A/P Recognition Week: How to celebrate, even remotely

It’s time for your staff to receive some well-deserved appreciation: A/P Recognition Week will be celebrated Oct. 5 through Oct. 9.

For most A/P pros, this year hasn’t been easy. Stress levels rose due to the pandemic, as staffers were forced to change processes, cope with new snags and work longer hours. Not to mention, some staffers may also have had to tackle other personal issues, from financial plights to helping their kids “attend school” at home.

So, this A/P Recognition Week, it’s more crucial than ever to show your staff how much your company appreciates their hard work and ability to adapt in uncertain circumstances.

The challenge: Many people are still working from home – and remote recognition is a different ballgame. Here are four ideas to celebrate A/P Recognition Week whether you’re in person or remote:

1. Start with praise

You know that praise and recognition shouldn’t just be a “Thanks for all you do!” email. The key is to be specific, showing you notice the efforts they make. Pointing out and rewarding specific good remote habits is essential if you want staffers to continue them.

You could talk to your A/P leader about sending each staffer a personal, handwritten “thank you” card, doling out praise for the skills they contribute. (If there’s not time to get notes out the door, they could opt for one-on-one conversations with the same intent.)

And if you have time, do the same for A/P’s fearless leader, since you likely work most closely with that person.

2. Find budget-appropriate gifts

Verbal or written praise aside, it’s no secret that most people love getting gifts! The main concern is whether you have any room in the company budget to buy them. 

If there’s a little money to spend, gift cards are always an easy but much appreciated recognition reward (e.g., $10 for Starbucks, $15 for Amazon or other gift cards based on staffers’ interests). Another idea: Send A/P a treat or lunch through a local food delivery service, so everyone can virtually join for a coffee break or team lunch.

If you don’t have money in the budget and your gift needs to be “free,” you may have to get a little more creative. For example, think about whether it’d be possible to give hardworking staffers a Friday afternoon off or even an extra vacation day.

3. Gather the whole group

While it’s beneficial to recognize staffers individually, as the CFO, you may also want to address A/P as a whole. During recognition week, consider hosting a video call to discuss team wins, notable metrics and more.

To add some fun, you or the A/P manager could include an “Awards Ceremony” to virtually give out certificates. The honors could be more serious (e.g., best data entry skills, best vendor customer service rating) or more fun (e.g., the office jokester, the office foodie).

Bringing everyone together for a positive, fun virtual meeting will help boost morale and inspire camaraderie going forward.

4. Share achievements

Along with sharing recognition and successes internally, use this week as a chance to toot A/P’s horn with other company leaders.

In a public channel, broadcast A/P’s achievements in 2020 – how they contributed to the bottom line, improved efficiency, stepped up during the pandemic, etc. Along with increasing A/P’s visibility and value, it’ll boost staffers’ pride in and dedication to their work.