Comments on: Is It Wise to Give Techs ‘Years of Service’ Awards? https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html Everything to make HR better Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:07:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 By: Sarah https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212482 Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:07:24 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212482 In reply to Parker Davis.

Why are you the way you are? Find another target, friend. Your diatribes are getting old here.

]]> By: Kathy https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212480 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 14:23:30 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212480 I’m kind of ambivalent about years of service awards. When I was younger they were great. As years started to add up, though, it felt rather like a “look how old!” announcement in an ageist working world. For those companies that choose to go that way, though, I’d recommend an Amazon gift card. Our company was on one of those attaboy “points” services that offered points for special efforts or anniversaries. While it included a nice catalog of stuff to spend points on, it was much more economical to turn them into Amazon dollars and have everything imaginable available for rewards, like the anniversary venetian blinds or lawn mowers that people picked out.

]]> By: Dorothy https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212479 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 13:54:06 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212479 In reply to Parker Davis.

Your answer is condescending. You think you know better than a hard-working adult how he or she should spend a cash bonus. And an outside tech would spend a small windfall on beer. Nonsense!

My Fortune 20 corporation has a service awards system for all employees whether they work outdoors or not, and it treats them employees all the same. Every five years the employee may choose a gift from a catalog based on years of service, 5, 10, 15, etc. Each tier has several gifts designed to appeal to a wide range of interests. So for, say, 20 years, there might be a men’s and a women’s watch, a crystal vase, a TV, a pair of binoculars, a grill, a Bose wave radio, and a digital camera.

President or mail room clerk, everyone chooses from the same catalogue. The program is administered by a third party.

]]> By: BethRA https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212478 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 13:53:09 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212478 ” think about what would be meaningful to your employees”

Exactly this (even if not everyone picked up on it 😉 ). If the comments show nothing else, it’s that not everyone wants the same thing. Knowing people well enough to know what they’ll find meaningful is the trick though, and I still think cash or gift cards are best if you aren’t in a position to know what specific employees want. A former boss once gave me a cordless drill as a parting gift. I still use it and I still think of him and all the repairs we did in the restaurant together when I do. Headphones? I’d have said thank you and regifted.

]]> By: Maria Rose https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212477 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 13:25:18 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212477 Any acknowledgement of years of service is acceptable because those fields of work are physically straining on body, even though people will claim mental work is just as demanding. I would make one small suggestion for what is awarded—give the person who’s receiving it a choice of how they want to receive the gift part of award beyond the obvious to be framed document. Not everyone wants a bunch of trophies but would welcome spending money giving in a check or gift certificate.
The only negative point I have about these “gift “ awards is the recipient being forced to pay taxes while the company gets a tax deduction.

]]> By: Becky Mcintyre https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212476 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 12:17:26 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212476 I like cash bonuses. Plaques and pins are dated and worthless. Who doesn’t need or want money? I personally hate gift cards and don’t use them.

]]> By: Parker Davis https://www.evilhrlady.org/2018/08/is-it-wise-to-give-techs-years-of-service-awards.html#comment-212475 Thu, 30 Aug 2018 11:53:38 +0000 https://www.evilhrlady.org/?p=4939#comment-212475 Another grammatically correct article about something you know nothing about. A Fitbit or Bose headphones may be something YOU crave, but not every field service tech desires to be a yuppie techie. Likewise giving cash IS NOT a wise service award. After the money is spend on groceries or beer or a fill-up for your car, you have zero memory of what you spent the “cash” on. A gift certificate, on the other hand, is an excellent service award. It can be turned in a durable good the employee actually wants and needs, such as a TV or blender. And every time the employee uses the item, he/she will remember it was provided by the employer. If you must write, do some research.

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