As business leaders plan for a new year, the current recession is certainly part of the equation. Already, businesses have frozen new hires and scaled back budgets. In the past, recognition programs would have been on the chopping block, but companies are instead choosing to bolster these programs. Here’s why employee recognition is crucial during times of economic uncertainty.

Retention

There’s never a “good” time to lose valuable employees, but a recession certainly doesn’t help the situation. Even long-term employees could be eyeing the door if they aren’t feeling appreciated. Despite the recession, people are still confident in the job market. In April 2022, 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs, which is almost as high as “The Great Resignation” statistics a year prior. This costs employers millions in turnover expenses. On average, a 10,000 person company stands to lose $16 million annually in turnover costs!

The key to healthy retention is frequent and consistent recognition. According to a Gallup poll, employees who only receive recognition a few times a year are 74% more likely to plan on leaving their job within a year. This turnover rate decreases to 31% when employees are more frequently recognized. When people don’t feel appreciated or fulfilled by what they do, there’s nothing meaningful tying them to the company.

The Human Element

When done properly, recognition should feel personal and specific. What did the employee do? Who did they help? By offering a genuine “thank you,” the employee can feel good about what they did. They are not just performing the tasks demanded by their job description; they are helping their coworkers and improving the lives of customers. This helps link their stellar performance to personal fulfillment. So whether the recognition is coming from management or peers, it’s good practice to describe how the recipient positively affected someone. How did their act make someone feel?

Here at Dion, we have a long-established “Diamond Award.” As a family company, part of our culture involves lending a helping hand to other Dionites. We want our employees to feel like they can rely on each other as people, not just coworkers. Employees can nominate each other by writing down a specific instance where someone went above and beyond. The nominee then receives a custom Dion Diamond pin, has their good deed published in our internal newsletter, and has the deed physically posted in the factory. This is just one of the ways we keep recognition personal, specific, and tied to our company values.

Recognition Revolution

In the same Gallup poll mentioned earlier, only a shocking 19% of managers and leaders say recognition is a priority at their organization. We anticipate this will change. Recognition programs are transitioning from a nice-to-have to a must-have. During times of economic uncertainty, businesses have the opportunity to stand with their employees and invest in their professional fulfillment. Not only is this good for employee morale, it’s just good business sense.

In addition to better retention and lower turnover expenses, companies with recognition programs get better work out of their employees. A study done by the American Psychology Association found that 93% of employees are motivated to do their best work when they feel valued. Another study shows that: 40% of Americans would put more energy into their work if they were more recognized. Higher productivity, in turn, leads to better business outcomes. Happier employees also lead to more positive interactions with customers and vendors.

In Conclusion

Though the recession promises to be hard on many folks, businesses have a real opportunity to invest in their own workforce. Frequent and consistent recognition leads to:

• Higher retention
• Lower turnover
• Higher morale
• Higher productivity
• More engaged employees
• Better customer interactions
• Better business outcomes

The numbers don’t lie - recognition is a must-have! As recognition experts, we’re passionate about creating memorable custom awards that inspire. To learn more about recognition programs and custom-made jewelry products to support those award and recognition moments consider speaking to one of our experts at E.A. Dion.

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s likely that your year-end celebrations are already scheduled and their planning underway. For businesses, the end of the year is a great time to gather everyone together to celebrate the company’s success - and employee recognition should play a big role in that celebration.

Celebrate All

The end of the year is the time to summarize all of the company’s accomplishments. This could include a corporate anniversary, business accolades, exciting sales figures, new locations, its community impact, and more! No matter what the company is celebrating, it’s important to remember and recognize the employees who made it possible. As we’ve said in previous blogs, making sure employees feel appreciated is necessary to ensure happy, engaged, and long-term employees. Everyone appreciates a genuine “thank you.” A holiday party is a great place to make sure this recognition is visible and those honored receive the round of applause they deserve.

Start Early By Planning Ahead

Since year-end celebrations can be packed with so much importance, the earlier the planning can begin, the better. Most importantly, the company should make sure that any people they wish to specifically honor can make it. The holidays are a busy time for everyone, so invitations need to be sent with enough notice for attendees to secure the date. Brainstorming and ordering awards for these honorees also takes time. The awards should be a reflection of the company’s true gratitude towards them.

Go Custom

As a 54 year old custom award company, we are passionate about recognizing employees in a personal and meaningful way. When recognizing employees this holiday season, businesses should strive to offer something the awardee can’t get anywhere else. If anyone can buy the item at a retail store, the item is more like a prize than an award. A custom award is a great way to ensure the employee is reminded of their accomplishment every time they look at it. Getting started with something custom at Dion is easy - just tell us about your idea and budget! Our talented Design Team will create the perfect piece and your personal Account Manager will be with you every step of the way to answer any questions.

Who Gets Recognized?

Ultimately, businesses should be recognizing those who exemplify the company’s values and contribute to its success. Depending on the company’s industry, this could mean many different things. Here are some common categories:

• Years of service or milestone employee anniversaries
• Employee of the year
• Safe Driver(s) of the year
• Top sales earners
• Promotions
• Good Samaritan

When considering award categories and recipients, it’s important to make the criteria for winning each award very clear. This way, those who wish to earn the award in the future will know how. Companies should also take note if the same people keep winning the same awards every year. This could indicate favoritism and will negatively impact morale and the value of the awards.

The Holidays can be a stressful time, so all the more reason to fill it with joy, celebration, and gratitude! As businesses celebrate another year in the books, they should be recognizing the ones who made it possible in a visible and meaningful way. Happy Holidays!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Celebrating a corporate milestone anniversary is about more than just the longevity of the company. Milestone years are the time to reinforce company values, recognize employees, thank customers, and outline goals for the future. It’s a time to re-energize and excite everyone who contributes to the company’s success.

Choosing a Theme

Every company is different, so there’s no “right” way to celebrate a milestone. The celebration should be a unique reflection of the company and its values. However, there should be a unifying theme that is strung through all anniversary events and activities. By choosing a theme early and sticking to it, employees and customers will receive consistent messaging and the celebration itself will be more cohesive. This theme should become the tagline for any social posts or print media published about the anniversary.

Tell Your Story

A milestone year is a time for reflection. What is the company’s journey so far? What is the key to its success? How has it overcome its challenges? By the time it’s reached a milestone year, every company has a rich history to tell. Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with people and invite emotional investment. Tell this story to employees and customers alike. Through a video, a speech, social media, or all three, communicating the proud legacy of the company is a great way to make people feel that they’re part of it too.

Recognize Employees

As a vital part of every company’s success story, employees should be celebrated all year round. Depending on the size of the company, a gift, trip, or party for everyone may be appropriate. Keep in mind you are not only celebrating your company’s milestone and success, but you are also celebrating the people who helped the company get to that milestone! Highlighting exemplary or long-standing employees is a great way to expand upon the company’s story and values. Honor those who have gone above and beyond with a distinguished award and invite them to share their experience. The company is not truly celebrating itself unless it’s shining the spotlight on their employees.

