10 Uncommon Award Ideas That Will Make Your Recognition Program Unforgettable

The entire idea behind a recognition programme is to make your employees feel great, to strengthen their bond with the company and to make the workplace a positive experience for all.  If you can infuse your Recognition Programme with some humour, some wit and some unpredictable fun, then you can really up your awards game. 

Most every company acknowledges the best salesperson, or the employee of the month or gives Long Service Awards. For a moment think beyond that. Think about giving some uncommon, surprising awards that will add a zing to the proceedings. 

The award categories for uncommon awards differ from one industry to another, what works for one company may not work for another. However, to jog your imagination, here are some inventive award ideas that really add a sparkle and a whole lot of fun: 

Mountain Mover Award

Give this award to a team or an individual who helped accomplish a really big task that has impacted many people across the company. For instance, someone who had an ERP implemented in the company’s systems. Or oversaw a company move to a new location. A Mountain Mover could be someone who started a new division. Their achievements would surely be company specific and therefore endless, but the sentiment behind it is that the award recipient(s) undertook an important and mammoth task, a huge responsibility on their shoulders and they delivered! This award acknowledges not only their hard work but also says that the rest of the company sees their contribution.

Dronacharya Award

Acknowledge the wise ones amongst you. Named after the teacher of the Pandavas from the Mahabharata, this is an award that acknowledges a wise teammate and thanks them for what they bring to the table. This is also given to someone who has been a teacher and a guide, who helped the company come up and become what it is today. 

Amazing Addition Award 

Recently we have seen, especially in the tech industry, Long Service Awards being given for completion of 1 year at the company. This is another inventive and fun way to award new employees. Usually recognition programmes don’t take new employees into consideration but if they are important to your company’s future growth then you must! Consider adding fun awards for the new additions to your company. It’s a fun team-building exercise as well that aids in breaking the ice, making them settle in and really feeling at home! 

Pillar of Strength Award 

Every company has that person or that moment in time, when one person or team steps up and goes out of their way to support the work of another, with guidance, or positivity or with their expertise. This award is for such occasions. Rewarding such actions is hugely important and beneficial for it contributes to encouraging a culture of goodness, camaraderie and cooperation. 

Golden Heart Award 

We all have that person in our company. The generous one, with the golden heart, the one who builds bridges and is always supportive. It could also be for the person who took the main lead in a CSR project or did maximum work to make it a success. It is rewarding the inherent goodness of that person.  

Process Champion 

Think about it, the only way organisations can scale up is with processes. With this award you throw the spotlight on the people who follow the process or create it or do something remarkable around it. Again, it’s a company culture defining award and quite appreciated. 

Extra Miler Award 

For those persons and teams who give their best and then some, who go the extra mile. Imagine awarding them for this. Not for the achievement of a goal. Not for their service. But specifically for their perseverance, for their doggedness and pursuit. You are appreciating their mindset. You are speaking directly to their core strength and when you do that, you empower them to value this attitude and go even beyond.

Coaching Champion Award 

From time-to-time we all need a coach who helps us push our own limits and grow year after year. Recognise the efforts the Coaches are making, their sharp intellect, their caring attitude, that they are contributing their time and energy to help others grow. 

Firefighter Award 

There are some teams or individuals who step up during crises, put in the extra work, think out of the box. They take on all the headaches and stress, so that the life of everyone else is better. These are the people you want by your side when there is any hint of trouble. Thank them for being who they are, acknowledge them for their generosity and contribution. 

Duct Tape Award 

Life is seldom about executing perfect plans with all the resources in place. This is an award to recognise people who make do with little resources and make things happen even in imperfect circumstances.
This is also the perfect award for a person in the team who holds everyone together. This person is the facilitator, who brings harmony, calm and cohesiveness. Acknowledge this person with a fun Duct Tape Award. 

There are numerous other examples of fun, uncommon awards that you can give to make your Recognition Programme the best! At Pinnacle we help our customers create uncommon awards and even design them inventively. Sometimes the customer picks the categories from our catalogue and sometimes they simply describe the person who is to get the award and we create an award and a category just for them. 

Just one word of caution: These awards need to be given away very objectively. It is so important that other employees also feel like that towards the person who is getting the award. You do not want your award ceremony to come under attack for favouritism and therefore lose its very purpose. 

What I love most about these fun Uncommon Awards is that it really brings out the specific strength and contribution of the person getting the award. It always puts a smile on their face and on the faces of their team members, because it rings so true!

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