Why Rewarding Employees with Trophies is Such a Good Idea

Trophies are inexpensive and effective ways to reward employees

Today, in our internet and social media-driven world where every action is seemingly praised, the classic desk trophy may not seem like much. They’re fairly common, more common than ever, but surprisingly despite this prevalence, people still love to receive these types of awards. Of course, it’s not just the award they love to receive. It’s that attention, that recognition of accomplishment. They did something meaningful and did a job worthy of that recognition. It’s a great feeling and a trophy can serve as a constant reminder of that feeling.


Being rewarded with a trophy or other similar award takes that feeling of accomplishment and makes it tactile. It a two-fold experience. One, the employee can be reminded of the accomplishment through the award. It sets a personal standard and that employee is likely to maintain that standard because they know they can and they may feel a certain expectation of it from co-workers and bosses. And two, the employee can display the award, essentially as a quiet, though not necessarily subtle, way of bragging. It creates a sense of authority and communicates to others that this person knows what they’re doing.

Having an incentive program in place in which your company can award its employees with trophies is a fantastic way to motivate and keep productivity high. It can foster competitiveness among employees when they know they’re hard work will be recognized. It puts their work in perspective and they know it has value to both themselves and the company. Because it makes the employee feel respected and can contribute to improved productivity, it’s a win/win situation.

One of the great things about trophies is the wide range of sizes and types. You can go inexpensive with acrylic awards or get a bit more sophisticated with crystal awards. Either way, there’s always something that fits the position and accomplishment of an employee. The more personalized the award is for the recipient, the greater the significance it will have to that person, and really, the more appreciative they’ll be. After all, the effort a company puts into the awards it gives its employees can send a message. Be impersonal and generic and the response will be appropriate. The recipient will know how much you really care. Always put thought into the award.

Don’t reward with just trophies, however. While they’re great to receive and display, they’re something that everyone can potentially get. Have the trophy tied to something more meaningful. It can be as simple as a small bonus or as elaborate (and awesome) as a paid vacation. Of course, it does depend on the nature and impactfulness of the achievement. If you’re employee did something absolutely remarkable for the company, they deserve recognition accordingly.

About the author:

Anna McCarthy is an HR specialist who writes on topics ranging from business communication, productivity, employee satisfaction, and corporate awards. She spends her free time going on weekend hikes and writing short stories.