An employee holds a year-end ceremony laser engraved by Printastik in an effort to foster team bonding.

Office morale has always been a big topic of conversation in corporate spaces as of late. Office practices have come under greater scrutiny as both employees and management wrestle with how best to create and adjust to the new normal. Keeping spirits high in the workplace has never been more important than it is now. 

There are plenty of ways companies have already made an effort to create an environment where employees feel comfortable, appreciated and heard. From work-from-home flexibility to break areas that provide space to eat and rest, employers are willing to provide more than ever before to make sure they can keep their best employees and remain an attractive option for prospective hires. Ultimately, the company that doubles down on making their staff feel valued and appreciated is the one that will win out. One way for an organization to accomplish this is to host a year-end award ceremony.

For Merit or for Merriment

There are two main approaches to hosting a year-end awards ceremony. You can base the awards on merit, developing criteria for each one and tracking performance. This approach may prove valuable if a company is in a competitive industry where it is critical to stay ahead of the pack. Showcasing top performers can also serve as an inspiration for other employees to perform at a higher level. This approach, however, needs to fit the business. It can backfire if your culture and industry are not served by internal competition.

If you find that your company is better served by celebrating the teamwork that it took to make it through the year, you can still hand out year-end awards. It is important that these awards are focused on the efforts of everyone involved. Recognizing teams and individuals for overcoming obstacles to better serve customers is a great way to make employees feel seen and appreciated. When this happens, team bonding becomes a natural byproduct. Going this route also gives employers the chance to have some fun and release some of the pressure of the day to day. Having a tasteful sense of humor can help relax the team, making it easier to focus and get work done. 

Regardless of how you approach your year-end award ceremony – as long as it fits your culture – doing so will go a long way to foster team bonding. This will pay dividends that can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

All You Have to Do Is Hand Them Out

If you’ve decided to host a year-end award ceremony for your staff, you can rely on Printastik to handle everything from banners to the awards themselves. With decades of experience in digital printing, we are confident that you will be proud to recognize your employees with awards sourced and engraved by Printastik. We have transparent pricing, reasonable turnaround times and a wide variety of digitally printed awards to choose from. Make your company’s year-end award ceremony go off without a hitch – we’d love to work with you.