Give Back

As a long-standing institution, it’s a great idea to consider philanthropic efforts. Consider the company’s mission, values, and the theme decided upon for the milestone anniversary, then apply them to a community effort. For instance, Lowe’s celebrated their 100th anniversary with a “100 Hometowns'' and “100 Murals” initiative which involved impact projects in communities nationwide and employed 100 artists to beautify public spaces. Now, most companies don’t have millions of dollars to spend on enormous philanthropy projects, but finding a way to give back to the community and aligning that with the company’s branding is always a good idea.

Go All Out

A milestone year deserves celebration. Properly marking the occasion not only instills pride in employees, but it also signals to customers that the company is reliable. Businesses should make the most of the event by showcasing themselves in a variety of ways across multiple mediums. They can drum up excitement on social media with a countdown, hashtag, videos, and interviews with key employees and clients. Sending “thank you” cards to top vendors and clients is another great way to engage people and nurture relationships. Creating a special milestone logo also goes a long way when marketing anniversary events. E. A. Dion celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018 with this celebratory logo design:

A milestone anniversary year is a huge opportunity for companies to celebrate their successes and broadcast their achievements as loudly as they can. As long as they stay true to their values and branding, recognize those who got them this far, and put effort into the celebration, they really can’t go wrong.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

When developing a successful health and safety culture, finding engaging ways to get messaging across is crucial. It’s no secret that safety seminars and videos can get a bit dull. So what’s the solution? Enter your Safety Champion.

What is a Safety Champion?

A Safety Champion is an in-field employee who promotes good safety practices through their own actions. They are enthusiastic and vocal members of their company’s safety committee, and positively encourage safe behaviors among their peers. By holding their company’s safety procedures in high regard, they set the tone for others to follow. The main benefit of having a Safety Champion is that they organically encourage a strong health and safety culture. They reduce friction between employees and management by “walking the walk” and acting as an accessible person people can bring their safety concerns to. Overall, they provide a more enjoyable and nuanced level of safety awareness.

A Good Safety Champion is….

When choosing a person (or people) to be your Safety Champion, there are a few important attributes to look for.

• Willing - If you have to cajole someone into a role, chances are they won’t perform well in it.
• Engaged - The Safety Champion is an engaged employee who wants to help improve the company.
• Likable - Other employees should have no problem approaching this person and following their example.
• Perceptive - This person understands that, beyond policy, there is a human element to safety. Fatigue, stress, frustration, and other factors affect workplace safety too.
• Wants to Learn - As safety standards develop and change, the Safety Champion should be willing to learn and adopt new strategies.

Support Your Safety Champion

As a vital component of a company’s safety culture, it’s important that Safety Champions receive proper support and recognition for their work. Providing safety leadership training is a great way to boost their confidence in the role and empower them to offer insights and suggestions. The Champion should have a seat on their company’s safety committee and have their concerns taken seriously. As we discussed in our last blog, recognizing their hard work is an important part of keeping any employee engaged and feeling valued. The Safety Champion can even help run their company’s safety incentive program!

Health and safety may look drastically different from industry to industry, but is never less important. Having an employee who acts as a Safety Champion is a great way to positively promote safe practices from within and keep people engaged.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

“Safety first!” It’s a mantra we’ve heard since elementary school. Whether it’s donning protective eyewear, social distancing, or simply buckling a seatbelt, safety procedures can be found in many facets of daily life. However, when these procedures are not upheld, the consequences can be devastating. Rewarding employees who champion safety is vital to keeping it at the forefront of a company’s culture.

The Costs

According to a recent OSHA census, 4,764 people sustained fatal injuries while at work in 2020. The census goes on to note that the most dangerous jobs in 2020 could be found in the Transportation industry:
“Transportation incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal event with 1,778 fatal injuries, accounting for 37.3 percent of all work-related fatalities.”
This macabre statistic may be a contributing factor to why the National Private Truck Council reported that driver turnover is higher than ever. Also not to be dismissed are the financial costs of commercial vehicle accidents. According to another OSHA report, the expenses associated with a commercial vehicle crash begin at an average of $16,500 and exceed over $500,000 if a fatality occurs. In fact, a truck accident that results in a fatality can easily cost the company 7 million dollars.

Recognition Requires Definition

Whether you’re in the Transportation industry or not, all companies can relate to the grave importance of safety. If employees are unsure of what the company’s safety standards are, creating a recognition program is a great way to define these goals. By rewarding good safety practices on a regular basis, more employees will be aware of the company’s specific values, what’s expected of them, and how they will be evaluated. Recognition programs demonstrate that a company appreciates the hard work, commitment, and attention to detail that is needed to keep everyone safe. For more on creating a recognition program, check out our other blogs like this one.

Engagement and Ownership

Here at Dion, we believe in lean business practices and each employee should have ownership of their operation. That is to say, each person is an expert at their daily tasks and should be consulted as such before making operational changes. This practice helps alleviate “top-down” decision making and makes for a much more enjoyable and healthy work environment. By recognizing employees for achieving safety goals, companies are celebrating and engaging employees as owners of their own operations. This helps motivate employees to keep their status as an achiever and an expert in their own right.

Keep it Positive

With the consequences of lax safety procedures being so dire, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of punishing bad behavior. While it’s necessary to sharpen up policies that have gone soft, it’s important to inject some positivity into a company’s safety culture. Otherwise, well-meaning managers can inspire feelings of resentment among their team. Creating a safety recognition program helps balance out this experience with a genuine show of appreciation.

As recognition experts for the past 50+ years, we love to create awards for safety recognition programs. Getting started is easy - simply call, email, or live chat with us about your ideas!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Presenting employee awards is a great opportunity to reinforce company values, reward good practices, and get people excited to succeed. However, once the award ceremony is over, the hype fizzles down and everyone goes back to business as usual. It can be difficult to keep employees excited and feeling appreciated in the interim. This is one of the many reasons why we love custom jewelry awards. The award recipient gets to wear their achievements wherever they go and have a constant reminder of their value.

Upgradeable Designs

Some of our most exciting designs involve upgradeable features. Whether it’s stone additions or clip-on elements, having an upgradeable award is a great way to help employees visualize their success. With each addition to the main piece, the recipient can see their accolades grow. Also by wearing their jewelry award, they can show off their achievements and inspire others to strive for the same. By owning a constantly updated, high-value award, the employee stays engaged with their own success.

Add-A-Diamond

One of our most popular upgradeable jewelry options is the add-a-diamond ring. These are perfect for sales, safety, and years-of-service awards. First, the employee is given a custom company ring. This ring usually has a large center stone in a color that matches the company’s branding. As the employee reaches each new goal, they send their ring in to be upgraded with a diamond. Over the years they will accumulate more diamonds until they make a complete circle around the center stone. Once they’ve achieved this, their next upgrade is to a large diamond set into the center stone itself! The employee can then take pride in their fully “blinged out” ring. Add-a-diamond ring programs help every hard-working employee feel like a champion. For those employees who prefer a pendant over a ring, we can accomplish the same look and value of award through the add-a-diamond pendant.

