40 Funny Awards Ideas for Your Employees.

Little Miss Whoops. The Chief Cuppa Consumer. Mr Mischief. Never-at-their-desk. Funny awards can transform office anecdotes into end-of-year celebrations.

For employees, there’s a light-hearted certificate to take home. Everyone can bond over the accuracy.

For you, there’s an opportunity to send a message. That ultra-loud typist from your marketing department? Maybe it’s time to let them know.

Read on to find 41 funny employee awards ideas to spice up your next ceremony or workplace party. Then, get designing with help from Adobe Express.

Why give out employee awards?

Employee awards are your opportunity to hand out recognition for the year’s successes. And the personality quirks that give your office its buzz, of course.

Sure, that six-figure pitch you landed was great. But the Office Clown Award? The Most Likely to Save The Day? Or how about ‘Always on a Call’? These funny awards say so much more than performance stats. They keep you connected, providing light relief after another busy year.

Funny office awards let you:

• Recognise your employees in a fun and unique way. Show them they’re more than just a number. Tailor-made office certificates let you draw on your team’s funniest anecdotes.
• Boost morale across the business. Bonding through humour can boost morale and even reduce stress levels. According to the University of Warwick, laughter can also help us to look on the bright side when faced with challenges.
• Increase employee engagement. A huge 82% of employees are happier when recognised at work. But recognition doesn’t need to be dry. Awards for big personalities matter too – and they can be fun.
• Shout out to unsung heroes. Not everyone can win Employee of the Month. But the office agony aunt can be just as valuable. As can your team’s spreadsheet superhero. Funny awards let you show gratitude for even the small things. It’s recognition for being who they are.
• Send a subtle message. The marketing intern who comes to the office in sliders? Winning the Dress Down Every Day Certificate lets them know you’ve noticed. It’s light-hearted, but it says something too.

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40 funny employee awards ideas.

Get inspiration for your next certificate ceremony with these funny office award ideas. The best options could come from your own experiences too. Think about mishaps, near-misses and the funniest things to happen this year. It might also help to think about the big characters in your workplace, working backwards for certificate ideas.

Here are 40 funny employee award ideas, to help you get inspired:

