Top five long-service awards for employees

By Robert Crawford 23rd December 2013 5:30 am

If you read nothing else, read this

Long-service awards vary across different organisations.

The most common long-service awards tend to be gift cards or vouchers, or electrical
goods.

Employees appreciate flexibility in being able to choose their own gift.

Long-service awards are a way of saying thank-you to employees and recognising their
contribution over a period of years. But although this recognition practice continues, the awards
are changing.
Employers are increasingly realising that offering the traditional clock or watch is no longer the
most popular way of recognising or motivating staff. Here we look at the current top five longservice awards.
1. Gift cards or vouchers
Many employers offer gift cards or vouchers to long-serving employees because they can be
given in various forms, such as a plastic card or electronic voucher. These can be loaded with a
monetary value to reflect an employees length of service.
Gift cards give staff flexibility to choose their reward. In some cases, a cards value can be put
towards an overseas holiday or clothing. Employers can also personalise a gift card with the
employees name and the organisations brand. Cards or vouchers tend to be given out, along
with a framed certificate, at a recognition ceremony in front of the recipients peers.
Joanne Taylor, corporate sales manager at Jordan Media, which offers employers a range of
promotions, incentives and gift solutions, says: Gift vouchers are ideal because they have a
monetary value, and it is a very obvious way to demonstrate how valued that employee is. It also
gives them the chance to choose their gift and ensures they are not given something that may not
be appropriate for them.
2. Electrical goods
With the emergence of iPads, 3D televisions and high-tech phones, it is no surprise that when
employers offer staff a flexible choice of reward, electrical goods are high on their wish-lists.

Angela Williams, HR director at Sodexo, says: Times have changed. Clocks are no longer seen
as an appropriate long-service award. Awards are now really broad, and our employees get a
great sense of pride in working for the organisation by choosing which award they would like to
receive.
We have seen a surge in technical goods, such as iPads, TVs and laptops as top choices. We
have had to move with the times.
3. Extra holiday/sabbaticals
Many employers offer extra holiday to reward employees for, say, 10, 20 or 30 years service. In
some instances, organisations offer staff a six-week paid career break, the equivalent in pay, or a
mix of both. Dennis Publishing offers its staff such an option.
4. Employers memorabilia
Long-service awards also conjure up images of employer-branded scarves or memorabilia such
as pens. A plaque is another sign of recognition that employers like to use. Despite there being a
move away from using particular items to recognise long service, plaques still tend to be given
alongside a more personal gift chosen by the employee.
5. Clocks and watches
These used to be the most common long-service awards presented to staff. But as technology
now dominates many peoples lives, such traditional gifts are falling out of favour. Where
carriage clocks and gold watches are still used, they tend to come inscribed with the
organisations name or logo and the employees name.
Colin Hodgson, sales director at Edenred, says: The days of the traditional carriage clock or
watch, which was a symbol of time served, have really been replaced. Things have moved on
quite significantly and what we see today is the employer really valuing the act of
personalisation and providing choice to the employee.
So, long-service awards remain a cornerstone of recognition in the workplace, helping to
reinforce the relationship between employer and employee. It is just the shape of the reward
itself that is changing.
Additional ideas for wording your Years of Service Awards:

1. Option for Years of Service Awards

Presented to

Name
In Grateful Appreciation of
Your __Years of Outstanding
Dedication and Service
Company Name
Year
2. Option for Years of Service Awards
In Grateful Appreciation
For your ___Years of
Dedication and Service

To

(Company) or (
epar
ment
3. Option for Years of Service Awards
Company logo
In Grateful Appreciation
For Your Years of
Outstanding Service
And Commitment

Year Year

Recipient Name
4. Option for Years of Service Awards
Logo
Thank You for
__Years
Of Dedicated Service
Year Year
Recipient Name

5. Option for Years of Service Awards

Logo

From the Smallest Project

o the Largest UndertakingTh
nk you for you
DiligenceAnd
Commitment
6. Option for Years of Service Awards
In Grateful Appreciation
For your ___Years of
Devotion to

Company name

Recipient N
7. Option for Years of Service Awards
Recipient Name
Thank you for
__Years of Loyal and
Dedicated Service
Logo
Year Year
8. Option for Years of Service Awards

In Appreciation for
Your Loyal Service
And Outstanding Accomplishments
Recipient Name
Year Year
Company Name or Logo
9. Option for Years of Service Awards
Company Name
Service Award
Presented To

Name

In Appreciation for
____Years of
Loyal & Dedicated Service
Date
10. Option for Years of Service Awards
Logo
_____ Years of Service Award
Presented To
Recipient Name
Date

11. Option for Years of Service Awards

Logo
_____ Years of Service
Presented to
Recipient Name
With Deepest Appreciation

For Your Outstanding Contributions

To our Company
Date
12. Option for Years of Service Awards
Logo

____ Years
Recipient Name
Thank You for ___ Years
Of Dedicated Service