Pin Jackets

Pin jackets are interchangeable frames that can be secured around a main pin. They’re great for emphasizing an employee’s career rank as each jacket can boast a new honorific. Pin jacket awards are a great match for companies with large, mobile sales forces, but also work for any company who wishes to emphasize employee ranks. By awarding pins with pin jackets, the company is saying that upward mobility is not only possible, but achievable for everyone who works at it. This gets employees excited to climb the ladder and proudly display their new rank.

In-Field Add-Ons

Sometimes it’s just not feasible to wait for an award. Managers may want to award employees on the spot for going above and beyond. Companies with these needs may want to opt for in-field add-on components. Add-on components can be anything that clips, slides, screws, or pops on to a main award piece. This lends complete freedom to companies who wish to award employees for specific behaviors. This could be anything from receiving a positive comments card to earning a new certification. The awards can be ordered ahead of time and stored on-location so recognition is prompt and visible. Usually add-on components are attached to a badge holder emblem or brooch, but charm bracelets can function this way as well. These awards become great conversation pieces between employees and customers, and provide the opportunity for immediate recognition in front of their peers.

There are many reasons why custom award jewelry is a tried and true method of recognizing employees. By incorporating upgradeable elements into a design, the company is sure to maximize their custom award’s potential. Creating valuable, exciting, and dynamic awards is what we love to do. If you’d like more information on custom upgradeable designs, we’d love to chat! Give us a call, send us an email, or start a live chat with us on our website.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

We all like being thanked for our hard work and contributions. So how often should we be saying “thank you” to others? For many businesses, the answer is far more frequently than they already are.

Status Quo

Many companies acknowledge the importance of employee recognition. Proper recognition leads to higher employee engagement, lower turnover, better morale, higher productivity, and better customer interactions. Having a recognition program in place is a true win-win for both the employees and the company. Despite all of these benefits, a whopping 42% of employees aren’t even aware that their employer has a recognition program!

The Tenure Trap

It comes as no surprise that years-of-service awards account for 87% of all employee recognition programs. These rewards are great, easy to manage, and are expected, but often don’t kick in until the employee has been working for five years. Then there are the long gaps in between awards, causing excitement to fade and engagement to dwindle.

The first step to improving tenure-based rewards is to build in “new hire”, “one-year,” and “three-year” recognition award categories. The first few years at a company are critical for new employees. A recent Job-Hopping Report concluded that job hopping is more common among younger workers and diminishes with age and career growth. By starting the recognition process early, companies can prevent their newer hires from eyeing the door.

Mind The Gap

The other pitfall of years-of-service awards are the long periods of time in between awards. It's a good idea to supplement these long gaps with something more performance based. This will mean different things for different companies, and can range from sales achievements to praise for positive customer interactions. However, some of the most important recognition takes place on a daily basis. Here are some easy ways to incorporate gratitude into your work routine:

For Managers: If you lead a daily meeting, start it out with a few words of thanks to the team, and mention specifically what they did that you’re thankful for. Specificity here is the key. If it helps, set a reminder to take time and think of all the people who have helped you over the course of the day. One caveat: try not to fall into the habit of thanking the same people in the same way, with a lunch for instance. That lunch becomes less of a reward and more of an expected event, and entitlement.

For Coworkers: Start a “kudos board” where coworkers can recognize each other by posting their stellar actions. This can be a literal or digital board depending on the company’s setup. Here at Dion, we have the Diamond Award Board where employees can nominate each other for the award. The recipient’s good deed is posted on the board and is touted in our weekly newsletter. TRue to our branding, the nominee also receives a special Diamond Award pin. Oftentimes the Diamond Award recipient doesn’t even realize the impact their kind gesture had on another person until they receive the nomination. Employees who participate in a kaizen at Dion also get a similar treatment with their process improvement being posted on our kaizen board for all to see.

In Conclusion

By recognizing your employees early and often, you’re setting the tone from the moment they’re hired: this is a company that appreciates its employees. Frequently recognized employees become more engaged, productive, and less likely to job-hop. Simple recognition efforts can go a long way when bridging the large gaps in between tenure awards.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Sources

Bonusly - How Frequent Staff Appreciation Improves Engagement and Performance

Forbes - New Research Unlocks the Secret of Employee Recognition

Authentic Recognition - Top 10 Ways To Increase the Frequency of Employee Recognition

A common challenge for businesses is improving employee retention. While there are many factors that may cause an employee to resign, business owners should concentrate on the ones they can control. By improving and elevating the overall employee experience, the company will feel the positive ripple effects.

Value

As the old saying goes, “you get out what you put in.” An employee who feels valued by their employer is more likely to be motivated and productive than one who doesn’t feel valued. Employees are the lifeblood of any company, so a staff of unhappy people can be a huge detriment to its function. Customers also feel the effects from undervalued employees and are more likely to have negative experiences. Investing in the employee experience sends the ripple effect in the opposite direction.

Recognition

There are many ways in which a company can create a more positive and rewarding work environment. However, as experts in the field we’ll be discussing one in particular: employee recognition. We’ve discussed the power of employee recognition in previous blogs, but not about the quality of recognition awards. While it’s true a simple “thank you” can go a long way, it’s important to show employees that the company is genuinely invested in their success.

High-End Awards

When rewarding employees, the goal should be to exceed their expectations and avoid gifting underwhelming trinkets. An award should be exciting and a culmination of all their hard work. By investing in high-end awards, the value can be instantly recognized by the recipients. The high perceived value makes for a more genuine display of appreciation from the company and ensures that the employee feels truly celebrated. It also elevates your company’s culture and shows that employees are capable and worthy of achieving great things.

Make it Special

When choosing a high-end award, it’s best to go with something custom and/or unique. This avoids a scenario where the employee already owns the item and ensures that the award is more emotionally significant. There’s nothing worse than an employee regifting their award! Additionally, the award should reference your company in some way. For example, giving an employee a tablet for a job well done provides no reference to the company. Ideally, the award should incorporate the company’s logo, branding, or culture.

The Jewelry Category

When choosing high-end awards for employees, be sure to consider custom award jewelry. A custom design makes the award unique and unable to be bought - only earned. It also means that the jewelry can be designed to match the company’s branding. Precious metal jewelry has a high perceived value that ages well. Jewelry travels with the wearer, so even if they’re off the clock, or retired, the recipient is still representing your company. Lastly, it’s an exciting and sophisticated way to elevate the employee’s experience.

Investing in the employee experience is crucial for any business. By choosing high-end rewards, employees are more likely to recognize the value their company has placed on them. That appreciation is put back into the company, creating a more positive experience for everyone.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

When it comes to rewarding an employee, you have many options. Ideally, the award should make sense with the company’s branding and culture, be desired by the recipient, and be of appropriate monetary value. As experts in the custom jewelry industry, we’d like to share why these awards are a solid choice for a company’s recognition needs.

Award vs. Prize

When discussing employee awards, it’s important to make the distinction between an award and a prize. Simply put, an award is something that is earned through recognized effort, while a prize is won by chance or through minimal effort. Prizes can be just about anything such as an ipad, grill, or giant teddy bear. These are all items that anyone could purchase at any time. Awards must be earned; that’s what makes them so special. Awards tend to be items like trophies, medals, and certificates. At Dion, we wholeheartedly believe in the superiority of awards over prizes. The sentimental and emotional impact of an award simply cannot be matched by a prize.

