Doesn’t it feel like everybody and their aunt has a personalized medal these days? Are we losing the essence of what it means to succeed in something to the point of getting a medal?
This topic certainly has some legs, regardless of your side in the debate. You may remember when medals needed to be won fair and square, and believe today, people hand them out a little too freely, or you may see the genuine benefits they can bring and their effect on self-esteem and confidence. This debate can get heated, so we’ll focus on the more positive side of things. Here are four benefits that come with using customized medals.
1. Deserved Reward
OK, maybe too many people get medals these days, but that shouldn’t detract from those who genuinely deserve them. Whether it’s activities at school, at work, or in the local community, it’s always nice to reward people for success or hard work with custom medals.
There is something immensely satisfying about placing a ribbon over the neck of somebody who has gone above and beyond.
2. A Sense of Value
There is something to be said that we shouldn’t always need a physical memento to remind us of something great we did, but we are human, after all. Anybody who has ever run a marathon will know the immense pride of walking away with a finisher’s medal at the end of the day.
A medal acts as a psychological value and may push you further. In years to come, you’ll cherish that moment. Grasping that little bit of medal to your chest means the world.
3. Improve Employee Engagement
Anything you can do to improve morale and engagement in the workplace, the better. Medals at work sometimes require caution, though. You don’t want somebody turning around and saying a raise might be nice instead of a medal.
The military has long used commemorative coins or medals to mark specific moments in a person’s career, and there’s no reason you can do the same at work. Don’t hand them out like candy, but when somebody is promoted or passes a probation period, it might be a nice touch to give them a medal.
4. Humorous Gifts
You might have a mutiny if you start handing out commemorative medals at Christmas instead of bonuses. Still, individualized medals at specific times of the year can add a much-needed lighthearted streak to the working environment.
It can be a great way of commemorating something specific somebody did that year that may have flown under the radar. It also works great with traditional humorous formats, such as ‘Noisiest Eater’ or ‘Worst Time-Keeper.’
Conclusion:
OK, so there are too many medals these days. But for thousands of years, humans have commemorated those who have reached great heights, whether with an olive branch in Ancient Greece or a wooden sword handed to gladiators who excelled in the Colosseum. Not using medals isn’t the answer, but we can refine how we use them and appreciate them for what they can be when used correctly.
