How is Corporate Culture Reflected in a Certificate Award?

The more we give the more giving remains the same. The scalloped edge, the brush script all the acceptable layouts of a contrived award system we have come to fondly know as the certificate program. Everyone has them. That piece of paper that screams, “I’m a dinosaur, but people expect me to show up to the recognition party.”

I know change is hard. But, if you don’t analyze what content your certificate design presents that is personal for the recipient and reflects your culture it will end up in a drawer, or even worse, the garbage. It will be one notch above a handshake and a thank you. So why not just a handshake? Why not an electronic paperless email thank you certificate? I’d say there is a place for that.

But, I would also say there is a place for the tangible object that contains your name, that describes the achievement you accomplished, that gives you reflection on the quality job you do. But, if you give it… make it good. Give it real content and present it in real context. Make it reflect your culture. Design it. Brand it. Give it meaning. And drop the brush script!

Framed recognition does not have to be predictable. Culture is image and image is design. You can see how that works here.

Image courtesy of 123rf.com

HR Bacon Hut, a New Blog

I started blogging online two years ago because someone told me I should. There were a multitude of reasons. SEO value, more product content all really web 1.0 information goals that were... well, knuckle dragging for me. Was my customer really reading what I thought about certificate frames? Oh, there are those who do dig deep into understanding our products and us. I know some have appreciated my blogging about my business. But, I needed something MORE.

At about the time my knuckles were beginning to bleed I started connecting with HR professionals on twitter. Ah, real people with ideas and information were out there online! And so were designers and artists and foodies and… wait how can I blog about all this? How can I bring together what I love about my customer, the recognition industry, food, travel and yes… BACON!? How?

Wanna see how? Go check out my new blog “HR Bacon Hut.” It is HR Lite. a community building blog where my online HR friends and I share HR stories, tools and strategy along with a virtual beer and some bacon and BBQ recipes. It should be fun! They are pretty interesting folks.

I’ll still put my thoughts down over here about selling frames online. It does get exciting. I’ll always enjoy sharing. But, I see this blog going in more of a case study, product idea direction. It is what people want. They want recognition ideas and they want to see how others use our products.

I hope you will include my new blog on your reading list. And I will focus this blog to inspire you. I leave you today with this inspirational custom format we are using to help the Red Cross recognize Haiti relief donors. And when you get a chance check out HRBaconHut.com.