Custom Creation

As I said earlier, ideally an award should make sense with a company’s branding. For instance, a beauty supply company probably wouldn’t want to give belt buckles to their employees. However, a belt buckle would make sense to a trucking business. Maybe your branding uses a lot of color, or maybe it has more of a vintage look. Also, discussing your branding style is a great way to begin your consultation and ensure that your custom award makes sense with your brand identity.

Creating custom products also means the pieces can serve a company’s unique requirements. Some of our clients have opted for in-field add-on components that can be added to a main award piece. Others want their consultants to visualize their success by swapping out pin “jackets” when they reach a new rank. Every business has their own way of recognizing their employees, and custom products ensure a perfect fit.

Quality

It’s important that award items are desired in the first place. It’s no secret that thoughtless gifts can backfire (case in point: don’t be the company that rewards their employee of 27 years with a bag of candy!) Few people can argue against the inherent value of quality jewelry. While trophies and certificates sit on a shelf, jewelry awards can go with the recipient. They’re exciting pieces that tell a success story. It’s not unheard of for jewelry award recipients to pass their awards down to their children as an heirloom.

The Price Tag

With so many design possibilities, custom jewelry can fit a wide range of budgets. Jewelry award programs also eliminate the headache of trying to come up with a new item every year. Jewelry upgrades are easy to work into a specific design and give employees the opportunity to physically see their success grow. Some of our clients have opted for an add-a-diamond program in which diamonds are added to their award ring every time they meet a milestone. While the price for a new ring can be on the higher side, the price to add each diamond over time makes it very manageable.

Whether you're rewarding your employees, volunteers, athletes, or donors, custom jewelry can be a great solution to a company’s recognition needs. As custom jewelry experts for the past 54 years, we’ve seen the positive emotional impact a custom award can have. If you’d like to learn more about custom jewelry awards, please feel free to call, email, or chat with us right on our website!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

In the world of marketing, content is king. Marketing teams are always creating digital and physical content to send to clients, potential clients, partners, or for themselves. In our last blog, we talked about strengthening vendor relationships. One way to do this would be to help promote each other’s businesses. Let’s now take a deeper dive into how your vendors can help.

A Different Perspective

Just like your business, your vendors must market themselves in order to draw in new clients. Most will likely have their own dedicated marketing team that is also constantly drumming up content. However, for those smaller businesses with very limited resources, they may have someone assigned to do marketing, but that may not be their main daily task. Regardless of size and resources, the moment your business interacts with another, your teams have the unique opportunity to benefit from each other. Through your partnership, you can show your audience a different angle of your business (assuming it’s on-brand for you). You could create compelling “sneak peaks” or “behind the scenes” looks at what your business is up to. These types of videos could be the engaging content your marketing team is looking for! You can ask that they write a review on your website that you can then share on your social media pages. If they happen to post something about your partnership, ask them to tag you so that you can then like, comment and share back.

Ready-To-Go Content

At Dion, we know that the wide world of custom jewelry can leave clients with choice overload. Pictures of our past products are great for getting clients inspired and to find out their likes and dislikes. Because of this, we have an extensive gallery of photos and art renderings, both on our website and in our archives. These pictures are not only great for our marketing - they’re great material for our distributors and their clients to use too! End users will oftentimes use images for their internal awards presentations, hyping their audience up before bringing the recipients up on stage. We also provide our distributor partners with an easy to access "marketing support for dealers" section on our website. Here distributors can find and use our promotional literature as a way to easily showcase Dion’s capabilities and add something special to their product lineup. They can easily download this material from our website, or contact us to create a flier just for their specific event.

Case Study Collaboration

Another option which we often use at EA Dion as well, is to share content and/or create something together! Not only will both parties gain marketing material, but you’ll strengthen your business relationship. Ask your vendor if they’re willing to participate in a case study. This is a great opportunity to showcase a particular area your vendor helped you with, or to highlight each company by sharing the story of how you came to work together. By sharing these case studies, you are signaling to other potential clients that your business is not only a good one to work with, but appreciative of their vendors’ efforts. Need some examples to get your own juices flowing? Check out our case study section on our website!

Return The Favor

As discussed in our last blog and above, make sure to offer social media tags and positive reviews on multiple platforms in return for their willingness to share content with your team. By celebrating each other, you create a positive and friendly vendor relationship your business can rely on. By boosting each other’s marketing efforts, you’re making each other’s lives easier - and that’s priceless.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Having a great relationship with a vendor can make big projects a breeze, while bad relationships can make the simplest of tasks feel like pulling teeth. Smart vendor management can lead to better prices, faster response times, and more reliable deliveries. This, in turn, leads to lower stress on your company, happier customers, and a smoother operation overall. So what can you do to improve these relationships?

Educate and Communicate

The value of communication can never be overstated. Make sure your lines of communication are open and easily accessible for your vendors. Educate them not only on the project, but who you are as a company and why this project is important. The more you communicate, the better your vendor can understand your brand. If it’s possible, meet in person to talk about your project. There’s nothing like meeting in person to establish strong connections. Better communication can lead to easier negotiations and greater respect between yourself and the vendor.

Ask Questions

You hired your vendor because you need their special skills to complete your goal. While you may know what you want, you may not know the ins and outs of their industry like they do. Your vendors have a wealth of expertise you can tap into, so come prepared with questions while also taking their advice into account. Asking questions helps reduce frustration and makes you a better, more informed customer. The knowledge you gain will also help with future project planning.

Don’t Play Hardball

Despite its frequent use, strong-arming your vendors rarely ends well. Just like your company, your vendor has a business that needs to make money. Constant pressure from your end to lower prices may result in lower quality output and possibly getting fired by your vendor. More often than not, your company may be shelling out more cash in order to fix the imperfect results of a cheap service. Price negotiation is okay, but it shouldn’t become aggressive or involve mind games about taking your business elsewhere. You’re much more likely to make a deal with your vendor if they feel valued and treated kindly.

Help Each Other

An often overlooked benefit of good vendor relations is their ability to help your company’s marketing efforts. Your vendors are experts at what they do. They usually have pictures and other materials having to do with the service they’re providing for your business. Connect your vendors with your marketing team to make sure your business is tagged in their social media posts. Vendors are usually happy to pass along pictures for marketing content. At Dion, we often send pictures, create flyers, and even send sample products for our distributor partners to use when talking to clients. Tapping into this vendor resource is an easy way to boost your marketing, however, make sure to return the favor. This can be done by tagging vendors in your own social media posts and writing positive reviews for them.

Pay Your Bills

It may seem obvious, but nothing damages a vendor relationship more than making them chase you down for payment. You cannot expect excellent service when you are not being a good customer. Delays on your end can cause workflow problems on theirs, as they may need to rethink your project schedule. Being on time with payment and other items is an indication of respect and is simply good business practice.

