Like most organizations, Baudville takes time at the beginning of the new year to set goals and initiatives for the coming year and beyond. Our executives recently presented company goals to all staff, and momentum is building around the exciting changes coming to the ‘ville!

Our management team knows that meeting these ambitious goals will require the participation and engagement of every Baudville employee. And they know that building excitement for these initiatives isn’t going to happen with an all staff memo!
 
So, they started with something that always gets our attention: a week of casual days! But more than just a time to wear jeans, they tied each day of the week to a specific goal, and encouraged us to dress the part.
 
We’re not going to reveal our top secret plans here; but we can tell you that each day involved a lot of spirit, creativity, and innovation.
 
Like today, when we were encouraged to incorporate a Baudville or IDville product into our attire. Our creative team went all out, as they are known to do, and got together to create some off-the-wall headpieces featuring everything Baudville and IDville they could get to stick. Other employees created Essential Piece jewelry or wore a lapel pin to show their support.

Seeing employees participate in a company-wide effort, and knowing that it’s all for the growth, development, and success of our business as well as each individual is really motivating. What a great way to support one-another!

How do you get employees excited about their goals? Do they wear crazy hats like this Baudville team?!?

Carefully choosing Baudville and IDville products.

 
Waiting to see the finished product.

 
Showing our Baudville pride!

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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.

We’re excited to kick-off an Employee Appreciation Day Gifts contest, our first contest on Pinterest!

Participating is easy: Simply create a virtual pin board featuring your favorite Baudville gifts for Employee Appreciation Day and categorize it under Products. Send us a link to your Pinterest board via email at recognition@baudville.com or post it as a comment after this blog post, and you could win a $150 Baudville Gift Card for your 2012 Employee Appreciation Day celebration!

If you’re not already a member of Pinterest, send us an email at recognition@baudville.com to request an invitation, and if you’re sure how to use Pinterest, read our post 5 Simple Steps for Creating and Using Pinterest on the Recognition at Work blog.

How will the winner be selected? Our Social Media and Design Teams will review all the entrants and pick a winner based on creativity, pin descriptions, and gift selection.

The contest ends 2/19/12 at 11:59pm EST, so create your board and start  pinning your favorite Employee Appreciation Day Gifts today!


Follow the Baudville Employee Appreciation Day Gifts board on Pinterest for great gift ideas!

Here’s how it works:
Step 1:  Create a Baudville Employee Appreciation Day Gifts Pin Board - Name your board Baudville Employee Appreciation Day Gifts on Pinterest and categorize it under Products.

Step 2:  Pin Your Favorite Baudville Items - Go to the Baudville Pinterest Boards http://www.pinterest.com/baudville or http://www.baudville.com/ to pin 10 – 20 of your favorite Employee Appreciation Day gifts.

Step 3: Submit Your Board Link to Enter the Contest - Email a link to your board to recognition@baudville.com or post it as a comment here for a chance to win a $150 Baudville Gift Card. You’ll receive your gift card just in time for your own Employee Appreciation Day celebration!

Remember! The contest ends February 19, 2012, so start pinning today!

If you have any questions or would like an invite to Pinterest, please feel free to contact the Baudville Social Media Team at recognition@baudville.com. See below for the official contest rules.

Submit your board link or ask questions about Pinterest here!

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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.

Tomorrow is National Compliment Day, and the day serves as a reminder of the power of positive words. When you give someone a compliment, you express appreciation for something that’s unique about them or something they did. Compliments can create a more positive work culture, improve relationships, and make your organization more successful.

This 2005 article from USA Today reminds us that compliments at work are not just about making us feel good, but it’s also “about company performance. Employees function better when their positive efforts are noticed and valued.”

The truth is negative comments are much more prevalent in our world today, and they’re more powerful, too. Psychologists have found that it takes 10 positive comments to offset one negative comment. That means you’re going to need a lot of compliments in your workplace!

Make it a priority today to give five compliments to the people around you: your coworkers, boss, family, even the cashier at the grocery store. Here are five unique ways to give compliments and make someone’s day:

1. Send an ePraise. Browse our ePraise card collection and choose the ecard that is the best fit for your recipient. Add your compliment in the space available for a note and send. It’s a free, quick, and easy way to give a compliment.

2. Mail a Letter. In our technology-driven society, receiving a tangible piece of mail makes a big impact. Write a letter to a coworker or friend complimenting a recent accomplishment. Drop it in the mail to make a big impression with your compliment.

 
A Print and Post in action!

3. Surprise with a Print and Post. We created Print and Posts and made them available for free on our website to spread fun and cheer in the office. They’re also a great way to deliver a compliment. Download one of the pages and cut out a sentiment for your recipient. Tape it somewhere unexpected – like their computer monitor, locker, or car window. The note is certain to provoke a smile!

