Recognition goes wrong all the time. Between Steve Harvey crowning the wrong Miss Universe and John Travolta butchering Idina Menzel’s name pronunciation, formal recognition has at times earned a laughable reputation. While the ceremony slip-ups your organization has may be less public than that of our friends Steve and John, your employees will take note of and remember a few faux pas.

It’s a scary time of year! Ghosts, goblins and jack-o’-lanterns adorn nearly every doorstep and haunted houses and spooky corn mazes are the main fall weekend attraction. But HR managers have something more frightful lurking about: new employee candidates!

Hectic schedules and fast-approaching deadlines make appreciating the contributions of others easy to forget.  Too often, we glance over the kind gestures and positive people in our workplaces.

Everyday thank you gifts present a challenge for many managers. When an employee knocks out a project worthy of an A+, you want to recognize and thank them immediately.  Going to a store to purchase a token of thanks is time consuming and at times, fruitless. While hand-selecting a thoughtful gift for every recipient is of course ideal, keeping a stash of on-the-spot gifts in your desk is a great way to make sure your recognition moment is timely!

For teachers, school administrators and students, August and September bring about a world of change and new beginnings. For some, the new students and classes excite them, while for others, new teaching standards and administrative policies overwhelm them with doubt and anxiety.