200 Funny Award Names For Employee Recognition

Employee recognition is a vital part of the workplace. But, there are times you may want to add a little humor to the workplace and recognize employees for the unconventional things they do! Humor is a great way to forge bonds among teams and lighten the load. 

If you are having a hard time coming up with an award for someone who just doesn’t see the humor in things, then consider giving them an award for one of their personal interests or hobbies. 

When an award has a chance of embarrassing an employee, always speak to them first about it. That will allow them to put a stop to it if they are too embarrassed, or to come up with a speech for the moment! It won’t take away from the humor in the office and can keep you from actually embarrassing an employee (never a good situation). 

Organizational Awards

Dewey Decimal Award: Most organized

Squirrel Award: Has the greatest stash of stuff in their desk

The Traveling Medic: Aspirin, Tums, you name it, they have it and are always willing to share

Calendar Color Coder Award: For the person who has every second of their day scheduled out!

Bermuda Triangle Award: For the desk where things go in, but never come out 

Most Likely to Have Thought of That! For the person who thinks and prepares for everything!

Communication Awards

Most likely to move into the woods and never talk to a human again

Human Megaphone Award: For talking loudly on the phone so that everyone knows you are/aren’t working

On A Call Award: This person needs you to wait just a moment- they are on a call

Ps & Qs Award: For the best manners 

The Email Vigilante: For the employee who always responds immediately to emails

Lengthiest Messages: It takes a while to get their message out

Stop Shouting Award: For sending emails in all caps

Phone Tag Award: Least likely to answer the phone

Selective Hearing Impairment Award: For only hearing what they want to hear

Numbers and Data Awards

Spammie Award: For excellence in forwarding emails 

Notetaker Award: Always has your back with the perfect notes!

The Question Asker: The right questions at the right time!

Number Cruncher  

Bottom Line Award: For coming in under budget and on time

Person Most Likely to Secretly Love the Annual Budgeting Process

Eager to Work, or Eager to Leave Awards

The Early Bird: To The one who always arrives at the office early

The Late Award: For the person who always has a reason they are late

Clock Award: Always knows when its time for lunch or 5 pm. 

It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere: Most eager to quit working

Vampire Award: Most likely to arrive earliest and leave latest

14 The 4:00pm Star: Still going strong at 4, when everyone else has a slump

Night Owl Award: For keeping the latest hours 

Racehorse Award: For always being the first out of the office at 5

Hump Day Award: Most excited about Wednesdays

Running Out the Clock Award: For the person 18 months away from retirement. 

Scheduler Awards

Five More Minutes: To the employee who schedules appointments on the hour, but usually needs 5 more minutes 

On the Dot Award: Best at meeting tight deadlines

Appointment Maker: This persona always has an appointment

White Rabbit Award: Shows up chronically late for every meeting- even the ones they schedule

The Event Planner 

I’ll Pencil You In Award: Least likely to make a commitment

Popularity & Party Awards

Most Likely to have a Date Every Night of the week

Best Person to Take Home to Mom

Fitness Award

Celebration Award: Knows all the reasons to celebrate from random holidays to everyone’s birthday and anniversaries. 

Confetti Award: Finds the most reasons to celebrate!

Hallmark Award: For always remembering everyone’s birthday

PTO Royalty: For the team member who has the best vacation photos after PTO

Funny & Entertainment Awards

Best Standup Comedian: Always has a joke for the situation

One Liner Award: Always has a quip to share

Best Pranks Award 

Office Clown Award: Through pranks or jokes, this colleague keeps everyone laughing

Class Clown: Can take any situation and turn it humorous

Best Singer: thanks for always brightening our day!

High School Musical Award: For being the most likely to burst into song 

Most Likely to Win the Hunger Games 

Peacocking Award: For the biggest showoff

Fashion & Style Awards

Most Likely to Tattoo their Entire Body 

Most likely to wear company swag every day 

Fashion Week Award: Best Dressed

20 Casual Monday-Friday Award: For continually pushing the limits of business casual

Best Beard Award

Runway Award: The person whose attire is alway runway presentable, no matter what the weather is! 

