purple. At each place setting, volunteers received a memo clip and note cube as a gift. Janet was very thoughtful about her gifts as she wanted to make sure her volunteers would be able to use them at home. You can read more about Janet’s event and see pictures on the blog post, "Volunteer Appreciation Uses Essential Piece Theme for Special Event Success."

If you’re planning an appreciation event for your volunteers and administrative professionals, get help keeping all the details straight by downloading our Employee Event Check List from the Recognition Resource Center. It will help you keep track of all the details that go into planning an event

Tip #3: Time is the greatest gift
It’s no surprise that your volunteers and administrative professionals are some of the busiest people in your organization. When you make time for them, you let them know that you value their time. Host an event, take them out to lunch, or bring lunch to the office. Encourage the leaders from your organization to attend and make a point to talk to as many of your honored guests as possible. Give them a personal, face-to-face thank you for all that they do!

If you want to award administrative professionals with time, get a recognition coupon book  that has predesigned coupons to help you give extra time at lunch, to come in late or leave early, or even an entire day off.

#4 Overcome boundaries of space and time
It can be especially difficult to get all your volunteers together for an appreciation event. Each year, we work with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to help recognize their volunteers for National Volunteer Week. The theatre has over 600 individual volunteers who travel from throughout the Grand Rapids area to help productions go off without a hitch. I’m sure you can imagine the difficulty in coordinating that many schedules!

In order to say thanks to all of the volunteers, Mary Jo, the volunteer coordinator, sends a greeting card with a personalized message and a small gift through the mail to each volunteer. In the past, she’s sent Character Pins, book marks, and key chains. This is a highly effective appreciation strategy for three reasons:

1. Volunteers receive mail – which is always fun!
2. Volunteers receive a gift that serves as a reminder for the theatre’s appreciation
3. Volunteer receive a personal note from the theatre which drives home the message of appreciation

#5 Make it memorable
Several of the examples of recognition I’ve shared with you today have qualities that make them memorable. First, they use a recognition theme. The Reading Buddies program was centered around volunteers making a world of difference, and four years later I still remember it. Using a theme coordinates all of your messaging, making it more effective. When your messages are repeated, it’s more likely your audience will remember it. This is one of the reasons we stress recognition themes so much to our customers. A theme not only makes your work easier, but it also sets your program up for success

We revamped one of our popular recognition themes for appreciation events this spring. A Helping Hand recognition theme has a new look and new gifts that are perfect for volunteers and administrative professionals. You can browse more than 100 recognition themes on Baudville.com to find the right one for your appreciation events this year. We recently posted customers’ 10 favorite themes for volunteer appreciation on our blog, so check that out for ideas. 

Secondly, if you want to make your appreciation memorable, give your recipients a gift. It doesn’t have to be large (we have many gifts under $5), but it does need to be personal. Choose an item that they can use at home, work, or something you know they’ll enjoy. We have special resources on our website to help you find both administrative professional gifts and volunteer gifts this year.

#6 Present an award
My final tip for celebrating volunteers and administrative professionals is to present an award during their appreciation week. For example, the Illinois 4-H each spring presents a lifetime volunteer award and a volunteer of the year award. The lifetime award is for individuals who have volunteered for 10 or more years. Awards are a great way to honor outstanding volunteers or administrative professionals. You can easily create an award by creating the criteria for the award, designing a nomination form, and determining your selection team. Present the award at an event to get more miles out of your motivation 

Don’t worry, awards don’t have to be expensive. A local charity in Grand Rapids that works with women holds a volunteer appreciation event every year to honor their volunteers. Last year, they presented each volunteer with an award certificate. This year, they’re using Character Pins. I like using Character Pins as awards because they’re affordable, they come with a great award verse, and the lapel pin serves as a lasting reminder of the award. Plus, you can easily create a nicer presentation by displaying it in a presentation board or an engraved presentation board. If you’re presenting awards for your volunteer or admin appreciation, download our award presentation guide. It helps you plan your speech for the award and ensures you don’t miss any important parts.

When it comes to appreciation, if you follow the three golden recognition rules, you will make your recipients feel valued, empowered, and satisfied with your organization. Make it personal, make it meaningful, and be sincere!

 

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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.

April is known as a month of appreciation. Because both National Volunteer Week and Administrative Professional's Week are scheduled in April, many organizations host appreciation events or do something special for their people. Volunteers and administrative professionals are crucial to a helping an organization achieve its goals, so it’s important to recognize them for their efforts. Here are six tips for volunteer and admin appreciation you can use this spring.

Express your appreciation for volunteers and administrative professionals this spring!
 

1. Create the right atmosphere for Administrative Professional Appreciation
Decorate the office for Administrative Professional's Week. This small effort can go a long way to make your administrative professionals feel appreciated. Plus, it will draw attention from individuals outside your office and multiply the recognition!

2. Host a Volunteer Appreciation Event
Bring all your volunteers together for a special volunteer appreciation event. Invite the volunteers to gather for a small dessert reception or a lunch. Place a small gift at each place setting as a memento and table decoration.

3. Acknowledge all Office Professionals
All of the professionals in your office contribute to making things work smoothly. Include them in the Administrative Professional's Weekcelebration with a special gift or event during the week.

