Remember that feeling back in elementary school when you’d go above and beyond in the classroom and you’d get a special recognition from your teacher? Maybe you’d get an aside from them telling you how good you did or that your work has really shined; or maybe you had a list of “star students” posted up in the classroom and you finally got to see yourself up there for an amazing test score. That feeling was like no other back in the day and although that system might have temporarily stopped as you grew up and entered the “adult” world, it doesn’t really go away, especially when you enter a job that’s dedicated to keeping their employees happy and satisfied with their time on the clock.
You’ve probably worked up through the ranks and have been employee of the month more than a few times, so you know the types of feelings it can invoke, similar to getting a gold star sticker on a 100% test in your English class. So of course now that you’re in a managerial station, you want to provide that same type of motivation and incentive to those who are helping keep the cogs of the machine working promptly and correctly.
That’s where things like employee of the month displays come in. Employee of the month displays can come in a variety of different forms, some companies send out little flyers at the end of each month to everyone in the company, others will send emails, and some go beyond the norm by creating boards that feature eye-catching material that’s sure to outperform any other E.O.T.M. program notice. Today we’re going to be helping you with going over employee of the month display ideas, why it’s beneficial, and a tool you can use to make all of this happen.
- How ‘Employee of the Month Displays’ are Beneficial to Every Level of Employee
- What Should Go on the ‘Employee of the Month’ Display
- Employee of the Month Display Ideas: Tips and Tricks
- How Shift Can Help You Change the Game
How ‘Employee of the Month Displays’ are Beneficial to Every Level of Employee
Although it may not seem that way from an outsider's perspective, employee recognition is one of the biggest driving forces to strong company culture there is. No one likes to feel as though their work isn’t being well recognized, especially if they are the kind of person who always tends to exceed expectations and do their job well above the normal standard. Those specific types of employees deserve to get their metaphorical flowers, and inspire other fellow team members to do the same.
When one person is lifted up, others are too. Bringing it back to the school metaphor we used in the intro, think how often you would look to other kids who’ve had x teacher before to see how that classroom is run and what their next year would look like for that period. It goes hand in hand with the workforce too. Many will look to fellow employees (“classmates”) to see how their boss (“teacher”) treats them so they can know if this is a place well worth the effort.
Taking the time to properly recognize star players in your chosen field is the easiest way for all levels of employees to see that their hard work gets recognition, not just barely enthused “good jobs” or worse: no acknowledgment at all.
Showing off your hardworking employees by creating and making inspiring employee of the month displays is one small and easy way you can advertise your care from a managerial standpoint. This can:
- Drastically Reduce Employee Turnover
- Boost Morale
- Create a Positive Environment
Through consistent and genuine employee recognition, you can make it so your company feels strong from the ground up.
What Should Go on the ‘Employee of the Month’ Display
The biggest mistake many bosses and upper management make is when creating employee recognition programs, employee of the month displays, or doing any type of reward-based system is disingenuity. Seeing no real effort put into these things that are specifically designed for shouting out and recognizing hard-working people can actually be worse in some cases. No one likes a barely concealed, uninvolved display, we want to see real effort being put in, and that means creating a board that will motivate those to eventually see themselves up there.
These types of feelings aren’t new, in fact a survey from over thirteen years ago found that “61 percent of U.S. respondents believe their direct manager or supervisor has a significant impact on their job satisfaction or engagement.” And we can only assume that in recent years with the one the job market is, that this is even more valued.
What should NOT go on the Employee of the Month Display:
We’re first going to go over the “dont’s” in an E.O.T.M. display because it’s important to know what not to put on it so you can eliminate or cross off any ideas already written down.
- Anything they don’t want publicly seen. As much as we love a rich and happy work environment and for all of our coworkers to get along kumbaya style, that is not really realistic for every space. Some people just don’t vibe with others and that’s okay! As long as everyone’s getting the work done and being professional, you’re golden. The employee of the month should always have the final say on what should go on the display. They might be happy with just their first name instead of first and last, or having their picture up there as well. Some of the surprise elements might be lost, but their wants and needs are far more important here.
- Impersonal anecdotes. No one likes a standard “good job on working hard this month!” or worse: nothing but their name, picture, and “employee of the month” underneath it and that’s it.
- Boring colors and designs. Think how much advertising has changed over the years, what worked before is no longer working now, especially with the sheer volume of stuff out there. Our eyes tend to glaze over the less exciting ads and move onto something that’s got more of a pop. The same goes for employee of the month displays, you don’t want something that’s basic and can easily be mistaken for a part of the walls of the office and/or work station.
What SHOULD go on the Employee of the Month Display:
There are a lot more “do’s” than there are “don’t’s” in displays like this.