A great relationship with a quality vendor can make a world of difference to your company. By taking the time to foster those relationships, both parties can enjoy the partnership, and produce quality work together.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

Federal Heath How To Get The Most Out of Your Vendor Relationships

Dynamic Captial - The Importance of Vendor/Supplier Relationships

BBR Creative - Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Vendor Relationships

Here at Dion, we know just how valuable a recognition program can be. However, many businesses don’t know where to start when implementing one. It may seem like a daunting task, but by keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to a stronger company culture with employees who feel appreciated.

Clarify Your Vision

The best place to start when creating a new program is defining what you want. Gather your team and create a mission statement. Why exactly are you starting a recognition program? Then define what exactly you want your reward program to do, and what you want it to avoid. What will qualify as “award worthy” behavior? Be as specific as possible when doing this. By defining your vision for the program upfront, you’re creating a strong base to build upon. When creating the rest of your program, these definitions and goals will be easy to refer back to and keep your team on the same page.

Get Employee Input

When awarding your employees, it’s important to offer an award that they’ll actually want! Take some time to chat with your employees and ask them what kind of awards appeal to them. This will give you some great information to use in your program development, and your employees will appreciate being asked first. If you have a larger company and you can’t get around to every employee, you could send out a quick survey instead. As a custom award jewelry company, we know that recognition is all about creating a personal and meaningful moment of gratitude with each awardee.

Make it Trackable

One of the biggest obstacles companies face when running their recognition programs is consistency. To avoid over-awarding someone and under-awarding another, the criteria for achieving an award must be crystal clear, trackable, and monitored. It’s important to remember that some metrics are easier to keep track of than others. Sales numbers, years of service, or safe miles driven are all easy numbers to keep track of. If your company would like to use positive customer feedback or peer-to-peer kudos as a metric, make sure that these avenues are easy and accessible for people to contribute to. Employees shouldn’t miss out on awards because the system was too difficult to navigate.

Make it Visible

A great feature of recognition programs is that one person’s performance may inspire another person to achieve the same goal. While privately and quietly thanking an employee provides an intimate and personal form of recognition, make sure that the achievement is also announced to the company in some way. At Dion, we have a “Diamond Award” that goes to employees who go above and beyond. Recipients are nominated by their peers and their achievement is announced in our company-wide newsletter and posted to our “Diamond Award Board.” We also have a “Kaizen Board” where everyone can view the various process improvements people have made. Oftentimes employees will get inspired to make their own improvements after seeing the kaizens on the board. Making these achievements visible is a great way to keep morale up and help everyone see what a great team they are part of.

Recognition programs help increase employee retention, productivity, positive customer interactions, and overall morale. However, a poorly implemented program can have the opposite effect. By beginning with specific definitions, consulting your employees, and creating a visible, trackable system, your company will have loads to celebrate.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Sources

The Balance Careers - 6 Keys to Make Your Employee Recognition Program Succeed

American Express - 6 Steps to Creating an Employee Recognition Program

BountiXP - 10 Steps to Building a Successful Employee Recognition Program

We’ve all heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but most people don’t realize just how much our judgements rely on appearances! Whether we’re choosing what to eat, what to buy, or even who to vote for, our brains are always making judgements based on looks.

By the Book

We might not like to believe that we pick style over substance, but no one knows it better than the book industry. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Mark Coker, founder of the indie book distributor, Smashwords, shared his experience:
“Our brains are wired to process images faster than words. When we see an image, it makes us feel something.” A great cover, Coker says, can “help the reader instantly recognize that this book is for them. In addition to promising what a book will deliver, the [cover] image also promises (or fails to promise) that the author is a professional, and that the book will honor the reader's time.”
In the interview, Coker also notes that he has seen book sales take off with nothing more than a simple switch of cover art. First impressions really do make all the difference!

Great Things Come in Great Packages

This lesson from the book industry is a great one to consider when choosing packaging for your products. If the product is ordered online, it’s usually the only physical interaction a customer will have with your company. The presentation of the product helps set up the customer’s expectation and tone before they even open it. In fact, One-third of consumer decision-making is based on packaging alone!

Brand in a Box

Ads are everywhere. So much so that we’re really good at ignoring commercials, billboards, emails, and other advertisements vying for our attention. Your brand’s packaging is a uniquely unavoidable and tangible - making it a perfect branding opportunity. Some brands like Tiffany or Pringles have made their signature packaging into their own iconic statements. However, great packaging doesn’t need to be iconic. It could simply highlight your quality product while supporting your branding style. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to engage your customers and differentiate your company from competitors.

Beyond Customers

While ensuring a great customer experience is vital, don’t forget about your employees, volunteers, donors, vendors, and other people your company may interact with! Thanking the people who have helped make your business or organization successful is an essential practice. The packages they receive their awards or gifts in matter too. At Dion, we’re always working with our clients to ensure their award presentations are everything they want them to be. Whether that means an elegant wooden ring box, or a completely custom box with a letter from the company president included, packaging really is the final touch that brings it all together.

Despite the old adage, we love judging books, and products, by their exteriors. Packaging is not a detail to be overlooked, but an opportunity to make your products, awards, and gifts even more impactful. A properly designed exterior ensures a better experience for the recipient, causing them to pick your company over and over again!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Sources

Huffpost - Yes, We Really Do Judge Books By Their Covers

Cogent - Three Big Reasons Why Packaging Matters for Your Brand

Marketing Profs - How Product Packaging Affects Buying Decisions

Clubs and associations center much of their culture around their members. No matter what their mission may be, their members are the ones who make it possible. So what can the member-centric cultures of clubs and associations teach the business world?

Know Your “Members”

At your company, your members are your employees! They are the people who show up and help accomplish company goals. They may not be paying you to be there, but they are dedicating much of their time towards the company. Good associations with engaged members will not only take the time to get to know their members, but will put systems in place so that they’re never out of touch. In order to keep employees engaged, companies should follow suit. What are your employee demographics? What is the median age? Commute time? What are their hobbies and interests? Do they have kids? Knowing who your employees are is vital to engaging them in the right way.

For example, Beth Brooks, CAE and Executive Director at Texas College of Emergency Physicians shared her experience with member-centric culture in an interview with Associations Now:

“What’s so interesting to me is that my doctors love to learn, and they value knowing answers. That push to learn and excel is an important facet of their experience, and so we need to present them with opportunities to do just that.”
Brook finds that many TCEP members want to volunteer to perform face-to-face lobbying roles during the Texas legislative session. “[We] always put the doctor out front. They are the experts. They are the spokesperson.”
Instead of dictating from the top down, Beth learned about her members and considered their passions and strengths when acting.

Keep The Lines Open

Communication is a key element in member-centric cultures. Associations want feedback and ideas so they can improve their members’ experience. They accomplish this by making it easy for members to find the association’s communication lines. This could include online portals, comment boxes, Facebook groups, and any other forms of communication. If an employee at your company has a comment, concern, or suggestion, do they know where to go? More importantly, do they feel comfortable with that line of communication? This is another instance in which knowing your employees will help. For example, tech-averse people probably wouldn’t like an online portal. Keeping open communication lines means that employees feel heard and the company can make smarter decisions.  