• King/Queen of Memes. For the employee that has a meme for every occasion.
• The White Rabbit Award. For the person who always arrives after 9am.
• The Chief Cuppa Consumer. Who could devour a whole pack of tea bags in a single afternoon? That level of thirst is worth an award.
• The Coffeeholic. This person can’t stop guzzling coffee, even if it’s 5pm.
• The Office Clown Award. For the employee who’ll do anything to get a laugh.
• Dress Down Every Day. Forget dress down Fridays. This employee joins the Monday morning call in their pyjamas, taking ‘dress down’ into a different dimension. Football shirts and flip-flops are their idea of business casual.
• The Wedding Guest. This employee overdresses for every occasion. They’re no stranger to a formal suit, and they will get a manicure before the midweek coffee catch-up. Sometimes you’re surprised they don’t don a hat.
• Mr/Ms Mischief. For the employee who is always up to tricks. Whether it’s asking hard questions at Lunch with the Exec, or inserting football references into their reports, they know how to make subtle mayhem.
• Mr/Ms Whoops. For the clumsiest person in the office. They’ve spilt coffee on 17 keyboards this year, and there’s no sign of slowing down.
• The Silent Striver. This employee is quiet as a mouse. Sometimes, you forget they’re even here.
• Cut Me Some Slack. For the king or queen of the group chat.
• Never-at-their-desk. Somehow, this employee is never where you expect them to be. Whether they’re at client meetings or working from home, you can only predict where they won’t be.
• Spreadsheet Superhero. This is the employee everyone depends on to fix their spreadsheet formulas. They might not be Clark Kent, but they do have valuable powers.
• Most Likely to Break the Spreadsheet. Every hero needs a villain. In your team, maybe it’s the Excel bandit. This employee will break the filter, giving your spreadsheet superhero a time to shine.
• Always on a Call. This employee’s got to dash, because they’re always on a call. Their Teams status seems to stay red, no matter what. They probably won’t even be at your ceremony. Why? Because they’ll be on a call.
• Thunder Fingers. Is there someone in your office who types with unbounded enthusiasm? Why not offer them your congratulations?
• Software Serenader. For the person who lives and breathes your team’s system of choice. They know every shortcut, and they probably dream about automation.
• Most Likely to Dance at the Work Party. For the employee who is the life and soul of every workplace event. If they’re dancing on the tables by 8pm, you won’t be surprised at all.
• The Smooth Talker. This award is for the employee who seems to pull off every speech, pitch or QBR, even with minimal preparation. They can talk their way out of anything.
• Lightning Fingers. For the person who always replies at lightning speed. They could be fast asleep, or the other side of the world – still, they always seem to reply in about five seconds.
• The Take Back Five Minutes Award. This employee organises hour-long meetings, but always gives time back at the end.
• Lunchtime Lunges. For the person always shooting off to the gym at lunch. Give them a protein shake alongside their certificate.
• The Desk Concert Award. This employee thinks you can’t hear their music. But you can. And so can the company that works downstairs.
• The Jack of All Trades Award. For the employee who dabbles in a little of everything – and did they mention they have their own podcast?
• Out of Office. This employee always seems to be jet-setting. You’re sure they must be on their 35^th day of annual leave by now, but who can keep count?
• The OG Award. For the staff member who seems to have been with the company forever. Like a true old-timer, they’re always telling stories about the good old days.
• The PowerPoint Police Award. Too much text? Off-brand fonts? This employee will pull you up on it. Members of the spreadsheet police will make enemies in pursuit of perfection.
• The Influencer Award. This employee has strong Instagram game, and they’ll document every aspect of their working life too. Free lunch Fridays? Office massages? Whatever it is, it’s going on the ‘gram.
• The Office Chef Award. For the person who curates delicacies in the office kitchen. It could be scrambled eggs for breakfast, or maybe microwaved fish. Either way, you’ll know where they’ve been.
• The Company Gossip. When there’s big news, this person is always the first to know. But you can bet it doesn’t stay that way for long.
• Head in the Sand Award. There could be a hurricane blowing up outside the window, or rumours about losing a big client contract. Whatever it is, this employee will be last to know.
• The Storm Calmer Award. When things get turbulent, this employee steadies the ship.
• Last Minute Award. If it’s the night before a big deadline, this person will have their nose to the keyboard. Every. Single. Time.
• The Snack Supplier. This employee deserves extra kudos for the sugary pick-me-ups they provide. Thanks to them, the biscuit tin is always stocked.
• The Clock Watcher Award. At 11:59, they’re limbering up for lunch. By 4:58, they’re zipping up their coat. This employee values their personal time and isn’t afraid to let you know.
• Just Five Minutes. This employee is something of a company VIP, so they’re always in overrunning meetings. Just give them five minutes, okay?
• The Yes-Sir Award. This member of your team will say yes to anything. The craziest client demands. Outrageous asks from senior leaders. No opportunity is too small.
• The Million Hobbies Award. For the employee always sharing their latest hobby with the group. One month, it’s crochet. The next? Geocaching. Only time will tell what they’ll be up to by Christmas.
• Mr/Ms Budget. This employee is always watching the pennies. They’re pulling you up on a £4 lunch bill. They’re switching off meeting room lights without warning. Money doesn’t grow on trees, right?
• It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere. For the first employee in line for after-work drinks.

Your awards can be as unique as your people, experiences and office dynamics.

Celebrate your employees with these funny awards certificate ideas.

Top tips for hosting an office awards ceremony.

Great office awards can help your people to bond over the year’s events – the good, the bad, and the ugly. But humour can be subjective, so judge it right.

• Get suggestions. If you’re unsure where to start, encourage people to suggest their own nominees. This spreads responsibility for your funny employee award nominations. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.
• Be sensitive. Remember that people have different ideas of what’s funny. One person’s light-hearted quip about lateness could make someone else self-conscious. If in doubt, leave it out.
• Call out big wins too. Comic relief can help your teams, but don’t forget to say congratulations to the employees who secure big contracts and keep their clients.
• Time it right. Funny employee awards are most likely to land when times are good. Smashing your company targets? Scaling at speed? Cracking a joke about a team leader’s timekeeping can work when stress levels are low and there’s no big change on the horizon.
• Pair with treats. The point is to bring people together, so funny awards pair well with perks. Think office parties, team building days and company socials. Add in free food, drink tokens or a chocolate fountain for bonus points.
• Create sharp designs. Make it look professional, even if the certification is tongue-in-cheek. Download a certificate template with Adobe Express to get started.

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Good to know.

When should you give out your employee awards?

Give out employee awards at a social get-together, such as your end-of-year lunch, Christmas party or summer social. The best time could be when employees already feel connected and cared for. Avoid virtual meetings or formal occasions, as your funny awards might not have the same effect.

What are the milestone awards for employees?

Milestone awards for employees celebrate their big moments, in terms of time or achievements. These might focus on passing probation, hitting five years with the company, or hitting a sales goal. Design your own service award with specialist Adobe templates.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our  pricing page for details and to compare plans.