Custom Awards


We are excited to launch our new custom awards page, where we showcase past samples and have a quick quote tool to help us help you with your next custom award project. Typically, custom awards are designed and tooled to provide a theme or context for a company that would include their logo or a particular message that they are trying to convey. When an employee is rewarded with an award, the custom brand attached to the award provides a significant loyalty message. The message includes attributes that reinforce company culture at the same time as employee recognition. Can you guess how much more this Boing award meant to the recipient, over a generic, stock award?

 

ACCUSTOM34

Critical Task Execution


Employees

Execution is the ability to accomplish goals, plans, and bring sweeping changes to an organization. If there is no execution, whether good or bad, all the dreaming and scheming in the world will not bring about any change. Change is a constant in today’s technology driven world, and change will be absolutely clear to most people. The difficulty, as always is to execute change, to make it happen in a concise and swift way. Execution is the ability to deliver the end result, and the changes made must deliverable measurable and desired results or the exercise was just simply an exercise in change.

I recently read an article regarding the new 12 week year. Basically, the nuts and bolts of the article was the typically January review and budgeting process and how we think we have 12 months to implement the changes and achieve the goals we make, and somehow these are never accomplished, as we always have another month to do them. The writer purposed that if we set 12 week goals, and live within a 12 week fiscal cycle, then we are much more likely to execute and and make the changes than otherwise.

Organizations typically have quarterly awards, and annual awards. My thought process here was the need to implement spot recognition to employees who achieve success during the 12 week period of incremental change in the organization. If new goals are implemented in a shorter time period, recognition and the resulting increased moral and desired behaviours need to recognized in a quicker fashion as well. We have excellent programs featuring one and two day production times for crystal recognition awards and recognition wall plaques. Please understand the importance of recognition people who embrace and recognize change in your organization. Your organization depends on it, and it is not that costly to reward and encourage employees and partners with one of our successful employee recognition programs.

Human resources are often an overlooked part of the entire business strategy and business plan, when indeed, they are an integral part of any business’s success. You never want to have the tail wag the dog, but the dog cannot keep trotting along without an inspired, dedicated, and adaptable workforce.

Generational Employee’s in the Workplace


The article below appeared in the PPAI newsletter. I thought it was extremely important and an interesting read, as the workplace is changing more than ever. Perhaps an employee recognition program is important?  Just saying. :)

 

This decade will see a phenomenon: Five different generations coexisting in the workforce for the first time ever. This week inPromotional Consultant Today, we are taking a look at each of these five generations and sharing what makes them successful in the workplace. So far this week we have looked at Traditionalists (born before 1946) and Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964).

Most likely you know this person. He or she has witnessed parents giving a lifetime of heart and soul to a company, only to be downsized or forced into early retirement later in a career. This person watched the promise of a pension disappear amid mismanagement of the funds. This person is being told not to expect Social Security benefits to be in place at the same level when they get to retirement age as was available for their parents. Meet Generation X.

They grew up in an era of great social change, with more women entering the workforce and almost half of all marriages ending in divorce. As a result, Generation X demands work/life balance. They never grew up with job security, and they tried to make over the workplace with innovations such as flex scheduling, but they were small in number-there are only 48 million compared to 78 million Baby Boomers.

In their book The 2020 Workplace, authors Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd say Generation X has manifested this history into an independence where the generation puts more value into looking after itself than the good of a company. This is the first generation to change jobs, and even careers, frequently and to question the promises made to it by corporate authority. They want to work for companies where they are appreciated, where they have flexible scheduling and where they receive increased vacation time. Work is not first in their lives, and they don’t like long, redundant work hours.

Generation X is most likely to be interested in “What’s in it for me?”. To work effectively with this generation, you need to be able to verbalize the benefit of the work to the individual in the short run.

Are you a Traditionalist, Baby Boomer or Gen Xer? If you are still searching for your generation, read PCT tomorrow as we discuss Gen Y.

Source: Human resources experts Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd are the authors of The 2020 Workplace, a book that offers a practical game plan companies can use to attract and keep these employees and in doing so, transform their organizations, achieve compelling business results and compete more effectively in the global marketplace. Based on key findings from two surveys of global professionals, as well as case studies from organizations such as Deloitte, Cisco, Bell Canada, JetBlue, Nokia, and NASA, Meister and Willyerd bolster their thought-provoking research with 20 predictions for the 2020 workplace as well as real-world examples of these practices in action, including a YouTube new-hire orientation contest.

A Grey, Rainy Day!


