I just returned from a vacation in Budapest, Hungary, where there was very little that wasn’t completely foreign to me. The language. The currency. The landscape. Really, pretty much everything.

After hiking to the top of Gellert Hill on day three, we were met with colossal monuments, a breathtaking panorama of the Buda and Pest cityscapes split by the Danube River, and a humbling military fortress, complete with rows of artillery cannons. Yep, we definitely weren’t in Michigan anymore.

The unknown certainly sets the stage for great adventure; but there comes a point when it doesn’t hurt to encounter something familiar as well. So, imagine my delight (I may have squealed) when we rounded the Citadella’s main façade and bumped into this:

My friends giggled as I insisted on taking a photo of this lapel pin display; but little did they know how close to home I suddenly felt. Or, my home away from home that is: the ‘ville.

As I basked in my warm fuzzy moment, I also felt a deep thought coming on: that in a culture that seemed so dramatically different from my own, there was common ground in something as simple as a lapel pin.

In any setting—not just a military one—lapel pins portray honor and accomplishment. They’re a badge to be worn with pride and prestige. That’s why they remain one of our most popular recognition rewards. And, apparently, our Hungarian friends feel the same way!  

We don’t have one of the Magyar flag (yet); but we do have an out-of-this-world variety of exclusively-designed lapel pins for just about any occasion. Plus, we offer custom lapel pins, so if you can dream it up, we can probably do it.

And, here’s a little secret: our designers are currently working on a whole new batch of lapel pins. So, stay tuned!

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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 and a half 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!

Lapel pins are a traditional element of an employee recognition program. They’re often used to commemorate years of service, retirement, and major awards. In today’s technology driven world, it may come as a surprise that lapel pins are still a popular and desired form of recognition.

Lapel pins remain an effective employee recognition award because the recipient has a lasting and displayable memento of the recognition moment. The lapel pin acts as a mini-trophy that the recipient and show off to co-workers, customers, and even family members.

In my experience working with our customers, it’s obvious that lapel pins are a source of pride for the recipient. A pin can represent a significant achievement, like years of service, or demonstrate commitment to a cause, like volunteer appreciation.

We’ve worked with several companies to create custom lapel pin collect-and-display programs. You can read about Esurance’s program that recognizes associates for learning new skills in our Recognition Resource Center.

You can incorporate lapel pins into your employee recognition program to help gain management buy-in, too. Thanks to their low cost, lapel pins are a viable option for any organization!

Lapel pins are so popular, in fact, that we have just released over 30 new designs! All the new designs are exclusive to Baudville and available on our website. One of our new favorites in our lapel pin collection are the new LED lapel pins. Available in three themes, LED lights in the pins blink to draw special attention to the recipient.

There are lots of ways to incorporate lapel pins into your recognition program. Some of the most common uses for lapel pin recognition are:

- Recognize perfect attendance
- Honor years of service
- Provide on-the-spot recognition
- Volunteer appreciation
- Create a collect-and-display recognition program
- Give special recognition on someone’s birthday
- Present an affordable award with Character Pins
- Celebrate team accomplishments
- Recognize safety

How do you use lapel pins in your recognition program?

I returned to my alma mater the other weekend to celebrate homecoming. It had been two years since I was last on campus, and I enjoyed my time immensely! I got to see good friends, enjoy the campus, and spend time outside in the beautiful Michigan autumn weather.

The visit also served as a reminder of the importance of recognition. I can get so caught up encouraging companies and managers to recognize their employees that I forget the application of recognition to other organizations, too.

Part of the annual festivities at homecoming includes alumni awards. Multiple alumni were presented award plaques, top donors and 50 year reunion participants honored with lapel pins and flowers. Even at rehearsal for the alumni choir concert, seniors who had been in choir all four years received a custom lapel pin to signify their accomplishment.

You may think that giving a lapel pin to a group of college students would be considered passé and “old school.”

You’d be wrong. These students immediately put their lapel pins on their t-shirts and wore them proudly for the choir concert in front of a packed auditorium.

Observing the recognition reminded me of three attributes of truly effective recognition that were perfectly demonstrated that night:

 Recognition must be sincere.
The recognition at the choir rehearsal was accompanied by a few choice words from the choir director and a boisterous round of applause from all the observers. Everyone in that room was radiating appreciation.

 It must be earned.
You could receive the grandest award available, but if you know you didn’t earn it, it won’t mean much to you. The student choir members practiced anywhere from 3-6+ hours a week…for four years! That takes a lot of dedication for busy college students.

 For recognition to be memorable, it needs to be presented appropriately.
These students were honored for their commitment to the choir in front of over 200 fellow choir members, alumni along and fellow classmates. It was obvious that the presentation of the lapel pins would be fondly remembered.

By the way, I got my own pin at the concert that night, and I love it!

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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.