Recognition Ideas

Recognition can increase employee retention and morale

Host a luncheon, coffee, reception, or provide doughnuts or pizza for the staff sometime during the week.
A personal letter of thanks from the CPO or agency director to the staff recognizing their work, dedication and efforts.
Hold a drawing for a paid individual membership to a professional association such as APPA, ACA, ICCA or others as appropriate.
Have a raffle to give away a paid registration fee to attend an APPA conference or to a training being held in your area.
Select one day during the Week to have a pot luck lunch. Then have everyone vote for the best dish with a certificate presented to the winner. Or, spray a spatula with gold paint to present as the "Golden Spatula Award".
There are probably several gardeners on staff. See if they would like to organize a "plant swap" during the Week to exchange plants and ideas with those who may have been afraid to try gardening before.
Have your agency "adopt" a local charity and take up a collection of needed items during the Week to be presented at the charity. Don't forget to take photos and place on your agency website or in your newsletter.
Organize an agency speakers bureau through which officers who have talents in presenting to community groups or schools can be contacted. Often times, groups simply don't know how or who to contact for speaking engagements. Make sure the info is on your website and easy to find.
Give employees time off to give blood.
Give out Felix and Oscar awards to people with the neatest and messiest desks.
Design a “Stress Support Kit” that includes aspirin, a comedy cassette, wind up toys and a stress ball – or design your own.
Create an Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (ABCD) Award.
Start a suggestion box to engage staff to make suggestions on improving work flow, training needs, etc.
If you have a department newsletter, publish a “congrats” area and ask for nominations throughout the department or agency to recognize achievements.
Print a few pages of our business card size “Thank you!” cards to give to staff or co-workers who go out of their way to help you finish a project or report, fill in for you when you’ve been ill or who is always ready to listen when you’ve had an especially rough day.
For those agencies that are armed, hold a shooting range target practice and tournament with small prizes or gift certificates for the winners.
Check with a local gym to see if they would be willing to donate a month’s (or more!) worth of visits. If they’re game, hold a drawing for the prize.
Gather a group of volunteers from your office to spend a couple of hours serving food at a homeless shelter or ask if your local women’s shelter needs some sprucing up. Most communities never have enough volunteers and your efforts will be welcomed. Try having some t-shirts with your agency name printed to wear while you’re helping out.
If your agency is near a college, university or community college, ask instructors to bring a group of students interested in entering the field of community corrections into the office to see what really happens day-to-day. APPA gets numerous information requests each year from students looking to go into probation or parole careers and who ask what the work is really like.
Have a daily drawing for movie tickets or movie rentals.
Have a “good neighbor” barbeque! Join with other agencies or businesses to have a cookout with games and giveaways.
Energize your staff by arranging for a motivational speaker to visit who can tailor his/her speech for community corrections.
Organize a day of fun and team-building training for your staff. If possible, ask a facilitator who specializes in these events to help you plan. Problem-solving, trust-building and teamwork activities can prepare your staff for future challenges and create a more tight-knit group.
Provide pens, bookmarks, key chains, ribbons, buttons badges, cups, coffee mug, and distribute item(s) to promote and show appreciation for their efforts.
Honor deceased and/or injured officers by observing a moment of silence.
Place a billboard advertisement about the week.
At a breakfast or a luncheon recognize your staff with the longest years of service, newest staff person, and create other ways to recognize each of your staff.
Have a door prize drawing each day giving away small gifts such as a mug, pens, clock, tote bag, travel thermos, etc. Contact a local school, beauty academy, department store, car wash, tickets to a local sporting event, movie tickets, to donate items for your door prizes.

And…don’t forget to have new posters printed for this year’s Week! Post them in your office, at the Courthouse, the District Attorney’s office and ask for permission to post them in the windows of local merchants who greatly benefit from the work of community corrections professionals and the actions they take to keep the neighborhood safe.