Today, we are smoking busy and this is what I have to say:

“Take a big bite out of life and let the juice run down your chin”!!

Enjoy life to the fullest, and make the most out of it. Life is precious, and we hope you recognize that. We are in the recognition business, and find our customers are excited and  youthful when it comes to awarding the people they feel passionate about. We can’t help but enjoy every day at work, when we are helping so many others create recognition projects to support and encourage the people they work with. So, take a big bite, and enjoy the ride!

 

Able Recognition visits Las Vegas


PPAI Show!Greg Trudelle, VP of Sales and Bruce Munro, President of Able Recognition, spent the 3rd week of January visiting the Promotional Products Association annual convention. We met with new suppliers, visited old friends, and learned more about our industry and new products for 2013. We are very excited about this new year, and all the opportunities for us to help other companies and organizations reward and promote their employees, clients and partners.

Recognition in 2013


We are excited about recognition this year! Every year is a fresh start, to new accomplishments and new beginnings for every employee and achiever in every type of organization. We have over 650 new products that we are showcasing, and I’m very proud to be part of a community that helps recognize achievement through inspiring products that every recipient can be proud of. Obviously, the job well done is the main inspiration behind anybody doing anything well, but a little recognition doesn’t hurt; indeed it’s sometimes the only way we can realize that we have sincerely accomplished something when you look back over time without the chaos of our daily grind. So, here’s to a good year, and to recognition for the success’s that have enriched our lives.

Six Ways To Motivate Top Talent


As the economy improves and the job market opens up, managers and CEOs need to work to retain their top employees by ensuring they are motivated, engaged and appreciated.

 

1. Companies must have a performance-based culture. Even in difficult times there must be clearly defined goals for the company. These goals must cascade down to your top talent. They must have quantifiable objectives that motivate your employees so that reaching them instills a sense of accomplishment. Providing specific, time-based goals with achievable results clarifies exactly what is expected of your people. Your best talent will embrace the goals and not stop until they reach the goals. Employee engagement is critical to retaining your best people.

2. Culture of teamwork. This is probably the biggest reason top talent gets nervous and begins to think of leaving your company. Do you know your company’s culture? Can you define it? Then once the culture is well defined, do the behaviors match the culture? Do managers from the CEO on down demonstrate this culture day-to-day in how they deal with the employees, customers and vendors? You can’t claim to have a culture of teamwork if the manager’s idea of teamwork is, “As long as we do things my way, without any questions, you can be on my team.”

3. Respect and appreciation. This is probably the least expensive and least-used method to motivate and retain top talent. Small things can make a big difference with top talent. Respecting their contributions, listening to them, including them in the decision-making process, asking for their thoughts and ideas all make them feel respected and appreciated. Consider building a culture that respects your top talent. Top talent does not want to be taken for granted.

Source: Brad Remillard

Employee Engagement – Is Your Workforce Showing Signs of Burnout?


According to a recent CareerBuilder poll, more than 50% of employees say they work under a great deal of stress, and 77% say they feel burned out on the job. While they often go hand in hand, there’s a big difference between stress and burnout.

From working under pressure to meet an important deadline to putting in overtime to ensure the success of a major project, stress comes in many forms. Though it can be sharp and intense, stress is often temporary and manageable. And in many cases, a little bit of stress can be healthy.

Burnout, however, is more serious and can often be the result of prolonged, unmanaged stress. When an employee is burned out on the job, they check out. They no longer focus on their responsibilities or achieving company goals. And, if left unchecked, burnout can spread to other employees ultimately affecting your business’ ability to stay productive.

So, how do you know if your workforce is heading toward burnout?

Increased cynicism and irritability
Employees who have reached the point of burnout often have little patience for new company initiatives. To them, the glass is always half empty. They become eternal naysayers and will actively seek reasons to avoid taking on a new project or find a way out of participating in team activities. They are often short, irritable, and easily angered and their relationships with coworkers and colleagues quickly deteriorate. Disengaged, burnt out employees can easily suck the life out of a team, and their cynical attitudes can be contagious.

Loss of productivity
Happy, engaged employees thrive on hard work. They understand their contribution to the company as a whole and strive to be more productive and efficient with every new task they take on. Burned out workers, on the other hand, have lost the drive for success and can be nearly impossible to reengage. They are no longer motivated by accomplishment, and the quality of their work takes a dive. Increased errors, missed deadlines, and an overall haphazard demeanor in their everyday activities not only take a toll on their own personal productivity, but can easily affect those around them.

