Branded Giftsn2. Commemorative Plaquesn3. Office Perksn4. Charity DonationnnBranded GiftsnnBranded gifts are a great way to show recognition to employees while simultaneously increasing brand awareness and establishing company pride within your organization. These products can range from coffee cups, tumblers, and water bottles to personalized wallets and clocks. Whatever you choose, ensuring that these prizes offer a practical use to your staff will help keep your brand at the forefront.nn A branded product also helps to create a deeper connection between your organization and the employee. Branded gifts encourage employees to be proud of the organization they work for, and adds perceived value to the award.nn nCommemorative plaquesnnAnother popular type of award is to provide a commemorative plaque to the winner each month. While a certificate could achieve the same process, you will find that employees will begin to lack excitement for the program when merely accepting a piece of paper. They may begin to think of the employee of the month program more as a gimmick than an honor.nnYou want to avoid these feelings at all costs.nnOffering your employees a high-quality plaque or award gives more credence to the program and will encourage your entire team to take part. Despite what most people think, plaques are actually a very affordable way to recognize employees. You can order a custom plaque as low as $15.00.nnIf funds are really tight, try ordering one large perpetual plaque featuring the winners of each month. The celebration could include them putting their name on the plaque in a ‘wall of fame’ style celebration. A perpetual employee of the month plaque will run you around $100.00 for the entire year. That’s less than $10.00 per month!nn Office perksnnAnother very popular style of reward is to give the winning employee a range of perks around the office. This could be letting them leave early every Friday for the month, giving them the best parking spot or taking them out for lunch. Some organizations have been known to give tickets to local plays, sporting events or concerts. The key here is to make it valuable and fun. If there’s no value to the office perk, you begin to fall into the “gimmicky” feel again.nnCharity donationnnA new way companies are rewarding their employees is by donating to a charity of their choice. Often coupled with one of the other methods above, this can be a great way to help instill a sense of pride for your organization. By donating to your employees charity of choice, it helps them feel valued as you align your priorities with theirs. This in turn motivates them to align their priorities with the organization – creating a very positive cycle of productivity.