Corporate Awards

The holidays make me conjure up memories of corporate holiday parties and corporate awards ceremonies. The employees, managers and executives get together, eat nice food, drink too much wine, and acknowledge one another for all the great work, commitment, and results. A few people get a little too inebriated and do the "chicken dance" on a table while the interns try to get noticed.

Those are my memories. I'll spare names. I actually have some much better stories than that, but I'll keep the content focused. When Monday rolls around, a few people are embarrassed, a few people are still hung over, and a few are hiding in their offices and cubicles. The corporate holiday parties are always good times and always good opportunities to recognize the people that keep the company running.

Creating Motivation

Many organizational theorists argue that corporate awards ceremonies can generate real motivation when used in conjunction with other tactics. Periodic award ceremonies are more effective than year end gatherings. Year end gatherings typically motivate employees immediately after the awards ceremony and immediately before the awards ceremony. That's a ton of dead time in between.

Corporate awards should come with a monetary reward and access to other opportunities. Employees might feel a little disconcerted if award winners are consistently working the same jobs. Upward mobility means a great deal to employees; it's a powerful motivational tool. Employees who are promoted should be promoted in a ceremonious fashion. They should be acknowledged in front of their peers and colleagues.