Cheer Them On

Member-centric culture celebrates the very concept of being a member. Whether it’s a membership anniversary, or a specific accomplishment, a good association will always acknowledge and praise the achievement. Members who receive recognition for their efforts are more likely to stay engaged and be more active in their organization. Likewise, employees who are recognized for their contributions are more likely to be productive, loyal to the company, and have more positive interactions with customers and other coworkers. At Dion, we’ve helped many organizations celebrate their volunteers, donors, board members, and others for their various achievements. The idea of celebrating employee or member accomplishments in a meaningful way is a powerful concept that improves any organization from the inside out.

The difference between being a “member” and being a “number” is how much energy a company puts into connecting with their employees. By getting to know them, establishing easy communication avenues, and recognizing their achievements, companies are sure to boost their employee engagement.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

YourMembership - 3 Great Ways to Create a Member-Centric Culture for Your Association

Associations Now - Understand Membership Culture to Improve Enagagement

The Membership Guide - Developing a Member-Focused Culture

According to a 2020 nonprofit employment report, U.S. nonprofits employ over 12.5 million paid workers. That makes them the third largest employer over any other industry! If you were to include the countless volunteers these nonprofits rely on, there’s no doubt they would soar to number one. So what makes nonprofits so popular, and what can businesses learn from them?

Mission First

Every successful nonprofit has a clearly stated purpose. Whether this is to help the homeless, educate underprivileged youth, or protect the environment, these organizations start with a mission they wish to carry out. All of their passion and drive is centered behind this mission and it stirs others to participate as well. Employees and volunteers alike show up each day to help accomplish that mission. A for-profit business may state that their purpose is to make money, but this is merely a side effect. By committing to a compelling purpose, businesses can better inspire their employees to engage with the company.

Tell Your Story

One of the most compelling aspects of nonprofits is their ability to captivate audiences with a story. These stories range from the reason the organization was founded to their latest impacts and successes. By sharing these stories, nonprofits are able to effectively tap into their audiences’ emotions. Unlike simple marketing ploys, these stories are genuine and give viewers/listeners an insight into the daily life of the organization. Instead of just touting their products, businesses can benefit from telling their own story. This allows clients to better connect with the company and validates their choice to spend their money there.

Trackable Goals

One image that usually comes to mind when thinking of charity drives is the big sign that displays the fundraiser goal and how much has been raised so far. Nonprofits are constantly setting clear goals and working zealously to complete them. They want to help X amount of families or buy X amount of meals. This is followed up with constant updates as they near their goal or deadline. Keeping track of progress is a great way to keep people engaged and motivated. It shows that the goal is important and reachable, and keeps everyone in the loop. By employing this tactic, for-profits can keep the energy from dying around projects. It also helps to break goals down into accomplishable tasks and celebrate each milestone along the way.

Give Thanks

Nonprofits are constantly looking for help. Whether this is in the form of volunteers or donations, they’re seldomly in the position to turn help away. This creates a culture of gratitude at many nonprofits. The most successful nonprofits will make sure to thank every sponsor, volunteer, employee, or event participant in a way that feels meaningful. Appreciation is an easy and powerful action that keeps people returning time and time again. At Dion, we help many nonprofits recognize their volunteers and donors with custom jewelry keepsakes. Volunteers are often unaware of the exact amount of hours they have contributed until they see it engraved on a pin! With nonprofits especially, people are giving their time and money out of goodwill - so showing appreciation is a must. For-profit businesses benefit from recognizing their employees in the form of higher productivity, more positive customer interactions, lower turnover, and boosted morale. A little gratitude truly goes a long way.

No matter what industry your business is in, it can benefit from these nonprofit lessons. By establishing a clear purpose and goals, telling your company’s story, and thanking everyone who has made your business a success, you’ll be giving your company a boost in drive, motivation, and loyalty.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

Harvard Business Review - What Business Can learn From Nonprofits

Inc - 5 Lessons Every Business Can learn From the Non-Profit World

John Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies - 2020 Nonprofit Employment Report

In our last blog, we talked about the benefits of a healthy workforce. While promoting good health among your employees is essential, it should not become an exclusionary practice. Oftentimes, people confuse health with ability. This, and other misconceptions can lead to unintentional ableist attitudes and practices. Here’s how to keep an eye out for ableism at work, and how to combat it.

Definition: Ableism

Abelism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities. Ableism is characterized by the belief that people without disabilities (those who are abled) are superior. This presumption manifests in a variety of ways, from stereotypes and insensitive language to outright discrimination and illegal hiring practices. According to the CDC about 26% (or 1 in 4) of the US population is living with some type of disability. Disability status is defined as serious difficulty with hearing, vision, cognition, walking or climbing stairs, as well as difficulty with self-care and independent living.

With so many people living with disabilities, it’s a wonder why ableism is such a prevalent problem. Additionally, most people would agree ableism is wrong - so why does it exist? Most instances of ableism are unintentional and stem from a lack of education or awareness. Many able-bodied individuals simply aren’t aware of the frequent obstacles placed in front of those with disabilities.

Where Ableism Can Occur at Work

The difficulty with combating ableism at work is that it often appears in “microaggressions,” or short insensitive comments or actions. Here are some examples so you can spot them if they arise:

• Using language like “crazy,” “psycho,” or “spaz.” Also, misappropriating actual conditions like bipolar, OCD, blindness, or deafness.
• Believing that a coworker is just faking their disability or over exaggerating their condition.
• Speaking on the disabled person’s behalf, or assuming to know everything about their disability.
• Pretending the disability doesn’t exist.
• Putting the disabled person on a pedestal and telling them what a “hero” or an “inspiration” they are.
• Being invasive or paternalistic towards a disabled person.
• Assuming a disabled person would want to be abled.
• Comparing a person’s disability to one’s own temporary ailment.
• Discouraging people from talking about their disabilities

Remember, most people do not intend to be ableist, so if you’re trying to shut down these behaviors at work, try to express that we’re all on the same side here. Many people get uncomfortable because they don’t want to offend and be seen as insensitive. You’re not there to attack the person, you’re working together to create a healthier environment for everyone.

A classic and wide-spread instance of ableism in the workplace occurs in job postings. Requiring applicants to be able to lift a certain amount of weight even though the job rarely or never requires it has strangely become the norm. It’s worth reviewing your job postings to see if this ableist language is included. Take some time also to review your company policies on time off, working from home, and other requirements with disabilities in mind.

Listen to Disabled People

Like with any “isms” the best way to counter it is with education. Seek out disabled authors, podcasters, and content creators to expand your view on what living with a disability is like. Personally, I enjoy Lucy Edwards’ and Jo Beckwith’s short YouTube videos about living with blindness and a prosthetic leg, respectively. They’re quick, bite-sized, and enlightening glimpses into how they navigate ordinary tasks. The point of education isn’t to become an expert at every disability out there, but to become more aware of the struggles you’ve never had to deal with. If you know of any employees at your company who have disabilities, strike up a conversation with them. Ask them how work is going and if they need anything to do their job better. The more communication you have, the easier it will be to anticipate and meet the needs of your employees.

