In a rare bout of late night TV watching, I saw Jimmy Fallon’s thank you note skit for the first time Friday night. Apparently, it’s a regular part of the Late Night Show (unknown to me since the show airs way past my bedtime) and pretty popular (it has its own Facebook page).

As a recognition specialist, I silently rejoiced as Jimmy wrote thank you notes to the Olympics. After all, if Jimmy Fallon thinks thank you notes are cool, hopefully managers and supervisors will jump on the bandwagon, too!

Again and again I hear stories from employees about how a simple note from a manager made an individual feel valued and appreciated. In one particularly memorable story, the individual received a letter of praise from the company’s founder and president. It was a big deal because the company culture revolved around this person, his character and values. The employee framed the letter and still displays it at his desk, years later.

Friday is Employee Appreciation Day, and we’ve been talking about this holiday a lot around Baudville because we know it can have a big impact on how employees feel about their jobs and their employer. Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day doesn’t have to be a large production. It simply needs to be sincere.

Take a lesson from Baudville (and Jimmy Fallon!) and write a thank you note to each of your employees for Employee Appreciation Day. Have all the cards waiting on their desks when they come in Friday. The surprise will make the appreciation memorable long after Employee Appreciation Day has past.

Give employees flair for their desks with your handwritten thank you notes.

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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.

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

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.

It’s time to put 2009 behind us – finally! – and set the priorities and resolutions that will bring success in 2010. To help you get a fresh start in the new year, we’ve come out with 142 new products, 3 new themes and 14 new manager tools. Plus, this month we’re implementing our new Employee Morale Guarantee.

Baudville has always stood behind its products with a 30 day product guarantee. The Employee Morale Guarantee also backs up the impact we believe our products can have on your staff. We’re so confident that our products will be effective that we’ll give you a refund if you don’t notice a rise in employee morale.

We recommend that managers who have previously identified themselves as “recognition skeptics” – and you know who you are! – use this opportunity to take recognition for a test drive. What do you have to lose? If the product doesn’t work, you can get a refund! And if it does, you’re stuck with all the advantages of increased employee morale: higher engagement and ultimately improved company performance.

Managers can find the right recognition product to use by completing our Recognition Tool Finder quiz, a five question quiz that determines, based on your answers, the right recognition products for them. And you’re sure to find something you like within our large repertoire of recognition products.

       Making the Difference is one of the six different themes the Pintastic Manager is available in.

Our latest and greatest manger tool is the Pintastic Manager. It’s our latest “signature” product that joins our popular Caboodle and provides everything managers need to give day-to-day recognition all in one binder. The binder comes with 32 coordinating lapel pins and cards and has built in spaces for making a record of all the recognition you’ve given.

2010 is underway, and there’s no time to lose when it comes to increasing employee morale and motivation. This year, you can’t afford not to recognize employees. Give it a try and let us know how it goes. You’ve got nothing to lose…and lots to gain!

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her daily recognition tips by following Baudville on Twitter at Twitter.com/Baudville.

The holidays are an important time of year to express appreciation for friends, family and especially employees. It’s not too late to order thoughtful holiday employee recognition gifts for your entire team. And with employee morale, engagement and loyalty nearing rock bottom, managers can’t afford not to recognize employees this holiday season.

I’ve put together a small selection of holiday employee recognition gifts that have been so popular this year, customers are already submitting positive feedback on our website. You can view all holiday recognition gifts here, or visit their individual product pages.

Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to get your gifts. We have same-day shipping to ensure your recognition can happen in a timely manner!

Spinner Ornament – Customers like the personalization options on the ornament; you can add recipients’ names or a logo. It also arrives in a gift box, so it’s ready to give.

Character Pins – The Character Pin is a popular holiday employee recognition gift because of the themed message and collectable lapel pin. Managers can read the story out loud to the group and avoid the struggle for the right motivational words.

Travel Mug – Employees love to receive gifts that they can use everyday. A handy travel mug will serve as a daily reminder of your appreciation for everything they do.

Major kudos to Kelly for sharing the twelve days of recognition with us in her product review of the Thank You Book of Notes! Kelly gave each of her department managers the Thank You Book of Notes and her version of the Twelve Days of Recognition to encourage them to practice recognition during the holidays. What a great idea!

"On the twelfth day of recognition, my manager gave to me:

Twelve minutes of personal attention,
Eleven excellence awards,
Ten lapel pins,
Nine pat's on the back,
Eight kudos,
Seven success awards,
Six holiday cookies,
Five bucks,
Four gift cards,
Three warm smiles,
Two thank you notes,
And a piece of my favorite candy!"

We’re certain Kelly’s employees will like her recognition suggestions a lot more than a partridge in a pear tree!

Each year, Baudville throws a holiday party to celebrate our team’s efforts and accomplishments. It’s the most anticipated event of the entire year and has earned quite the reputation! The party is known for its secret venues (revealed only a couple weeks ahead), surprising entertainment, delicious food and memorable employee recognition. The event takes several months of planning and is championed by our dedicated SPIRIT team (learn more about the team in my previous post) who strives to make each year more fun and memorable than the last.

The party is an important event for our company’s culture, which is why this year we chose to throw a more modest party rather than no party at all. For many organizations, the holiday employee party is the only time of the year employees are encouraged to socialize outside of work. It’s also one of the primary venues for formal employee recognition, an important part of an employee recognition strategy. Cancelling this event can have a demoralizing and discouraging effect on our staff.

