Service Award Programs

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Recognizing employees for their length of service isn’t only about making them feel good; it’s good for your organization as well.

Recognition + Rewards = Loyal Employees

Service Awards are the best way to remind your employees that they are valued and also serve as a tribute for their efforts over the past years. Companies who recognize their employees for years of service know these programs have the power to motivate their entire staff, and in the end provide great success for their organizations.

Employees that are recognized for their service have a greater tendency to remain loyal to a company. This leads to retention of the highest qualified workforce to better accommodate customers and clients, lowers turnover and training costs, and truly deliver on your brand’s promise of excellence.

Service awards are the foundation of any recognition strategy and provide companies the opportunity to express appreciation to all employees for their loyalty and dedication. Embracing a culture of celebrating years of service milestones at all organizational levels will achieve many measurable benefits and provide a marked return on investment.

Measurable benefits

  • Increased productivity
  • Elevated customer service, sales and satisfaction
  • Retention of top performers
  • Improved profitability
  • Reduced employee turnover
  • Enhanced recruiting capabilities
  • Boost morale and create a positive work environment
  • Promote “a company that cares” culture to employees

How Much Should You Budget for Your Program?

This can vary depending on the number of employees you have and the cost of the items you reward them with.

It is very prudent to set a budget for each year of service and choose gifts that fit within that price range. As these items are typically given out every 5 years, the award amount increases with each level and the gifts become more valuable the longer the employee has been with the company.

  • Number of employees that will receive awards each year in each category.
  • Type of award/cost.
  • If tangible items, who is providing the rewards?
  • How you plan to hand out the awards, if it will be at a ceremony then these costs need to be considered.
  • Staff hours involved to set and to carry out the program.
  • Communication and marketing costs for the program.
  • Cost of shipping rewards if necessary.

Once you have worked through these questions, it will give you a clear idea of what your budget should be.

 5 Year – a gift valued between $100 – $200 per person

10 Year – a gift valued between $200 – $300 per person

15 Year – a gift valued between $300 – $400 per person

20 Year – a gift valued between $400 – $500 per person

This is just an example; any denomination can be used for your budget.

How to Create an Employee Incentive Program

Once you have the basic outline of your program developed, we can help you put together the rewards that will wow your participants.

  • Determine the team of people who will be designing and implementing the program. Typically Human Resources employees are in charge of this program.
  • Set a budget. This should include all incentives/prizes, marketing pieces to be sent out to the employees explaining the program and administration costs. 
  • Determine how often your employees will receive their Service Awards. Annually? Every 5 years? 
  • Determine the awards. They can be an actual award (trophy or medal) or special items (promotional items such as watches or clothing). Work with a promotional company to help develop your program and choose awards. 
  • Set up a marketing program to inform the employees of their award. If you offer choices, be sure to include all options in your information to them. This can be done via a brochure or a website created specifically with the products available.

Common service award questions

How do service award programs work?

A company chooses the service milestones it wants to recognize, sets a budget, selects appropriate rewards, and explains the program clearly to employees. Level 2 can help narrow the reward choices, organize product information, and plan a practical ordering process.

How much should we budget?

Your budget depends on the number of employees reaching each milestone, the value of the rewards, how often the program runs, and any communication or administration costs. Start with those inputs, then build reward levels your organization can maintain consistently.

What makes a service award feel meaningful?

The reward should suit the milestone and the people receiving it. A considered selection, useful choices, and a clear presentation usually say more than simply choosing the lowest-cost item.

Planning a service award program? Tell us what you are working on and we’ll help you find the right fit.