Appreciation is Key

At Dion, we know the value of making your employees feel appreciated. By taking these steps to create an inclusive working environment, you’re signaling to all your employees that your company cares. People who feel valued are much more likely to be productive, stay with their company, and have more positive interactions with coworkers and customers. Maintain this positive working environment by showing your employees your genuine and timely appreciation. We help companies recognize their employees for meeting sales goals, their years of service, promotions, and many more occasions. There’s always an opportunity to thank the people that make your business a success.

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

CDC - Disability Impacts All of Us

InHerSight - Ableism in the Workplace: What It Is & How To Combat It

Idealist - What is Ableism? Confronting Ableism in the Workplace

We spend a great deal of our time at work, so it’s crucial that our work environments do more good than harm to our health. The lifeblood of a company is its employees, so when they’re not feeling well it affects the health and flow of the company as a whole. It’s vital that companies promote employee mental and physical wellness.

The Cost

When employees suffer, the company suffers. A study done by the Integrated Benefits Institute found that in 2019, illness-related lost productivity cost employers $575 billion. That was before there was the pandemic, so we can only assume the number has gone up since then. This “bottom line” cost is not the only way a company suffers when employees are ill. Customers don’t like seeing sick employees and may assess your company as uncaring and cold. The employees themselves may feel stressed covering for those who are out sick, or may compound their own conditions by working when they shouldn’t. Poor health truly has a ripple effect that impacts more than just the afflicted person. Being mindful of these “side effects” will help you create strategies to counter them - or better yet, prevent them from happening in the first place.

The Payoff

Just how poor health has ripple effects throughout your company, so does good health! Healthier employees tend to:

• Be happier
• Take less sick days
• Be more productive
• Be less stressed
• Have better workplace relationships
• Have better customer interactions
• Stay with the company longer
• Be more engaged with the company
• Have higher job satisfaction

All of the above points are interconnected. No one is happy or functions well when they’re unwell. The longer we work while we’re stressed and/or sick, the worse the conditions become. By taking care of your employees, you’re sending a positive message which strengthens morale and fortifies your team. The benefits of prioritizing employee health far outweigh the costs of implementation and everyone’s lives are better for it.

Hooray For Health!

No matter the size of your business, there are ways in which you can promote employee wellness. Some ideas for small businesses are:

• Start a health club at work. Many people struggle with making quick healthy lunches, so a “Healthy Lunch Club” could be a great place to start.
• Participate as a company in charity walks or bike rides.
• Encourage those who are able to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Provide healthy food alternatives in the break room.
• Make sure that adequate breaks are being provided.

Ideas for larger companies include:

• Provide affordable health care.
• Provide a sufficient amount of sick days so that employees don’t feel like they have to come to work sick.
• Sponsor clinics and annual exams to encourage vaccinations and wellness checkups.
• Host yoga classes or other fun fitness events.
• Provide access to a company gym or partner gym company.
• Hire a mental health counselor and provide resources for employees who are suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental ailments.
• Get formal training on how to curb workplace bullying.

celebrate health

When striving for any goal, it's important to celebrate the milestones.  By recognizing their ongoing efforts, you'll be keeping everyone motivated and engaged.  For instance, if there's a group who goes walking at lunch, ask them to start tracking how many miles they travel a day.  They may be surprised how quickly they reach 50 or 100 miles!  By showing employees how far they've come and actively celebrating their achievements, you're fueling their drive to succeed.  Commemorating events like the charity walks or bike rides mentioned earlier is also a wonderful way to celebrate healthy activities and team bonding.  At E. A. Dion, we see the impact that meaningful recognition has every day.  If you're ever in need of inspiration, check out our gallery of past designs!

The evidence is clear: taking care of your company’s biggest asset, your employees, is imperative. If you don’t have employee wellness programs in place already, there’s no time like the present! Sit down with your HR department and start the discussion today!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

Eden Health - The Importance of Employee Health

Integrated Benefits Institute - Poor Health CostsUS Employers $575 Billion

Vantage Health - Employee Health: A Vital Factor For Workplace Productivity

Watching sports is fun, but there’s a lot we can learn from observing their successes and mistakes.  Even for non sports fans, sports analogies are easy to understand and provide a fun way to think about your own work team.  Here are some lessons straight from the field that you can incorporate into your business.

Celebrate the Milestones

A football team has to win many games before they can reach the SuperBowl, and each of those wins is wholeheartedly celebrated by the team.  It would be ridiculous not to acknowledge all the victories the team has earned simply because they weren’t “The Big Game.”  Likewise, it’s important for companies to map out and celebrate the milestones on the way to their long term goals.  It’s easy for the finishline to seem out-of-reach and for to-do lists to become overwhelming.  By celebrating each win along the way, you’ll be motivating your team and reminding them that you’re all one step closer to the larger goal.  Here at Dion, some of our favorite designs incorporate “add-on” jewelry, so people can tangibly see their successes building as they add each new charm or stone to their piece. We also love creating championship-style rings for all industries to really make your team feel like champions when they meet their larger goals.

Individual Strengths

A football team can’t only be made of quarterbacks.  Every team has a range of positions that need to be filled by people with the appropriate skills.  An experienced coach can then draw on the individual strengths of their team to execute brilliant plays.  If you take the time to discover your office team’s individual strengths, you’ll be able to do the same.  Perhaps some of your coworkers love to meet new people and are better suited for customer-facing positions.  Another coworker may like event planning and is happy to plan your office events.  When people are doing what they like and are good at, they’ll be much more fulfilled with their work.  It also takes the burden off the people who are not as strong in those areas.

Team Values, Attitudes, and Goals

In order to foster a proper teamwork environment, you need to create the right culture.  Talk with your team about what your values, attitudes, and goals are.  

• Values are what’s important to your team (i.e. humility, hardwork/best effort, quality, teamwork, etc.)
• Attitudes are how your team feels about things (i.e. learning from mistakes, praising good work, helping each other, etc.)
• Goals are your team’s desired results (i.e. happy customers, open communication, positive work environment, etc.)

Have a meeting to discuss what matters most to your team and write down what makes sense for your company.  With your values, attitudes, and goals clearly communicated, everyone will be on the same page and united in these shared ideals.

Know When To Pass The Ball

We’ve all seen players who ignore their team and try to score on their own.  It usually doesn’t end well for them and drives a rift into the team’s dynamic.  Whether it’s hubris, insecurity, lack of trust, or a need to prove themselves, people will often hold on to their metaphorical basketballs instead of letting their team assist.  Bring your team together and make sure they know that asking for help is okay.  You should all be helping each other reach the same company goals.  Anyone who is “hogging the ball” needs to be asked why they feel the need to perform that way.  Once you have your answer, you can work together on a solution.

Whether you're scoring touchdowns or meeting sales goals, there’s a lot to learn from the world of professional sports.  By creating a positive team mindset and communicating your shared goals, you’ll be feeling like champions in your own field. 

