Volunteers are often the people who make an organization really tick. Ask almost any non-profit, church, school, or professional organization and they’ll agree: volunteers truly do make the difference. That’s why an entire week in April is dedicated to appreciating this group of individuals. 

National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 10-16, 2011. How will you celebrate your volunteers this year? These are some of the most popular ways Baudville customers have recognized their volunteers for past National Volunteer Appreciation Weeks. 

It's that time of year again when schools, colleges and universities are starting to think about end of the school year recognition awards. That's where Baudville comes in! We've created a special catalog focused on the education industry so that it's easy to find the perfect student rewards and instructor appreciation gifts for your upcoming events.

Our friend Ben Eubanks over at UpstartHR.com recently asked for contributions to an ebook about employee engagement. Several knowledgeable HR professionals answered his call, and the result is a comprehensive ebook with great tips, stories, and advice about employee engagement. Yours truly even made the book! Go over to UpstartHR.com to download the ebook for free. 

Retirement and healthcare benefits have dominated the discussion on total rewards lately as public employee benefits have been scrutinized. But benefits aren’t the only component of a total rewards program that is significantly impacting the workforce right now. 

Employee engagement surveys have revealed that employees don’t feel appreciated in their current roles. In fact, as many as two thirds of employees are actively looking for a new position right now, and one of the primary contributors to the discontent is a lack of appreciation. More than half of respondents in an Aon Hewitt survey said being appreciated would motivate them to stay at their organization. 

Employee Appreciation Day is an annual event, which means you are ALWAYS looking for new ideas to make this recognition celebration fun and memorable. We’ve put together a list of our favorite Employee Appreciation Day Ideas to help fuel your creativity for 2011.