4. Deliver Verbal Praise. Giving a compliment in person is a powerful way to make someone feel appreciated. Stop by your coworker’s desk and be specific with your compliment. You can even emphasize your appreciation with a high five, fist bump, or handshake.

 
A Baudville employee's Compliment Corner - full of handwritten notes she's received from managers and coworkers.

5. Write a Handwritten Note. Compliments that are tangible have staying power. Put your praise into a handwritten note, and I guarantee the recipient will treasure it! At Baudville, employees keep and display their Shout Outs and Pocket Praise from managers, coworkers, and executives at their desks for years. The compliments are proudly displayed for others to read, or when the employee needs a pick-me-up.

What is your favorite way to give compliments and praise? Share your ideas with us here!

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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.

In this month’s Recognition TV webisode, we talked about Service Anniversaries. This is the one recognition program that you can find at all organizations! Recognizing years of service can affect employee morale, retention, and motivation, so make it count! Here are five tips you can follow in your organization that employees will fondly remember for years.

1. Recognize on the actual day of the anniversary.
Some anniversary programs have years of service gifts sent directly to the employees’ home, or they may choose the gift on their anniversary and receive it on a later date. Even if your anniversary program requires you to do nothing to deliver the gift, make it a priority to deliver your personal congratulations on the day of your employee’s anniversary. Acknowledge the employee’s anniversary with a tangible gift – even if the company has already taken care of it. It doesn’t have to be expensive, like a greeting card with your personal note, a certificate, or even a high five. If it’s given sincerely, the recipient will love it.

2. Make it personal to your company and the recipient.
Your culture should be reflected in the way you celebrate service anniversaries. At Baudville, our first year anniversary gift is a fleece jacket with our logo embroidered on the pocket. These are a favorite among employees and have become a signature piece throughout the company. We love our fleeces because it serves as a symbol of our achievement. Plus, we get to choose the color of the jacket and embroidery, so it’s always just the way we like it! This gift is a great fit for our culture because employees get to express their personal creativity, and it’s fun and practical.

3. Do something every year.
The biggest mistake companies make today is holding off on recognizing anniversaries until employees have their five year anniversary. How many people leave your company before they even get close to five years of service!? If your organization values dedication and tenure (most do!), start recognizing it right away. It doesn’t have to cost a lot! With the cost of turnover – and the fight for talent – you can’t afford not to recognize those early years of service.

• For $10, you can take the employee out to lunch for some valuable one-on-one time.
• For $5, you can purchase an anniversary lapel pin for every member of your team with their specific years of service.
• For $2, present an award certificate on the complete certificate with paper, folder, seal, and ribbon. It will make a grand impression for a small dent in your wallet! 

4. Make it a group mission.
Managers are an important part of service award recognition, but they shouldn’t fly solo when celebrating years of service. Make it a group event! When you recognize a behavior, like years of service, publically, it sends a message to your entire team. This is powerful communication about what your organization values and what an outstanding employee or contribution looks like. Don’t underestimate the power of public recognition! A well planned and executed award ceremony can provide long lasting motivation.

5. Don’t underestimate the power of free.
There’s a lot you can do to honor a service anniversary that doesn’t have to cost you anything! When your teammates have an anniversary, shout it from the rooftop! Make a big deal about it if you want employees to take their time at your organization seriously. This is also a great way to publically recognize individuals who don’t like to be the center of attention. By using these different media, you can be sure to express your appreciation without making them uncomfortable.

• Once a month, list all service anniversaries on your blog.
• Post a congratulations status update on Facebook on your company page.
• Send a tweet on Twitter.
• Send an ePraise card using the free system on Baudville.com. We have cards created especially for service anniversaries. All you have to do it add a short personal note and click send.
• Add a special column to your company newsletter that only lists anniversaries.
• Talk to your IT department about an anniversary spotlight on the intranet.

How does your organization celebrate service anniversaries?

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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.

If you’re a fan of Baudville’s free downloads and eBooks, get excited! We’ve just released Team Up! It’s an eBook of activity ideas that will energize employees and teams. Longtime Baudville friends will remember that we once sold a book by the same title. Since that book is no longer for sale, we decided to share the 60+ team activity ideas with all of you, for free!

The original Team Up! book was composed of six chapters covering activities for recognition, teams, customer service, milestones, ice breakers, and energizers. There are great ideas in every chapter! Because there was so much in this book, we decided to make it available for download by chapter. That way, you can download just the activities you’re interested in. Right now, you can download the chapters on recognition, teams, and customer service. The remaining three chapters will be available in early February.

Why should you download the Team Up! eBook? Each activity was submitted by a recognition practitioner or professional who used the activity themselves and claimed it a “winner.” It’s like asking 60 of your closest colleagues for team activity ideas for a meeting or special event.

If you like the Team Up! eBook, be sure to check out our newly renovated Recognition Resource Center for even more recognition eBooks and downloads that are available absolutely free.

Want to see more free employee recognition eBooks? Share your ideas for a future eBook topic here!

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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.