Preparing Awards for Employee Appreciation Day

This guide is designed to help you prepare for a successful Employee Appreciation Day filled with recognition and rewards for your team.
 

Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect opportunity to express gratitude and recognize the hard work of your employees. To make the most of this special day, we recommend starting your preparations early—ideally three months in advance. This lead time ensures a smooth process and allows you to create meaningful recognitions that make the day truly memorable.
 

To help you feel confident and ensure a seamless experience, we’ve outlined key steps and best practices for preparing your Employee Appreciation Day awards!

1. Key Preparations
   • Adding an Employee Appreciation Day Recognition Program
   • Prefunding Your Account
   • Crafting Email Templates
   • Planning Bulk Recognition
2. Notes & Best Practices
3. Example
4. Contact Information

Key Preparations

Adding an Employee Appreciation Day Recognition Program

Create a program specifically for Employee Appreciation Day in the Recognition Program Settings to ensure clear and accurate reporting. Follow these steps:

1. On the homepage, select the “Admin” button at the bottom of the left navigation menu.
2. From the left navigation menu, click “Recognition,” “Programs,” and then "Recognition Programs."
3. Click “Create Program.”
4. Name the program and click “Create Program.”
5. In the General tab select “Other” from the Program Category dropdown menu. 
6. Click “Save Changes.” 
    

Prefunding Your Account

Ensure your account is adequately funded to handle employee appreciation awards.

1. On the Billing Page, click Request an Invoice to pre-fund awards.
2. Enter the requested invoice amount, click Continue, and specify if the invoice is for pre-funding a program. If yes, select the appropriate program or budget.
3. Fill in any additional details like email address, PO, or notes.
4. Review the payment breakdown, then click Submit Request.

Note: Prefund the full award amount. If your redemption account balance reaches $0, orders will stop. Credit card payments are instant (with a fee), while ACH payments take 3-5 business days without a fee. You can expect your invoice within 24-48 business hours.

Once processed, funds will appear in the “Deposits” line of the Funding Summary. To deposit the points you will award for the employee recognition:

1. Click Add Points on the Billing Page.
2. Enter the desired amount of points (equal to the funds deposited).
3. Enter a note and click Add Points.
4. Select Confirm. 

Deposited points show under “Company Account” in Points Summary. For clearer reporting, create a separate employee appreciation day budget. See the Managing Budgets article for detailed budget and point allocation instructions.

Crafting Email Templates

Use the Email Template Easy Editor to create personalized Employee Appreciation Day email templates.

• Select images from the Employee Appreciation Day Email Template article.
• Include heartfelt appreciation messages and clear instructions on redeeming awards.
• Test your email template by sending a recognition to yourself using the Bulk Recognition Builder to ensure everything looks perfect.

Planning Bulk Recognition

Use the Bulk Recognition Builder to distribute Employee Appreciation Day awards.

• Consider sending recognitions from the general recognition account or from the head of your organization for added impact.
• Before sending, confirm that sufficient points are allocated to the correct budget.
• Attach the appropriate email template and program to your bulk recognition.
• Set visibility to "private" if you prefer a more personalized touch.

Notes & Best Practices

• Start early: Begin preparations at least three months in advance to ensure all steps are completed on time.
• No extra license fees: Employee Appreciation Day programs are free to implement and do not count toward any additional license fees.
• Flexible redemption options: Allow employees to redeem their points using any available options, giving them the flexibility to combine Employee Appreciation Day points with their existing balance.
• Avoid catalogs: To simplify the process, avoid implementing catalogs. If necessary, custom catalogs start at $300 per year.
• Points provide the most flexibility for employees. Avoid using AwardCodes and bonus boxes.
• Awards don’t need to be physical items: Let employees choose their own rewards and combine them with existing points for a more personalized experience.
• Offer impactful awards: While smaller awards or simple messages (e.g., 10 points) are appreciated, consider offering larger awards to make a more significant impact.
• Use reporting tools like Recognition Details and Points Redeemed to track the success of your Employee Appreciation Day program. 

Example

Here’s an example of an email template created in the Email Template Easy Editor for an Employee Appreciation Day program:

Here’s an example of a bulk recognition created in the Bulk Recognition Builder for an Employee Appreciation Day program:

Contact Information

For help or questions, contact the Technical CSM Team.

Remember, Employee Appreciation Day is a time to express gratitude and celebrate your employees. With Awardco, you have the tools to make your employees feel valued and appreciated on this special day. We're here to support you every step of the way.

Happy Employee Appreciation Day!

If you have any questions, please contact Awardco Admin Support.