Increased absenteeism
Obviously, the last place a burned out employee wants to be is at work. Workers who go from only occasionally missing a day or two of work to regularly calling in sick or burning through their vacation time may have hit a wall and are taking every opportunity possible to get away. A missed day here and there doesn’t typically cause any harm, but when it becomes a regular practice, other employees are forced to pick up the slack, which can not only lead to productivity issues, but it can have a serious impact on morale.

The first step to fighting employee burnout
Simply put, it’s about communication. When you start to see the signs of a burned out workforce, it’s vital to open the lines of communication to try to understand what is driving their discontent. Create a safe forum for your employees to share what’s on their mind. Let them know you aren’t looking for someone to blame, but rather what changes need to be implemented to help create a more positive and productive working environment for everyone. Once you have pinpointed the problem areas, be quick to take action.

We all get a little overwhelmed from time to time, but it’s important to recognize the difference between normal stress and burnout at work. A company’s most valuable asset is its employees. Putting forth extra effort to ensure your team is fully engaged at work is a major step toward ensuring your business stays innovative and competitive.

By 

Working Harder In 2012!


Working Harder In 2012
Did you start 2012 with a sense of dread? Has overwhelmed has become the new normal?1. Purge and unsubscribe. Start 2012 by deleting and recycling to make room for the “new” of the new year. Too many people let a backlog (paper and digital information) pile up over the last six weeks of the year. Get rid of everything you can and reduce what might be coming in. Unsubscribe from e-mail newsletters, magazines [Editor's note: Except this one, of course!], book-of-the-month clubs, perhaps even the ad-hoc committees you’ve joined recently. Try the “unsubscribe” for three months; at the end of those 12 weeks, you can re-up if you want to.

2. Block out your time and prioritize. Ask yourself this: How much time do I really spend each day clicking through e-mails and making my to-do list? The answer is probably a lot. Time blocking and prioritization are two important keys to daily productivity. Look at your to-do list, figure out where you have blocks of time to act on those items, and then prioritize. Keep your defined work actions to 15 to 30 minutes each. Use these chunks of time to stay focused, minimize interruptions and work effectively.

3. Break inertia. Ever watch a freight train start to move? That first forward jolt takes the most energy; keeping the train rolling is much easier. Do some small things to get rolling on getting caught up at the beginning of the year. Then pace yourself. You’ll probably find it’s much easier to keep rolling along at a comfortable clip.

4. Always be prepared for bonus time. Bring small chunks of work with you wherever you go. Then, while waiting for a meeting to start or for a delayed flight to depart, you’ll be able to reply to an e-mail or review materials for a meeting or project.

5. Reduce meeting time lengths. If meetings at your organization are normally given a 60-minute time length, start giving them a 45-minute time length. You’ll find that what you get done in 60 minutes you can also achieve in 45 minutes.

 

Source: Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA, provides practical methods to maximize tools, systems and processes to achieve quality work/life balance. He has worked with leaders and executives for more than 16 years in the business and education sectors. His new book Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More, hits bookstore shelves this month.

Recognition Trophies – Perfect for Secretary’s Day


Each year, as springtime approaches it’s a great time to start thinking about how to recognize the administrative professionals and secretaries that work in your office. Administrative Professionals Day, also known as Secretaries Day is celebrated on the last Wednesday of April each year.

The unofficial holiday got its start back in 1952 from the National Secretaries Association. Often times the day is celebrated by giving office workers flowers, candy or a free lunch. This year, why not think about getting your dedicated administrative professional something that will last. Why not get him or her a recognition trophy? Recognition trophies are the perfect way to show employees just how much they mean to a company. Recognition trophies come in all kinds of colors, shapes and designs and can be customized with a personal message that is meaningful to the individual.

Able Trophies has been providing high quality recognition trophies and awards almost as long as Secretary’s Day has been celebrated. Our selection of crystal and glass awards are the perfect way to say thank to your administrative assistant’s years of service to the company.

The best part about buying a recognition trophy from Able Trophies is our selection of quick ship awards. So it’s okay if Administrative Professionals Day slips your mind. You can still order your award the week before and be okay. We have you covered. We offer a large variety of crystal, glass and marble awards that can be shipped out in just a few days.

Our recognition trophies come in all shapes and sizes. Think about choosing the Dashing Star Award for that special administrative assistant that seems to move heaven and earth to get things done for your company.

There’s no better way to boost employee morale and say thank you for a job well done than giving the gift of a recognition trophy. Choosing a personalized award for your staff will ensure it is cherished for years to come.

Start looking though our great selection of recognition trophies and awards today, because before you know it, April will be here again.