Lady Gaga Award: Always pushing Dress Code Limits

Best Hair: Even after being in the wind! 

Most Likely to Have A Better Halloween Costume than You 

Wormburner Award: For tearing up the runway

The Funkiest Sock Wearer 

DareDevil Awards

Most Likely To Be The First Person On Mars

Running with the Bulls Award: For the biggest risk taker

Skydiving Award: Mostly likely to take a risk

Where Angels Fear to Tread: For the person who has taken the biggest risk!

Smart Awards

Most Likely to get 3 PHDs

Linguist Award: Most likely to know 8 languages

Wikipedia Award: Always has an answer- whether it’s right or not! 

Busswordaholic: This person knows all the catchy phrases, idioms, or acronyms

Best Vocabulary: uses the most sophisticated words

Most likely to Invent the Time Machine: So creative! 

Got Your Back  Awards

99% Perspiration Award: For the willingness to put in the hard work

Abacus Award: For being there to count on

Old Faithful Award: For always being dependable

Got Your Back Award: For always supporting your colleagues

Swiss Army Award: For being the most indispensable

The Meeting Hater: They have the courage to say what everyone else thinks!

Raisin Award: Most deserving of a “raisin” pay

Web and Social Media Awards

Twitter Addict Award: Most likely to tweet about this award

Facebook Finatic: For an unhealthy obsession with Facebook

Compulsive Blogger Award: The person most likely to blog about winning this report. 

TXTNG AWRD: 4 More Txts! OMG U R SO GR8 4 WINING This!! LOL!!!!!!

Big Kahuna Award: Most time spend surfing the web

Tunnelling Out Award: For the employee who spends the most time updating their LinkedIn profile.

Techie Awards

Most Likely to Break The Internet

Post Likely to Use PowerPoint As a Primary Communication Tool

Most Likely to Believe that AI Will Take Over the World

The Tech Expert: This person knows just how to fix it

Most LIkely to Build a Drone

The Most Likely Person To Use A Spreadsheet to Solve A Problem

Hundreds of Tabs Open Award: They always have dozens of tabs open on their computer! 

Tin Cans and String Award: For the person whose internet is so horrible they are hard to hear

The Multitasker Award: For the person who insists on 2 screens

Social Awards

Page 6 Award: Most up-to-date on office gossip

GPS Award: Most likely to know where anyone is at any given time

Office Social Chair: For the person who coordinates and attends all the social events

Office Bestie Award: The person who knows everyone, even newbies 

Ear to the Ground Award: For the person who always knows what cool events are coming to your city 

Fitness Awards

Take the Stairs Award 

Worst Dancer Award

14 Take a Lap Award: For the coworkers who is always moving or walking

Gold Medalist: For the person who exercises during their lunch hour. 

Decorator Awards

The Interior Designer: The person who transformed their cubicle into something worthy of the Parade of Homes

Photo Album Award: For the person with the most photos on their desk 

Holiday Royalty: Always has their space decorated

Pop Culture Expert: This person does the thankless task of keeping the office up-to-date on pop culture

Hard Work Awards

The Laser Focus: Always zeroed in on the task to be completed

Empty Desk Award: It might be meetings or lunch, but this person seems to never be at their desk. 

Mission Impossible Award: For achieving the impossible. You are now expected to do this every time.

Busy Bee: This person doesn’t even have time for this award

Most Likely to Underpromise and Over deliver 

Foodie Awards

Coffee Pot’s Best Friend: Always has a cup of coffee in their hand, no matter what time of the day!

 The Empty Fridge Award: The one who always knows when the good snacks are being delivered

The Bean King (Or Queen): For the person who refuses to drink office coffee

Most Likely to Surprise you with Food 

Super Snacker: For the person who’s always snacking 

The Wonka Award: For always bringing donuts/candy to the office.

The Order Up Award: For the colleague who is always trying to get you to try new foods and restaurants. 