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Sources

Psychology Today - Build A Team Culture for Athletic Success

Inc - Use These Great Examples of Sports Teamwork to Grow Your Business

Monster - 5 Teamwork Lessons from the World Cup

Championship rings have become synonymous with athletic achievement, but where did the tradition come from? Why rings and not another award item? In the spirit of the upcoming Super Bowl, we’re looking at the history of athletic championship rings.

Origin Story

The first championship rings in North America were ordered by the Montreal Hockey Club for their players who won the 1893 Stanley Cup Championship - that’s 24 years before the NHL even existed! Unlike contemporary designs, these rings resembled a simple wedding band. Its only adornments were two hockey sticks crossed over each other with a hockey puck in the middle and the letters MHC for Montreal Hockey Club. Engraved inside the 15k gold ring were the players’ names, the word “Champions,” the date, and the local jeweler’s hallmark. Despite the simplistic style, these rings auction for over $55,000! If you don’t have that kind of spending money, you can always see one of these original Stanley Cup rings at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Setting the Trend

Champion rings didn’t catch on right away and took some time to expand into other sports. The first World Series ring was awarded in 1922 to the New York Giants for their victory over the Yankees. This ring was far more ornate than the Stanley Cup ring 29 years prior and featured a sparkling diamond in the center. The next year, the Yankees retook the title and opted for pocket watches as their commemorative prize instead. However, after the Yankees’ 1927 win, they returned to championship rings as their World Series prize. Other keepsakes requested during the early 20th century included cufflinks, tie bars, pins, pocket watch fobs, and even shotguns! Still, rings seemed to have that sticking power. Since 1932, every World Series-winning team has given rings to its players. Today, we see rings as the standard award for many of our favorite sports, from hockey to car racing.

What Do They Mean?

The late Kobe Bryant summed it up when he said “What does perfection look like to me? Championship rings.” They are synonymous with the pinnacle of athletic success. Even if athletes are traded to other teams, their rings stay with them. It has become a far more accurate measure of an athlete’s status than simply their team’s titles. Championship rings function has a mini trophy which each player and team staff member can take home. Each new ring design tries to out-do the previous year’s, creating excitement over its unveiling. Our North American tradition of award rings, rather than medals, also allows the players to wear their award in a much more comfortable way.

Above all this is the feeling the rings impart on the winning team. Seldomly in life do we receive concrete acknowledgement that our efforts, toils, pain, and sacrifices were worth it. Oftentimes our dreams cannot be succinctly encapsulated in a single item. We humans have the uncanny ability of imparting sentimental meaning into inanimate objects, but there’s a special quality in a valuable object that everyone in the world acknowledges is the symbol of a champion. Even better, this ring is shared amongst the entire team, strengthening the bond the players and staff share, and becoming a triumphant new part of their uniform.

The Future

Whether the Bengals or the Rams win this weekend, we’ll all surely be treated to a spectacular ring design. The tradition of awarding championship rings is clearly going strong. Here at Dion, we often receive design requests for sales award rings inspired by championship rings. Even in the corporate world, people want to feel like a champion in their own field. We’re excited to see what other industries adopt championship ring awards in the future!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

Greatest Hockey Legends - 1893 Stanley Cup Ring

Jewelers Mutual - Super Bowl Ring: What makes it "Super"?

Fantasy Champs - The History of the Ring

Wikipedia - Championship Ring

In our previous blog, we gave our top tips for planning a successful team trip – but are trip incentives the right choice for your company? Before you answer with a confident “yes” or “no,” let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of implementing this incentive program.

Incentive Trips are Popular

Though there has been a reduction in travel in recent years, the trend is steadily reversing. Back in 2015, 46% of US companies used travel incentives. That’s a huge number! Despite the pandemic’s effects, experts believe the use of travel incentives is going to climb back up to these old numbers. Corporate-sponsored trips are just too much fun to quit. Some businesses have even found that when they give their employees the choice between a trip and cash, the employees prefer the trip! An added bonus of company trips is how appealing they can look to new recruits. Many companies who use travel incentives will list it in their benefits package in order to stand out to jobseekers.

Motivation Booster

The purpose behind trip incentives, of course, is to motivate. Like most incentives, these types of awards actively increase productivity. If your team’s objective is reachable, trip incentives are a great way to give them a goal to latch on to. You may even see employees get more creative as they engage in friendly competition with their peers. Even after the trip is over, those who went will feel rested and happy, aiding their productivity post-trip.

A great way to get everyone excited about earning a spot on the trip is to share images of your destination and items on the itinerary. This can be done via email newsletter for remote workers, or vision-board style on an available cork board in the office. Creating custom commemorative keepsakes for each trip also helps the employees feel like they’re part of an exclusive group. This way, they can treasure their trip forever and have something tangible to tie the experience to. Custom charm bracelets are our favorite way to commemorate these events because the employee can proudly display all the trips, they’ve earned in one high-end piece. Custom pilot’s wing pins are also a creative way to celebrate your team’s travel. Custom commemoratives add the “finishing touch” to a trip and keep the memory of this powerful incentive alive.

The Dollar Bill Drawback

The most obvious roadblock when offering trip incentives is the expense. Travel costs can quickly add up, especially if you’re trying to make this trip as luxurious as your top performers deserve. Though travel incentives have shown to have impressive ROIs, if you don’t have a big budget, that can seem like the end of the road. If you are able, start small with corporate-sponsored trips. Plan a weekend getaway somewhere within driving distance. As your company grows, you’ll be able to gradually scale-up your company’s annual trip. Just make sure your team’s qualifying goals match the scale as well.

Heavy Hitter Holiday

Another fair criticism of trip incentives is that all the company’s top earners are sent away at the same time, hurting sales numbers. There’s no real way to avoid this situation, but there are ways to mitigate the effects. First, time the trip so it doesn’t fall on peak sales times such as the end of the month, end of the quarter, or seasonal spikes. Second is to consider a “close-ended” program over an “open-ended” one. With open-ended programs, any employee who meets the qualifying criteria earns a spot on the trip. With close-ended programs, only the top number of employees (for instance, the top 10) qualify.

Pleasing Everybody

This is a one-size-fits-all incentive. Choosing a destination, and activities to do when your team gets there, can be difficult. Team members will surely have suggestions, and not all of them are going to be popular. Your top salesperson may want to go to a certain destination, but everyone else may favor another. It’s important to take stock in their wishes – this is their trip after all – but keep in mind that you can’t please everyone. Try to know your audience and add some variance in the trips each year to keep things exciting.

Although trip incentives are used by many companies, they are not right for everyone. If corporate-sponsored trips don’t align with your company culture, don’t try to force it. However, if you have the budget and the right audience, travel incentives can be a great way to motivate your teams, increase productivity, attract new recruits, stick to sales goals, and improve morale. Here’s another bonus… E.A. Dion can help you with custom travel commemoratives!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

sources

MTI Events - Company Trips as Incentives: The Pros and Cons

Gavel International - Advantages and Avoidable Disadvantages of Travel Incentive Programs

Incentive Research Foundation - The IRF 2021 Trends Report