- You should have a few sentences explaining why this specific employee is indeed employee of the month. Talk about what they did to get them this honor, describe their skills, add an anecdote that actually makes sense and isn’t generic, and bring up what they do for the company as a whole. Already this is taking normal displays and elevating them because it’s showing you actually pay attention.
- Should it be okayed: a picture they like and their full name, or maybe even a nickname given to them by their fellow workers. Anything that really displays their own unique touch on the company and offers a clear picture of who they are so all can look to see who it is and celebrate them properly. By adding their full job title and the department they’re in, it can definitely help show both the E.O.T.M. and others that they aren’t just picking a name at random to show they “care” but instead really researching who is making the most difference.
- Add some quotes from their fellow work-mates, whether it be their self-described “work marriage partner,” their direct overseer, or the team they work most with, getting others involved is a great way to show that it’s not a one man ship but instead a whole crew valuing their dedicated coworker.
- Describe their impact in detail. Make it known to both the employee of the month and all who see it why they’re getting recognized. It’s important to show not only your appreciation, but give a good value market to all those who are also looking to be up there one day. It really inspires a more enthusiastic team.
Employee of the Month Display Ideas: Tips and Tricks
Want your employee of the month display to stand out from the crowd? No problem, we’ve got you covered with a list of tips and tricks we’ve found really elevates that honor.
Using Bold Colors and Text
No one likes seeing boring beige or worse- millennial grey with basic arial text or the “fun” comic sans (when we know it isn’t actually fun). Make your display pop with bold color palettes, we recommend first and foremost that if you have company colors, use those, it will associate positivity with work even subconsciously. A small yet useful tactic that shows that this job from its very foundation values you. Make your text stand out by changing some of it to bold, italic, or adding a drop shadow effect for extra emphasis.
Keep it Changing
Never keep the same display all-year round, just like the seasons change outside the office walls, so it does inside as well. Maybe when the holidays are coming up, make the board festive, add some gingerbread men, candy canes, and snowflakes. When spring finally comes along after a harsh winter, add some flowers around the display, change the colors up and use pastels and greens to bring new life into the board. These little things show you aren’t just copying and pasting someone new every month.
Add an “Extra” Reward
Seeing your name displayed either solo or amongst all of the other star employees of the working year is great, but adding a bonus to that is even better. You can easily get little standard trophies that say “employee of the month” on them or blue ribbons to really emphasize that this honor doesn’t just end on the display, it stays with you.
Surprise Them
Similar to our “Keep it Changing” rule, surprising them with an unexpected add-on is a great way to keep people's attention on the display. This could be a quick quote from a favorite customer of theirs, a moment from outside work that’s really special in their lives, a picture or drawing of their pet with a little quote bubble that says "congratulations" on it. Fun personal touches that keep them guessing on what the next “add-on” will be next month.
How Shift Can Help You Change the Game
Taking your employee of the month recognition from a printed out piece of copy paper to an elevated screen showcasing crisp colors, high definition photos, animated sequences, and real-time updates is how your company one that doesn’t fall into the corporate slug. It sets you apart, making you an example for other businesses to follow. And one such way to do that is to have the correct tools to do that and Shift is the place for exactly that.
Shift is a platform for digital signage that can be placed in a myriad of employee spaces like break rooms, teacher lounges, back of house (BOH) areas in a restaurant like the kitchen, and more. This allows a direct line of communication from management to the staff, no need for running back and forth, missed communication opportunities, urgent requests not getting done on time, and recognition like the employee of the month displays getting highlighted effectively.
Let your team know what their upcoming schedule is immediately through sending and posting it on the digital board. If there’s an announcement that needs to be made, a new reward and/or incentive-based program that has been introduced, shout-outs to star employees, and other real time updates are all possible thanks to Shift’s state of the art system.
And it’s not just done by a TV screen or the computers at your desk, no, Shift can instantly deliver updates to any connected device like phones or smart watches as well. Shift delivers on:
- Seamless, Centralized Communication
- Automated Content Creation
- Visualized, Real-Time Data
- Easy, Scalable Deployment
Working with well-known companies and businesses like Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Avamere Living, amongst others, are also taking part in the tools Shift provides. It's safe to say that no matter the size of your business, we will be able to provide you with the services you need in a timely manner.
Our goal through our enhanced digital signage is to bridge that gap between management and employees. For too long the workforce has never really been able to open a line of clear and concise communication between the two and that’s seen in the resulting over increased turnover, unsatisfied employees, and often unnecessary stress put on all sides of the business.
We wanted to make sure that those eerily recognizable factoids about company culture get eliminated. Through real-time communication of goals, notices, everyday messages, and employee recognition, we can make it so everyone from the bottom to the top has their time valued.
Shift is always building new integrations and API connections so you can know that you’ll always have reliable resources to fall back on. Try a risk-free 60 day pilot and see how it works so you can make your future employee of the month displays thrive like they never have before.
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