31 Employee Appreciation and Recognition Examples

Employee Appreciation and Recognition Examples

As the workplace continues to shift from traditional models into more modern ones that focus on employee recognition and development, recognition is becoming an integral part of company culture-building.

While someone should always appreciate good work, recognition goes above and beyond “good job” when it comes to acknowledging individual contributions.

It's not just about saying thanks any longer; today’s recognition programs are focused on encouraging growth in both individual employees and the group as a whole. In short: recognition matters!

While recognition has always been a somewhat subjective topic, recognition messages have certainly evolved over the years.

Used to express recognition for contributions and achievements, recognition messages today are more often centered around transparent recognition of employee hard work and positive progress towards goals as they relate to the company values.

Rather than being focused on bosses telling their employees what they did to be recognized, recognition programs foster a culture that encourages individuals to celebrate each other by sharing specific examples of success. Examples could be shared in an online forum (such as Slack), as part of an online recognition program, or using a manual process for recognition.

In today's blog post we will provide a full month's worth of examples you can use as inspiration.

Employee Recognition Examples

Also check out this article - Foster a Culture of Appreciation: 12 Steps to Increase Productivity, Engagement and Satisfaction

You'll notice that a great recognition message is specific and it includes the person's name, what they did, and why it matters (the outcome).

1. Thank you, Anna, for going the extra mile by staying late to help us prepare for tomorrow's presentation.
2. Shout out to you, Brian, for helping me fix my excel document. I was so frustrated and your advice was a lifesaver.
3. Steve, I am so grateful to you for researching and resolving that head-scratching error code. You've saved us all a ton of frustration. Thank you!
4. Diane, thank you for taking the time to demonstrate how to use the software to Tomeka.  Her ability to pick up this new tool will help us a lot in our ongoing projects.
5. Zabrina, you have blown me away with the content you created for our blog. Thank you!
6. Leo, thank you for researching the procurement strategies with Ben. You've suggestions are well-researched and extremely useful to us.
7. Brian, you have done an excellent job in your role as recognition coordinator.  Your recognition ideas and initiatives have been a big hit with the team, and I think everyone is feeling better about themselves knowing that we are all being recognized for our contributions.
8. Byron, thanks for saving us lots of money.  We can now afford to supply lunch once a month!
9. Sandra, thank you for your 10 years of service. Your dedication to the company is an inspiration to everyone here.
10. Thank you for suggesting using [new technology] during our most recent project.  I am incredibly grateful for the time we were able to save, and this will certainly come in handy; thanks, Felix!
11. Good job, Ben! Your suggestion regarding [company name]'s recognition program was great!   Not only did the recognition team get excited about it, but the recognition coordinator did too.  
12. Raymond, thank you for spending time with Michelle today helping her learn how to use the [tool name].  This will definitely benefit [company name] in the long run.  Great work!
13. Thank you for your cost-saving idea regarding XYZ product, Adele. We are so happy we were able to implement this into our process and that it is already working out!  
14. Michele, thank you for making our latest project more efficient by suggesting we use [new technology] instead of completing it manually. This will make life easier on all ends going forward.
15. Many thanks to you Charles, for preparing the office lunch today. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
16. You are an inspiration to us all, Sam. Your hard work and amazing performance continue to positively impact the speed at which our company revenues grow. Thank you!
17. It’s always a pleasure to come across people who are so passionate, dedicated, and trustworthy. Jesse, your hard work does not go unnoticed. We can’t hope to achieve our goals without those qualities and I am truly grateful for you and your dedication to this company. Thank you!
18. I just wanted to let you know how great it was to have access to your expertise on that last report. I really learned a lot from the exercise. Thank you, Jon!
19. Kari, I would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication. Your work ethic and involvement are admirable, and we are fortunate to have someone as dedicated as you onboard!
20. I really appreciated your efficiency and quick resolution of my issue so I could move forward on the project without getting too frustrated. Sophie, thank you for always being there when needed!
21. Jorge, you provide help and support when it is needed, which I truly appreciate. You are an asset to the company.
22. Erika, we’ve had the honor of working with you during your first 5 years. We are so grateful for all that you have brought to our team, and we do hope for continued success for you going forward!
23. It seems like just yesterday that we recruited you as one of our team members, Tyler! I can't thank you enough for your years of service to us. You are a shining example of dedication and loyalty.
24. Congratulations on reaching this milestone, Amanda! We know you have worked hard to achieve this accomplishment, and we are truly grateful for your dedication.
25. I want to thank you for raising everyone's mood with your smile, Scott. It is so valuable when we need a boost in spirits and it has helped motivate me this morning on my way to work.
26. Desirae, you have worked hard, and tirelessly so, in order to help us get there. Thank you for doing your best every day!
27. We appreciate your hard work and dedication towards making this project a success. It's been wonderful to be able to rely on you in the last few weeks, Amir, and it will be extremely difficult to operate without you around! Thank you for everything that you’ve done so far.
28. We can't thank you enough for always volunteering when we need a helping hand, Lily.
29. We are so glad you're a part of our team, Lawrence! You are so creative, and we couldn't be more grateful for what you do. Your hard work is extremely meaningful to us - keep it up!
30. I feel like you're the perfect fit here at our company, Suki. Thank you for all your hard work and for being an awesome team player!
31. I’d like to recognize the entire team for completing their goals faster than expected! You all put in a lot of time and effort, which contributed to the positive results of this quarter. Great work everyone!

A Culture of Recognition is Powerful

It has the power to drive employee engagement, increase productivity and improve retention rates. But for it to be effective, you have to get it right!

Check out this article - 5 Surprisingly Simple Ways To Improve Employee Recognition And Engagement - too

Recognition must be sincere, specific, and given when your employees deserve it.

Studies have shown that recognition is the number one motivator for employees.

We all know how important it is to recognize people and teams, but most companies do not have a formal way of doing this. This leads to frustration on both sides - managers don't feel like they are able to give meaningful feedback and employees don't feel appreciated or recognized for their contributions.

Marquee Incentives can help you design a program that will make your company stand out as an employer of choice by providing meaningful recognition experiences that drive performance, loyalty, and engagement.

Marquee Incentives has been creating employee recognition programs since 1996 and we're good at it!

We'll help you design a program that will engage your team members so that they feel recognized and appreciated on an ongoing basis.

Our innovative software also makes tracking performance easier than ever before because our system is designed specifically for recognizing people who work together as part of a team.

No more spreadsheets or running to the store to pick up rewards - we've got recognition covered.