How To Recognize Volunteers With Plaques And Awards

The professional name tags you give every one of your employees and volunteers may help them feel like they are involved in your company or organization, but may not suffice as the only way to make them feel important. If you run a small business or busy organization, you are probably extremely grateful for the service and time your volunteers have put towards furthering your organization’s success. You may not have the funds to pay them but you can still thank them formally for their efforts. Presenting your volunteers with a plaque that validates their hard work will help them feel appreciated and satisfied with the experience they had working with you.

Wording

The wording of the plaques you present your volunteers with is vital to its value. When you are creating the plaque, make sure that the logo of your company or organization is visible at the top. This will ensure that the receiver doesn’t forget where they got it from years down the road. In a recognizable space on the plaque, list the services the volunteer provided you with and any words of appreciation you might want to display that correlate directly to what they did during their time as a volunteer. You will also want to put their name on the plaque or award so that it has an element of personalization. Make sure that the name of the recipient is correctly spelled and displayed large enough so that it is recognizable from a short distance. If the volunteer your are presenting the plaque or award to will no longer be working for you, it is appropriate to put the date the volunteer began and their last day on the award.

Presentation

When you go to give the plaque or award to the volunteer, you may be tempted to mail it to them or hand it to them on their way out the door. Refrain from doing this and present it in a memorable way. Although the presentation process does not need to be elaborate or lengthy, a small ceremony may be appropriate. If there are other volunteers or employees of the organization working at the time, have them gather and recognize that individual receiving the award. This will add to the value of the plaque and create a special moment the volunteer will always associate with the award.

Just because you can’t pay a volunteer doesn’t mean their efforts should go unnoticed. If you run a business or organization, take the time to create and present a plaque or personalized award that will help your volunteers feel needed and appreciated.