--- title: 12 fun and kooky ways to improve your reward and recognition programme description: Just because your employee reward and recognition is structured it doesn't mean it has to be boring. Check out these 12 fun reward and recognition ideas you can use in your organisation to help boost employee productivity in the workplace. image: https://www.penguins.co.uk/hubfs/Blogs/Blog%20Images/Reward%20and%20Recognition/office_dog_reward_recognition72.jpg --- Want to talk about your event? give us a call on: [+44 (0)1753 833 811](tel:+441753833811) *x* [![Penguins Events Ltd](https://www.penguins.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Penguins-sep16/images/logo.png?width=193&height=40&name=logo.png "Penguins Events Ltd")](https://www.penguins.co.uk/) ** ** ### Contact us ** ### Subscribe # 12 fun and kooky ways to improve your reward and recognition programme 8 Apr 2021 | by [Abbie Hanton](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/author/abbie-hanton) [Reward and recognition programmes](https://www.penguins.co.uk/services/reward-and-recognition) are great, because they actively celebrate those hard workers and motivate the workforce to aim for constant improvement. However, some programmes can fall a tad flat if those benefits aren’t considered worthy of hard work. We all know about the usual methods, i.e., bonuses, less working hours, travel incentives, but what about the smaller ways that you can appreciate your employees for their hard work on a regular basis?   ## **You know about [the benefits of a reward and recognition programme](https://www.penguins.co.uk/en/blog/the-benefits-of-rewarding-and-recognising-your-staff), but Here**** are**** 1****2**** ways you can spruce up your ideas and get your employees motivated.**    ### **1. Be the CEO for one day** I’m sure you’ve heard of the term ‘King for a day’, but how about ‘CEO for the day’? Why not give your best, most hardworking employee the ultimate recognition by letting them work alongside the CEO and get first-hand experience into what it’s like to be the top dog? It’s a great motivator for personal growth and development, allowing this star employee to take a peek into their potential future.    ### **2. Cutting down the hours**  The benefits of taking a little time off work are endless, especially when it’s a nice surprise to celebrate your achievements in the workplace. Allowing your team to cut down their working hours on a Friday is a great way to boost morale and increase productivity.    **3. Take****-****out on us**  Everyone loves take-out – especially when it’s free! Reward your hard-working employees with a cheat-day meal for lunch or a voucher for their favourite delivery service.     ### **4. H****all of fame**** with a twist**  An employee of the month scheme is great but after a while can be a little boring… Spruce up an old-fashioned reward scheme by introducing something a little different. For example, how about a cardboard cut-out hall of fame? The employee of the month’s cut-out is placed in a special section (i.e., the reception or main office area) and at the end of the year, all the cut-outs are placed together to celebrate their hard work and recognise the team players from across the business.    ### **5. Gift it! **  Why not gift something, like a plant, to each of your employees to let them know they’re valued. If not a plant, even a hamper or something as simple as a coffee lets your team know you recognise their hard work and appreciate them. Often it isn't the value of something that is important, but the thought that has been put behind it, or the unexpectedness, everyone loves a surprise, right?!   ### **6. Custom emojis or clothing**  Show your employee you appreciate their hard work by getting them their own custom emojis to use on your work hub! It’s a fun way to spread awareness of employees throughout the company and start conversation.    ### **7. Puppies!**  Everyone loves puppies – and they’re also a great stress reliever! Just finished up a big pitch, or about to go to one? Bring in a therapy dog to help ease pre- or post-project jitters. Puppies are also bound to increase workplace morale, with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs believing that [the introduction of a therapy dog can help generate workplace interactions that would not normally take place](https://www.therapydogs.com/benefits-therapy-dog-workplace/) – it’s a win-win!    ### **8. House cleaning or ****cook**  Trying to balance working from home isn’t always easy, especially if your home life is as chaotic as your work one! Pay for a personal chef to take the stress of dinner away for one night for your hardest working employees. Alternatively, you could hire a cleaner to spruce the place up and remove one more job off the to-do list for your hardworking team members. By doing this, you’re removing a big stress factor from their day, allowing them to relax slightly and focus on the task at hand.     ### **9. Personalised celeb videos**  Sure, it’s great being recognised for your work by a manager or CEO, but what about by your favourite celeb? Sites such as [Cameo](https://www.cameo.com/?utm_campaign=evergreen-branded-campaign&utm_source=google-search&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=keyword_cameo::matchtype_e&utm_content=474847116188::adpos_::network_g::device_c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzpn1sbjB7gIVyZ7tCh2W8AToEAAYASAAEgJjH_D_BwE) are a great way to secure an exciting celebrity shoutout and these are really on trend right now!   ### **10. The funky trophy ****hat**  If you’re a place that celebrates the top-dog weekly, how about having a funky hat that they can wear with pride to alert the office they’re at the top of their game. We know, this might not go down too well… so to make it seem more appealing, have this hat also be a symbol of free coffee or food from the canteen or local coffee shop!    ### **11. Getting someone out of the ****doghouse**** **  Sometimes, the best way to get someone motivated is to offer something that’ll help them out when they’re in the doghouse. Offer a charity donation in the name of whomever they wish or give them a voucher to send flowers or gifts to a loved one.    ### **12. Dance lessons**  We’ve all witnessed the horrors that take place on the dancefloor at work parties – dance lessons are a fun reward to recognise hard work, but also to save everyone else having to witness that dancing again…    ***Hopefully**** these ideas have drummed up some inspiration to spruce up your reward and recognition programme. For more inspiration, t****ake a look**** at our recent blog posts ****on [the benefits of rewarding and recognising your staff](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/the-benefits-of-rewarding-and-recognising-your-staff) and [10 insane stats about reward and recognition](https://www.penguins.co.uk/en/blog/10-insane-stats-about-reward-and-recognition). Or have a read of our report on [The Changing face of reward](https://www.penguins.co.uk/reward-recognition-report). And to find out how you can implement some of these ideas into your organisation [get in touch with our team of reward and recognition experts today](https://www.penguins.co.uk/services/reward-and-recognition).*** ![Abbie Hanton](https://www.penguins.co.uk/hubfs/Team%20Images/Abbie%20Hanton%20(1).png) #### By Abbie Hanton [More articles](https://www.penguins.co.uk/blog/author/abbie-hanton) by Abbie Hanton [< back to blog](https://www.penguins.co.uk/blog) - [Reward & Recognition](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/topic/reward-recognition) #### RECOMMENDED POSTS [How to make your employees feel valued through reward and recognition](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/how-to-make-your-employees-feel-valued) [Personalising your reward and recognition programme](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/personalising-your-reward-and-recognition-programme) [Vlog: Reward and recognition, the impacts, the trends, the future](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/vlog-reward-and-recognition-the-impacts-the-trends-the-future) [Reward and recognition: The road to recovery](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/reward-and-recognition-the-road-to-recovery) [What was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reward and recognition?](https://www.penguins.co.uk/incentive-travel-blog/what-was-the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-reward-and-recognition) #### SHARE THIS BLOG POST: [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguins.co.uk%2Fincentive-travel-blog%2F12-fun-and-kooky-ways-to-improve-your-reward-and-recognition-programme%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguins.co.uk%2Fincentive-travel-blog%2F12-fun-and-kooky-ways-to-improve-your-reward-and-recognition-programme%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguins.co.uk%2Fincentive-travel-blog%2F12-fun-and-kooky-ways-to-improve-your-reward-and-recognition-programme%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=12%20fun%20and%20kooky%20ways%20to%20improve%20your%20reward%20and%20recognition%20programme) ### Like what you've read? 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