62% of organizations, a record low, are hosting holiday parties for the employees this year, compared to 77% in 2008. But cutting back doesn’t have to mean cutting out holiday celebrations altogether. If your organization has decided not to have a holiday party for employees, you should consider having a smaller team celebration. Here are a few ideas:

- Organize a potluck lunch
- Send a greeting card with a handwritten note to their homes
- Take the team bowling for an afternoon
- Have appetizers and drinks at someone’s house
- Cater lunch at the office to avoid venue fees
- Give employees a gift they can use in the office

The holiday employee party is important to employees because it lets them know you value their work and contributions from the year. Be sure to express sincere appreciation during the holidays for their efforts. If you can’t think of the right words to say, you can let us say it for you. We’ve designed exclusive Character Pins for the 2009 holidays that say it all: appreciation, motivation, sincerity. Pick the message that best fits your team and situation and present pins to individuals at your team get-together. Our holiday Character Pins are currently 25% off, so you get even more appreciation for your buck – a welcome message this year!

Check back December 14th or sign up for our email subscription to catch my next blog with details and pictures from our party!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to recognize and motivate your staff during the holidays! Use one of Baudville's holiday themes to find just the right words.

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Cindy is the Human Resources Manager at Baudville and has over 14 years HR experience. In addition to her HR Generalist duties, she’s the center of positive mojo for the company and heads up many of our recognition initiatives, events and awards. In other words, she’s got it going on!

When it comes to employee Christmas gifts, it truly is the thought that counts. What makes your gift memorable for your employees is the way you give it. Here are six ways you can make your employee Christmas gifts memorable this holiday season:

1. One-on-one giving. Give each of your employees some face time this holiday season. Sit down with them or briefly visit at their desk when you deliver the gift. This is a great opportunity to informally give recognition for outstanding accomplishments and efforts from the year.

2. Include a card. If your team is often out of the office or at multiple locations, include a holiday greeting card with each employee Christmas gift. Write a personal note to employees expressing your appreciation for all they do.

3. Make it personal. Include something personal with each of your employee Christmas gifts. If you give festive cookie cutters, cookies or even travel mugs, include a personal cookie recipe or a favorite flavor of hot cocoa.

4. Give a gift they can use. A memorable employee Christmas gift is one employees can use long past the holidays. A journal, coffee mug or desktop items serve as reminders of your appreciation all year.

5. Personalize your gift. The holidays are a popular time of year to give and receive gifts personalized with monograms and logos. By adding a name, date or logo to an employee Christmas gift, the employee has a lasting memento of his time at your organization and a token of his contributions.

6. Gift wrapping. When it comes to your employee Christmas gifts, the presentation counts. Gift wrapping your items not only provides a nicer presentation to your employees, but it also lets them know you care.

Most importantly, use the opportunity of employee Christmas gifts to reinforce the value of individual employees’ contributions. It’s important for employees, and employee engagement, to feel like they are contributing to the organization’s overall mission and success . Let your employee Christmas gifts reinforce the value each individual brings to your team and organization.

Looking for employee Christmas gift ideas? Try out our new Gift Finder to find the gift that employees and your budget will love.

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When it’s time to give an employee reward, a tangible gift along with your recognition, deciding what that something should be can be tricky. You want the reward to be memorable and motivating, but how do you achieve that?

We recently posted a poll on our website asking, what is your favorite employee reward to receive, and the results are in:

Gift card – 39%
Handwritten note – 39%
Personal gift – 20%
Ecard – 2%

Now compare these results to your assumptions of what rewards people give most often. They probably don’t match up, do they? I would guess you receive a lot more ecards than handwritten notes.

For the most effective employee rewards, do what we did: ask your employees about their preferences. Then act on the information you learn.

Regardless of what employee reward you are giving, always give the reward with specific recognition. If you don’t tell the employee what they did to receive the recognition, they won’t be able to repeat it.

Tip: Combine the top two rewards by giving a handwritten note, complete with your specific recognition, with a gift card as a motivating employee reward.

Give your employees the kind of employee reward they truly want...it may not be your traditional trophy cup.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation.

As Baudville’s copywriter, I am painfully aware of the number of themes we have that relate to making a difference (if you’ve ever had to write repeatedly about the concept of making a difference without saying making, a, or difference, then you know what I’m talking about).

But there is a very good reason we have so many themes of this nature. There are so many ways that a person can make a difference, whether it’s volunteering for a non-profit, working as a caregiver, or having significant impact in a business setting. All people in all situations have the power to affect the world around them in a positive way, which means our customers need to have choices when it comes to thanking these folks.

So, we have Making the Difference, You Make the Difference, Making a Difference, You Make a World of Difference, and You Made the Difference. We also have one called The Power of One that has a "you make a world of difference" tagline.

Inside these four walls, we giggle about the redundancy (or maybe it’s just me alone in my cubicle); but it’s actually very serious business. When you think about it, it’s pretty profound that there is such demand for this sentiment. In fact, this Saturday is National Make a Difference Day—a whole day dedicated to (here it comes) making a difference! The organization that instituted this holiday focuses on the philanthropic aspect, but since we know that making a difference can take so many forms, we like to promote them all.

Wondering how you can get involved? One way is to participate directly in volunteer efforts in your community. The Make a Difference Day web site has a project finder for activities already going on in your neighborhood. Or, you can organize your own project and use their idea generator to help you get started.

You can also consider every day Make a Difference Day, and focus on the little things you can do all the time to create positive change. At work, in your neighborhood, at school, for the environment, on the political front, on the other side of the world, or even by smiling at the right person at the right time—there are opportunities everywhere!   

Finally, possibly the most significant way you can do your part is to encourage (and thank) those who make a difference. That’s not why they’re doing it, but that doesn’t mean we all don’t appreciate the efforts any less. And guess what? We have just the thing…

  

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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!