How to Start an Employee Recognition Program with Custom Pins

A winning strategy to build a positive and producing culture at work starts with a good recognition program.

Companies big and small find their own ways of celebrating team members who go above and beyond, reach important milestones, and help the business succeed. The reason custom employee recognition pins are so popular in these types of programs is because they give your team members a physical item they display or wear with pride. If you want to start your own program, or need more information on why it’s a worthwhile strategy, we’ve got all the information you need!

Why Choose Employee Recognition Pins?

Lapel pins are highly customizable, budget-friendly, and easy to share with members of your team. Here are the top reasons our customers prefer lapel pins over other products when creating a recognition program:

• Tangible awards: Words go a long way, but having a physical item to hold, wear, or display makes lapel pins perfect for creating a personal and enduring recognition program.
• Highly-customizable: No matter your style or brand, our custom lapel pins are versatile enough to meet any of your needs. Create something that reflects your brand or have some fun and make something more personal to your employees.
• Boost morale: Receiving a thoughtfully designed pin in front of peers can create feelings of pride and motivation.
• Promote company culture: Pins designed for an employee recognition program can help visually reinforce goals and values of your organization.

How to Launch Your Custom Pin Program at Work

1. Define the purpose of your program

   What kind of achievements or milestones are you planning to recognize? Years of service pins are a popular option for many of our customers. We also design pins for trainers, pins for rising stars, and pins for employees who embody core values. Regardless of the fine details, the main purpose of your program should be to celebrate your team members, so think of ways to create a personal message of gratitude in your program.

2. Create a custom lapel pin design

   This is the fun part! Here at Lapel Pins Plus, we can create anything you imagine. Once you know the basic premise of your recognition program, have fun brainstorming ideas for pins that highlight specific goals and achievements, celebrate anniversaries, and capture the spirit of your team and brand. We can help you incorporate your business brand into the design, or help you create something completely unique! Just make sure the focus of the design is on your employees.

3. Establish criteria to earn a lapel pin

   Once you have the purpose of your program defined, and the design ready to go, make sure you set up clear criteria for employees to meet in order to receive recognition. For years of service pins, the criteria is simply meeting your work anniversary each year! For more specific awards like meeting sales goals, or embodying company core values, have specifics in place so it’s easy to award employees doing things right!

4. Plan how to award pins to your employees

   It’s best to award employee recognition pins in front of peers. That way, everyone gets to see who is setting an example of excellence, and the person receiving the award will have a chance to receive kudos from their peers. Whether it’s during morning stand up, or part of a regular meeting during the week, define a good time when people are together to hand out the awards.

5. Incorporate employee feedback to improve the process

   Once you have everything in place, and the program has begun, be sure to welcome feedback from your team. They might have ideas for improvements, or suggestions for accomplishments deserving of recognition that you might not have thought of before. As long as you keep an open dialog open with your team, everyone is sure to have a clear idea of how to earn recognition and you will be able to improve the program over time.

Tips for Success

If you want your custom pins to be a success, quality matters. Make sure to take your time and create a custom employee recognition pin that resonates with your team.

Be sure to promote the program ahead of time. If your team is unaware of the program or isn’t clear on how the program works, it will be tough to get people engaged. Have leadership announce the recognition program ahead of time so your team knows what to expect.

Finally, it helps to combine the lapel pins with other rewards like certificates, gift cards, or office perks. A well-executed employee recognition program will have far-reaching effects you might not expect. Employees who feel valued are more engaged, loyal, and productive. If you’re ready to create some custom lapel pins for a program of your own, we’re here to help! Our professional team of artists will create a free artwork proof for you, and make sure you can bring your vision to life! Just fill out a free quote form to get started! We’re looking forward to working with you!