8 Best Positive Recognition Examples
Recognizing employees is a vital part of fostering a positive workplace culture, so we gathered eight examples of positive recognition from CEOs and founders. From awarding “VA of the Month” to sending “Gratitude Grams” to personalize appreciation, discover the diverse ways leaders are celebrating their teams’ achievements.
- Awarding “VA of the Month”
- Public Praise and Personal Acknowledgment
- Shoutout Fridays Cultivate Team Gratitude
- Quarterly Spotlight Awards Program
- CEO’s Personalized Thank-You Videos
- Daily Affirmations Boost Morale
- Monthly Best Innovation and Creativity Award
- Gratitude Grams Personalize Appreciation
Awarding “VA of the Month”
We have a “VA (Virtual Assistant) of the Month” to recognize our exemplary employees. We award them with certificates and monetary incentives. We also provide travel incentives, and just last December 2023, we treated them to one of the beautiful places in the Philippines, which is Palawan.
Pavel Stepanov
CEO of Virtudesk, Virtudesk
Public Praise and Personal Acknowledgment
At KeeVurds, we’re all about growing together. Here’s an example of how we show positive recognition, no matter how small the accomplishment is:
Let’s say Rajvir, on the content acquisition team, just landed an exclusive interview with a major industry influencer. It’s a huge win for our growing startup media platform.
At our weekly team meeting, I’d give Rajvir a shout-out in front of everyone. I’d highlight her initiative, resourcefulness, and the potential impact of the interview. Additionally, we have a Slack channel dedicated to KeeVurds Kudos. I, or anyone on the team, would post a message there specifically acknowledging Rajvir’s accomplishment.
I’d also send Rajvir a personal message expressing my appreciation for her hard work and the positive impact it will have on the whole team.
Our main focus at KeeVurds is to make the recognition personal, timely, and public (to a certain extent). We want our employees to know their hard work is seen, valued, and inspires others.
Himanshu Sharma
Founder, KeeVurds
Shoutout Fridays Cultivate Team Gratitude
At our workplace, we have a tradition called “Shoutout Fridays.” Every Friday, team members publicly recognize and appreciate their peers for their contributions, big or small. It fosters a culture of gratitude, camaraderie, and motivation.
Whether it’s a shoutout for a successful project or a kind gesture, this practice reinforces the value of teamwork and encourages continuous excellence. It’s heartening to witness the positivity and camaraderie that emanates from these heartfelt acknowledgments.
Bart Waldon
Co-Founder, Land Boss
Quarterly Spotlight Awards Program
At Aqua Cloud, we believe in fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition to cultivate a healthy work environment. One example of positive recognition at our workplace is our ‘Spotlight Awards’ program.
Through the Spotlight Awards, we celebrate and acknowledge employees who embody our company values and significantly contribute to our success. Nominations can come from anyone within the organization, allowing peers and managers to recognize achievements and behaviors.
We announce winners quarterly during company meetings and through internal communication channels, where their accomplishments are highlighted and celebrated by the entire team. We also mention them on our social media channels, which showcases our culture of appreciation to the broader community. In addition to public recognition, recipients receive personalized rewards, such as gift cards or other meaningful tokens of appreciation.
This initiative also supports our core values and inspires others to strive for excellence in their roles. With this program, we create a supportive workplace where every team member feels valued and motivated to perform at their best.
Yulia Pavlova
HR Professional, Key Partnerships Manager, aqua cloud
CEO’s Personalized Thank-You Videos
For significant milestones or exceptional achievements, I record personalized thank-you videos. This direct, heartfelt acknowledgment from the CEO’s desk adds a personal touch to recognition, making the appreciation feel even more genuine and impactful.
This approach not only bridges the distance in our remote work environment but also conveys appreciation in a deeply personal way. It transforms a moment of achievement into a memorable experience, reinforcing the idea that every individual’s contribution is vital to our collective success. These videos are more than just messages; they’re proof of the value we place on personal connection and recognition within our organization.
Alari Aho
CEO and Founder, Toggl Inc
Daily Affirmations Boost Morale
Daily affirmations are important in an everyday routine, whether between leadership and team members or peer-to-peer. This doesn’t overpower actual recognitions like salary increases, bonuses, or other incentives.
Still, it does boost team morale to receive quick, positive feedback from the people with whom they’re working, in acknowledgment of a great job done. It’s important to foster such a relationship between coworkers that it becomes the company culture, because it helps build a collaborative environment built on positivity and camaraderie.
Jamie Frew
CEO, Carepatron
Monthly Best Innovation and Creativity Award
In our organization, we have cultivated an environment where positive recognition is integral to our culture, ensuring that achievements and hard work do not go unnoticed. One exemplary form of recognition we have implemented is the “Best Innovation and Creativity of the Month” award. This initiative celebrates individuals who bring creative solutions to challenges, drive innovation within their projects, or significantly enhance client satisfaction.
Winners are nominated by their peers, promoting a sense of community and mutual respect. The award includes public acknowledgment in our company-wide meetings, a featured spot on our internal digital platforms, and a personalized gift that aligns with the recipient’s interests or professional growth aspirations, such as books, courses, or tech gadgets.
This form of recognition has fostered an incredibly positive atmosphere in the workplace, encouraging a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. It motivates the individual recipients and inspires others to strive for excellence and innovation in their work. We’ve noticed increased collaborative efforts and creative problem-solving among our teams as employees feel more valued and recognized for their contributions. This has boosted morale and enhanced our overall productivity and the quality of work we deliver to our clients.
By celebrating these achievements, we reinforce our core values and demonstrate the significant impact each team member can have on our agency’s success and the success of our clients.
Vaibhav Kakkar
CEO, Digital Web Solutions
Gratitude Grams Personalize Appreciation
One unique way we recognize achievements is through “Gratitude Grams.” Team members can write heartfelt notes to appreciate each other’s contributions, creating personalized gestures of recognition that foster a culture of appreciation and connection.
Jonathan Rosenfeld
Owner and Attorney, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, “What’s an example of positive recognition that takes place at your workplace? ”
