How To Choose A Retirement Award

Wording

When creating a retirement award, it’s important to consider the wording. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Who will be receiving the award?
• What name will you give the award? You could choose something that incorporates the words “service”, “integrity”, or “excellence”.
• Who will be presenting the award? Will it be your company’s CEO, or someone else?
• Why is the award being presented? Has the recipient achieved a particular employment milestone, such as 25 or 50 years of employment?
• When is the award being presented? Are you having a special function or awards night?

Some awards also include personalised quotes or messages that reflect the recipient’s achievements or say how much they’re appreciated or valued. This touching addition could definitely add value and meaning to your retirement award, and create beautiful sentiment for the recipient.

Once you have a clear idea of what’s happening and what you’d like to include, you’ll easily be able to craft the wording for your award.

Award Type

Plaques are some of the most popular retirement awards and come in a great range of styles. The material you choose will largely depend on your budget and what you think the recipient will like. Plaques come in glass, plastic, wood and metal, and in a range of colours. You might also design your plaque based on the years of service of your employee. If, for example, your employee has served for 25 or 50 years, a silver or gold plaque could be a great choice.

Alternatively, you might like to present a retirement cup or achievement statue for something a little bit different.

Presentation

Presenting your award is just as important as the one you choose. The way you present the award should consider how your retiring employee likes to be recognised. A celebration for your entire company is a great choice, but if the person doesn’t like being the centre of attention in front of a big group, you might opt for a smaller team gathering – like a team lunch or an after-hours party.

At the event, consider giving a speech that highlights the career of your employee and wishes them a happy retirement, before your CEO or manager hands out the award. You might also invite the retiree to say a few words.

Message

Presenting your retiring employees with an award sends a great message. They’ll leave your company on a high note, and perhaps even promote your business to others by sharing their positive experiences. The awards ceremony you create will boost team sentiment and collaboration, indicating to your employees that you value them, their loyalty and hard work. Finally, awards are great conversation starters, and they’ll help promote your business in a non-effective, meaningful way – like your own form of free marketing.

Want To Celebrate A Retiring Employee? Choose NQ Plaques & Trophies