4. Reward your Volunteers
Thank your volunteers for their valuable contributions with a memorable gift during National Volunteer Week.  You don’t have to spend a lot for your gift to make an impact! Award certificates, thank you notes, and food gifts are popular and affordable gift options. Personally deliver each volunteer appreciation gift to make the appreciation more meaningful.

5. Reduce Stress for Administrative Professionals
Host a stress relief break during Administrative Professional's Week. Ask your staff to share ideas for reducing stress, review deep-breathing techniques, and provide hands-on tools to recharge and refresh. For a truly special treat, provide onsite massages!

6. Have Fun with Games
Games and contests of all kinds are great for relieving stress and building teamwork among your volunteers and administrative professionals. Plan an activity for each day during National Volunteer Week and Administrative Professional's Week. Be sure to award prizes to the winners!

Read the rest of March's Recognition at Work Newsletter for more volunteer and administrative professional appreciation ideas!

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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.

Whether it’s working on home construction for Habitat for Humanity or helping kids read at a local elementary school, volunteers make the difference. Be sure to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of your volunteers this year during National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 10-16.

Our customers have found the use of recognition themes to effectively express appreciation for their volunteers. Some customers host volunteer appreciation events like luncheons and award ceremonies, and others may have more informal gatherings in someone’s home. Regardless of the location or type of recognition, using a recognition theme can make the appreciation more memorable.

Baudville has more than 100 recognition themes in its repertoire, but our customers have clearly made the following 10 their favorite volunteer appreciation themes. Which one will you use for National Volunteer Appreciation Week ?

1. Essential Piece. A classic recognition theme, this theme's sentiment, "can't imagine us without you," will help you to convey the value of each volunteer. 

2. Making a Difference. One of the most popular themes for National Volunteer Appreciation Week,  the inspirational story that accompanies this theme is perfect for recognizing the impact of volunteers.

3. A Helping Hand. We just released **new products** in this favorite theme!

4. Making the Difference. Focus on the impact of your volunteers. Share stories of exceptional volunteer work when you have the entire group together.

5. Thanks For All You Do! Keep your message simple during National Volunteer Appreciation Week and just say thanks!

6. You Are Truly Appreciated. The objective of National Volunteer Appreciation Week is expressing appreciation to your volunteers. This theme keeps your message simple and effective!

7. You Make a World of Difference! I once attended a volunteer appreciation reception with this theme. The volunteers were given globe stress toys, and the tables were decorated in green blue. It was a lot of fun and - obviously - very memorable!

8. Together We Can Make a Difference. Recognize teams of volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, too. 

9. Imagine Believe Achieve. Inspire your volunteers with this motivational recognition theme. 

10. Volunteers Make the Difference. Volunteers are proud to be volunteers, so recognize their special role in your organization with this Character Pin!

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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. 

I attended a conference last spring, given by an organization who shall remain nameless because of what I am about to tell you. It was actually a good conference, filled with useful info that I was able to bring back and apply to my daily work. But what I also brought back was one hideous-looking Certificate of Completion.

I put it up on my wall anyway because I was proud of my accomplishment. But, within moments, one of my coworkers commented on it (quite possibly how that word hideous got planted in my brain). It was shoddily laid out and seemed to just scream that it had been thrown together both quickly and carelessly. Exactly not what a certificate is supposed to portray.

The thing about certificates is that they are meant to be shown off. Which means they should probably look nice. Not just nice, actually, but impressive. And if you’re going to the trouble of giving an award, it should represent the achievement accordingly.

This is not at all hard to do.

1. Start with the paper. Ask yourself: is this a formal or casual occasion? Can I use a preprinted sentiment, or is the award specific enough that it needs to be customized?

Our blank and pre-printed papers run the spectrum from elegant and distinguished to fun and informal. Really, if you can’t find it here, it probably doesn’t exist!

Bestselling Scallop                 Brand New Completion         Contemporary Splendor       New, Bright-Foil Field Day

2. Follow with a sentiment. You don’t have to be a wordsmith to write the perfect recognition message. In fact, we put some of our experts to work to provide you some helpful expressions for both the award title and the award description. You can find those and more in our Recognition Resource Center. Or, better yet, use our Award Maker Software or Award Maker Online to create polished and professional certificates using our easy-to-use templates.

3. Finish with a presentation. This is not the time to say, “take one and pass it on.” It’s a moment of pride for the recipient and should reflect just that. Honor the achievement with a public ceremony, which can be as simple as a gathering in an open space in your department or as elaborate as a full stage production. Or, if your recipient would be more comfortable with a one-on-one, arrange for that instead. Gauge the occasion and do what fits best. No matter how you present it, there’s no question that an elegant folder or frame will add a the perfect finishing touch.          

When giving an award certificate, be sure to make it appropriate, thoughtful, and honorable—and it will be remembered for all the right reasons; not all the wrong ones!

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Allison is a self-proclaimed Copywriting Diva and has the certificate to prove it! She’s been writing for Baudville for two years and has worked in a variety of business settings for more than 17 years. Before becoming a professional writer 10 years ago, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!