Writing awards for employees: How to write a stellar business award entry
The allure of entering an employee into business awards offers more than just the glitz and glamour of gala award ceremonies. Beyond recognition for the individual employee, these awards uplift the entire company, elevate morale, and enhance team culture. They can also enhance your brand’s reputation, helping you stand out from competitors. But how do you craft a winning submission?
Benefits of entering business awards
Credibility and reputation
Winning business awards, or even earning a spot on the shortlist, instantly elevates an employee’s standing in the eyes of clients, stakeholders, and the broader industry. Success attracts attention and fosters trust as it’s not just a nod to their achievements, but an external validation of their ongoing commitment to excellence. And in today’s highly competitive business environment, differentiation is everything. Business awards can also provide an edge in recruitment. Entering an employee into an awards program shows that you care about your staff and are dedicated to celebrating their success. This can help you boost your reputation with potential employees, solidifying your position as a coveted place of work.Reflection and direction
The process of writing business award submissions offers an invaluable opportunity for introspection for your and for your employee. It allows time for them to consider where they’ve come from, what they’ve achieved, and to critically assess their milestones and setbacks. This can help to identify how things could be improved in the future, allowing your employee and your business to achieve even greater things. In addition, the application process itself, with its probing questions and criteria, might shine a light on areas of the business or career progression that you may have overlooked, providing opportunities for further improvement.Boost for morale
The act of recognising and celebrating your employees’ successes creates ripples of positivity which can be incredibly motivating for all employees. Recognition, both internally and externally, goes a long way in cultivating a positive team culture and loyalty. It can rekindle passion, instil pride, and elevate the collective spirit of the workforce.Client assurance
Awards serve as powerful testimonials, giving your current clients added assurance in their decision to partner with you and nudging potential clients towards sealing a deal. Think of award submissions like a powerful third-party vouching for your business. Award success is fantastic social proof. Showcasing talent through award submissions is also great proof that you have the best staff in the business.It’s great marketing
Every nomination, shortlisting, or win provides a chance to spotlight your brand, expand its reach, and validate its prowess. Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to capitalise on this opportunity. Embrace the recognition, and proudly display these accolades across all your channels, from your official website to email signatures and social media outlets.Crafting winning business awards
Highlight achievements
Before crafting a submission, it’s critical to pause and reflect on the key achievements your employee would like to highlight. What are their most notable accomplishments during the submission period? To stand out and create an award-winning entry, it’s not enough to simply say that they are good at their job. They need to illustrate how they’ve gone above and beyond standard expectations and what the results have been. What sets them apart from others in their field? How have they added extra value, and what has been the tangible impact of their efforts? That said, it’s essential that employees remain genuine. Showcase strengths and accomplishments but avoid them coming across as boastful or arrogant. Embellishing or exaggerating achievements can backfire, as judges will often see right through it. Keep the content authentic and let the facts of their achievements speak for themselves, painting a picture that’s both honest and compelling.Evidence is king
In the world of business awards, a submission without evidence is akin to a story without a conclusion. Showcasing achievements must always be grounded in a results-oriented approach. Judges are skilled at distinguishing waffle and hype from concrete accomplishments. It’s not enough for an employee to simply say that they are excellent; they need to validate and back this up with tangible results. One way to demonstrate this is by sharing how they’ve positively impacted customers, colleagues, the broader industry, or the community. Detail the pathways of their efforts, not just the endpoints. How did their actions lead to transformative change or impressive results? Most importantly, to reinforce these claims, arm yourself with solid evidence. Whether it’s robust growth statistics, glowing customer testimonials, evidence of increased efficiency, or a surge in social media engagement, these concrete indicators are invaluable. Remember, anyone can say they are fantastic, but proving it what will differentiate a standard submission from an award-winning one.Tell your real story
Every journey has its ups and downs. Employees need to embrace challenges in their award entries. Be honest about the real-world issues they’ve encountered and the strategies implemented to overcome them. This not only adds authenticity but also paints a picture of their resilience and adaptability. While it’s important to include data and outcomes in an award submission, that doesn’t mean it can’t be written from the heart. Lead with genuine, heartfelt storytelling. This balanced approach not only paints a fuller picture but will also help the award submission stand out and make it an interesting read for the judges.Team dynamics
When you have an award-winning employee, they often do more than just succeed in their role, they energise and inspire their colleagues. Shed light on the nominee’s impact on the team dynamics. Talk up the support from their team members and boss(es) to illustrate the ripple effect of their contributions and how it uplifted those around them. If the award submission calls for it, this might be in the form of testimonials. In addition, while crafting the award submission, it can be beneficial to consult with colleagues or team members for their insights. They might recall a valuable anecdote or provide a different perspective that could enrich the narrative.Personal touch with ‘I’ and ‘We’
When you write using the first person singular (‘I’ and ‘We’), you add a human touch to your award submission. For example, you might say I achieved this…’, ‘I introduced that…’ or ‘We achieved…’. This instantly makes your submission more engaging and relatable. It helps to bring the employee’s passion, enthusiasm, and intent to life, making for a more interesting read. It also helps to show that you are not just in business to make money, but that you genuinely care about making a difference for your employees. Remember, judges are sifting through plenty of these submissions so anything you can do to make the entry easier to read and more memorable will go a long way.Why writing business award submissions requires time
No matter how fantastic your business and your employees, if you don’t allow enough time to properly plan and prepare, chances are you won’t be able to effectively and succinctly communicate this to the judges. Rushed award submissions are rarely concise, and they often ramble without providing concrete evidence for their claims. Crafting a strong award submission isn’t something you should try and achieve overnight. It demands careful planning, several drafts, and thorough proofreading. Often, you’ll need to dive deep into data, collecting documents, or even liaising with various departments to get all the relevant information. The good news is that award submissions often come with long lead times – provided you get onto them early enough. Use this to your advantage. They often also have detailed guidelines and strict word counts, so start by familiarising yourself with these. A clear understanding from the outset allows you to align your submission and can drastically increase your chances of success. Next, dedicate time to read through the entry form very carefully and jot down notes for each answer, which you can expand on later. Think about what concrete data you can provide and begin pulling these together. A well-planned initial draft saves time on edits later. And remember, stick to the word count. The judges will ignore any content that goes over the word count limit. So keep your entry to the point.The bottom line
Putting forward your standout employee for an award is more than just a shot at a shiny trophy. It’s a master move for your brand, your team, and your future. Rise above the competition by highlighting real successes, showcasing undeniable evidence, and dedicating the time this process deserves. Step up, show off those wins, and let the industry recognise the powerhouse your business truly is.Get help from professional business award writers
Writing an award-winning business awards submission requires real effort, so it’s no surprise that we’ve got a team of experienced professional award writers dedicated to it. Don’t leave such pivotal recognition to chance. Engage genuine experts who understand the nuances and can present your standout award entry in the most compelling light. If you are looking for extra help in crafting an outstanding business awards submission, our award writers are here to help. Reach out here or on 02 8036 5532 or 0448 566 377.Share this post
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