Employee of the Month schemes have been a cornerstone of workplace appreciation rewards practically for as long as we’ve been working in office-based, corporate environments. But workplaces have changed, and with them, the culture of workplace appreciation awards. Employee of the Month trophies have evolved from a photo on the wall and a pat on the back given to the person who sold the most products. The question, now, is: are Employee of the Month schemes still effective in 2025?
What is an Employee of the Month scheme?
The Employee of the Month scheme is a monthly employee recognition system designed to commend an outstanding employee each month. Typically, a manager, board, or even peers nominate individuals based on their performance, achievements, or alignment with company values. Winners often receive certificates, gifts, or other incentives, with their achievements highlighted publicly on notice boards or company channels.
This practice aims to boost morale, build a positive work culture, and motivate employees. While straightforward in design, EOTM awards can have a profound impact – if implemented correctly.
Common Employee of the Month award mistakes
Whilst they can be very effective, Employee of the Month awards need to be carefully implemented to avoid them having the opposite effect you want. If implemented poorly, EOTM awards can actually demotivate employees, especially those who haven’t been rewarded. Here are some common EOTM award mistakes that you should avoid:
Mistake #1: Overlooking broader input
Relying solely on managers’ opinions limits perspective. Managers are busy people and may have many employees working under them – they may not see the hard work or achievements of all employees. Including peer feedback and even customer input creates a more inclusive and accurate evaluation process.
At the same time, purely basing EOTM on votes from employees can also skew the results. Employees who are particularly popular might end up always winning, whilst quieter employees who work just as hard can be overlooked. Determining the EOTM winners based on multiple sources is the best way to keep it fair.
Mistake #2: A lack of transparency
Unclear criteria or subjective decisions can make the award feel like a popularity contest. Establishing a clear rubric is critical so that everyone knows how they can achieve the Employee of the Month position. It may be the individual who has pushed themselves the most, who has made the most sales, who has supported their peers the most, or who has received the best feedback from customers. This metric could change each month depending on the company’s needs, but it needs to be clear to the employees every time.
An EOTM scheme could also be based on a points system covering a range of metrics – this can be a great way to make sure everyone has a chance to win. Different people excel in different areas, and if the EOTM award is based on just one metric, it can become skewed towards those who are naturally confident or talented in that area.
Mistake #3: Uniform rewards
When implementing an Employee of the Month scheme, you also need to consider what the award actually entails. Using the same monthly employee recognition strategy for all employees fails to consider individual preferences. Personalising workplace appreciation awards can make recognition more meaningfully, whether this is through a custom engraved glass award or another incentive, like travel vouchers or gifts based on their personal hobbies.
Mistake #4: Overemphasis on EOTM alone
An annual limit of 12 awards may exclude many deserving employees. A culture of ongoing recognition, complemented by EOTM, is more effective, rather than every achievement simply being put towards the monthly scheme, as this could mean great achievements get overlooked. You could have other rewards schemes running alongside the EOTM award, such as giving each team or department a budget for recognition and reward each month or quarter. This will encourage constant recognition for smaller, day-to-day achievements.
Mistake #5: Focus on performance over values
High-performers deserve to be recognised, but this is subjective, and shouldn’t be the be all and end all. Employees should also be rewarded for embodying the values of the company – for example by supporting their colleagues, giving fantastic customer service, or by developing themselves and others. If the focus is put solely on numbers, it can demotivate employees by making them feel like that’s the only thing that matters. If they feel like they can’t achieve the number one position, they will stop trying entirely.
Mistake #6: The Round-Robin effect
In smaller teams, it can be easy to fall into the trap of giving everybody a go at being Employee of the Month, which is why it may not work if you don’t have multiple departments with many employees to choose from. At the same time, if one person is working hard but has never received it because they aren’t the top performer, they will come to feel left out and unmotivated, as if their efforts don’t matter.
What Are the Best Alternatives to Traditional Monthly Awards?
If you’re not sure that the Employee of the Month trophy scheme would be effective in your company, there are many more methods of recognition and reward to explore. Instead of focusing on just one individual each month, you can look at broader and more flexible approaches to recognition:
Team Awards
In particularly large companies, team awards may work better than individual employee of the month schemes. This is especially true for organisations where people work closely together on various projects or with different clients. By rewarding just one member of those teams, other members can feel unrecognised or even jealous, which is detrimental to teamwork. The last thing you want to do is start pitting team members against each other, so a Team of the Month award may be a better fit.
Spot Bonuses
We mentioned spot bonuses earlier on – one-time, immediate rewards for various achievements as they arise. Whilst these are great used in tandem with Employee or Team of the Month awards, they can also be used on their own to regularly commend individuals. This makes people feel seen, and their efforts recognised and appreciated.
Peer-to-Peer Recognition
Peer-to-peer recognition can be very effective, as people who work closely together are most likely to see each other’s achievements day-to-day. Provide a platform where coworkers can commend each other, like a Slack channel, page on your company intranet, or even a physical noticeboard if your employees are all office-based. The use of this can be encouraged for smaller achievements which may not be seen by managers or the board. Peer-to-peer recognition is very effective for building a strong, positive company culture and promotes great working relationships between team members.
So, are Employee of the Month trophies still effective in 2025?
In our opinion, yes! But only if implemented correctly. Employee of the Month trophy schemes should not replace regular, consistent recognition and rewards, and they shouldn’t be based only on performance or numbers, but instead on company values. Winners should be chosen based on a variety of clear-cut metrics which are shared with employees to ensure everyone knows how they can win.
Celebrate Achievements with Laser Crystal Employee of the Month Trophies
At Laser Crystal, we create bespoke 3D crystal awards for the most memorable of ceremonies. As the UK’s leading 3D engravers, each crystal art creation is made from flawless optical quality crystal, forming awards and gifts that you are proud to present. From employee recognition awards and long service awards to sports awards and achievement awards, every order can be fully customised to suit your needs.
Browse our full range of glass awards or let us know your requirements and we can recommend a selection of shapes and designs.