At Demographica, in December each year, we hand out 4 awards recognising outstanding performance and contribution to the company – aptly named The Demographica Awards.

The awards are now in their 3rd year and the impact that they have had on the company has been tremendous.

We have 4 awards:

1. The Culture Award – This award goes to the person who has made Demographica a happier and fun place to work
2. The People’s Award – This award goes to the person who has made the biggest impact on fellow Demographicans during the year
3. The Rising Star Award – This award goes to the person who has shown the most promise and potential in the year
4. The Demographica Award – This award goes to the person who has made the biggest impact on the company during the year

Demographica Award Winners 2012 || The People’s Award – Darren Van Der Schyff || The Rising Star Award – Valentina Kupresan || The Culture Award – Alex Hibberd || The Demographica Award – Gareth Kumin

Here are 3 lessons that we’ve learned by formally giving recognition to team.

• The awards are a motivator

The awards are strategically given at the end of the year, when people are generally tired and burned out. The awards therefore become a motivating factor and the team typically raises their commitment and energy levels when everyone else is burning out. This behaviour gives us a competitive advantage going into year end

Demographica Award Winners 2013 || The People’s Award – Natalie Maratos || The Culture Award – Carmen Murray || The Rising Star Award – Elan Tanur || The Demographica Award – Marloe Wise

• Sometimes peer recognition is more valuable than incentives

Each time we have given out a Demographica Award, I’ve witnessed a genuine confidence emanate from the award winners over the following months. The rest of the team really acknowledge and respect the winners and each year people come to me telling me that next year “they’ll win it”.

At Demographica we have given out sunglasses, luggage, iPods, MacBook’s, exotic holiday’s, international flights and an absolute fortune of cash – none of it has had as much of an impact on people’s confidence like peer recognition, and we all know what large dose of confidence can do to a person.

• The awards show everyone what our company values are

What you award for is as important as actually having the awards. It shows the team, the industry and our clients what we value most at Demographica. It puts a significant stake in the ground and rewards Demographicans for living our values.

Demographica Award Winners 2014 || The Culture Award – Arlene Wills || The Rising Star Award – Nicole Cohen || The People’s Award – Simone Tal || The Demographica Award – Natalie Maratos

If you contribute to making Demographica a happier place to be, then you will be rewarded. If you impact on your fellow Demographicans by inspiring them to be better, then you will be rewarded. If you’re passionate, hungry and smart and punch above your weight, then you will be rewarded. If you make such an impact on the company that your peers believe that you had the biggest impact on the overall company, then you will be rewarded.

It’s as simple as that.