What can we learn from "The Office"?

Top Banana Trophy While most of the takeaways from “The Office” are about what NOT to do, the idea of “Dundie Awards” — of taking a moment to recognize both playful and fun achievements — is a positive one. Here’s a list of Awards that will make your team smile with pride.

Distribute them with any playful trophy

Fun Employee Recognition Awards

Customer service award – for the one who’s had to deal with the toughest customer.
Cleanest Desk – recognize a person with the cleanest desk and the clearest mind, or someone who’s recently cleaned up their space.
Cool under pressure – perfect for someone who managed a difficult situation with finesse.
Caffeine hound – for that special someone, who’s more special after they’ve had a cup ‘o joe… or the one who most readily gets (or makes) coffee for their colleagues.
Early Bird – recognition for the one that always gets to meetings on-time and prepared.
Smile Award – if you want to create a happier workplace, start recognizing those who regularly share their smiles and positive energy.
Team Player – consider a team player award for each person on your team . . . or ask the recipient one week to pass it along to a colleague the next week.
Went above and Beyond – make a public showing of appreciation to those who push themselves to do more than what’s expected. You’ll encourage others to do the same!
Made us Look Good – recognize those individuals who “take one for the team” and put themselves out to make the whole organization look good.
Great idea – of course, it’s a cardinal rule to never take credit for someone else’s work. But why not take it a step further and recognize the idea as one you WISH you could claim as your own — that’s a high compliment!
What’s the Word Awards – recognize a co-worker with a great vocabulary, to have some fun with someone who uses lots of acronyms and jargon.
LOL Award – Because laughter is known to reduce stress and promote good health, this one is great for the person who keeps your team laughing.
Office Quarterback Award – The person who keeps the team organized and on the right track is certainly worthy of high praise!
Greatest Money Saver – Call it cheap or call it frugal, but having those folks around who are looking to help you save money can be a good thing.
Green Giant Award – recognize the folks who are your champion recyclers and who help your organization make good environmental choices.