Most Offensive Smelling Lunch Eaten At A Desk Award 

Swarm of Locusts Award: For devouring the break room buffet

Always Hungry: For the person always looking for something to eat. 

Gourmet Lunch Award: For the person who always makes something new at lunch 

Drama Awards

Most LIkely to be on Jerry Springer: 

Best Potential Reality TV Star

The Seinfeld Award: For excellence in making something out of nothing

Most Likely to Survive a Zombie  Apocalypse 

The Center of the Universe Award: It’s always about them! 

Vastly Overqualified Award: Just ask them

Leadership Awards 

Librarian Award: Always keeping everyone inline

Babies Bottom Award: Smoothest in times of crisis!

Single File Award: for keeping everyone in line

People Whisperer: For HR or someone who can calm down any situation

Closet Hero Award: To the person who has saved the day, but not been recognized

Firing on All Cylinders Award: For getting the best out of everyone

Hall Buster Award: For the most diligent

The Terminator: Given to the manager who has outsourced or fired the most people in the last year

Future CEO Award: For the employee going places

The Avenger Award: For the manager most willing to defend their team and right wrongs!

Optimistic & Cheerful (Or Not) Awards 

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Most likely to see the positive 

Champagne Award: Most sparkling personality

Carpe Diem Award: For making the most out of every day. 

Energizer Bunny: They keep going and going

Playground Award: Most likely to make work fun

Silver Linking Award: For the person who can always find it

Little Miss Sunshine Award: For the brightest smile

Head Cheerleader: Most team spirit

Bubbles Award: For always having a bubbly and enthusiastic personality/perspective

The Coach: Always able to give a pep talk when you need it most!

Eternal Keeper of the Motivational Poster Award

Contagious Smile: to the person with the most infectious smile 

Bright Idea Award: Always comes up with a great idea just when the chips are down!

Helping-Out Awards

Helping Hand Award: Always willing to help out

The Toolbox: For the person who can fix anything!

Code Red Award: The person you can always go to in a panic because they can fix any situation! 

First Responder Award: For always being ready to go when needed

Most likely to be a Superhero: Always saving the day!  

Fire Extinguisher: To the person who always puts out the metaphoric fires

Houdini Award: Always getting us out of troubles

White Knight Award: Most likely to save the day

Most LIkely to Win the Nobel Prize

The Janitor Award: For the person who can fix or clean up any problem! 

Fix-It & Creativity Awards

Guru Award: For being able to fix any problem, no matter how hard!

DIY Award 

Every Department Award: For the employee who can do any task

Duct Tape Award: For being able to fix pretty much everything

Bunsen Burner Award: For the hottest ideas 

The Picasso: for the person who is always doodling something 

Mind-Blowing Award: Most likely to generate Creating ideas

Jack of All Trades Award: For the person who has useful skills we never thought we’d need at work!

Best Confidant Awards

Back in the Day: Most nostalgistic 

Grandma’s Dumpling Award: For the most comforting 

Brown Envelope Award: For excellence at keeping secrets

Sports Awards

The Sports Fan

Quarterback Award: Most likely to pass off work

The Super Fan: The dedication of this person to a show, sports team, or pop star is inspiring

Best Throw 

Point Guard Award: For running with the ball

Ten Points Award: For always talking a “Big Game”

Interesting Awards

Most Likely to be Batman

Most Likely to Be in a High-Speed Car Chase

Most Mysterious

Most Likely to Marry A Random Stranger

Most Likely to Have 10 Kids

Secretly Lex Luther

A.D.D. Award: The person most likely to be distracted by- Look! Something Shiny! 

The Nomad Award: For the person who finds inspiration around the office!

Extra Talents

Honorary Mechanic: For the one who’s had their car in the shop enough to become a mechanic themselves! 

Outer Orbit Award: Most likely to push all limits

Dish Destroyer: For the person who breaks the most dishes. Or perhaps the person who tackles the sink full of dirty dishes in the breakroom. 

New Hobby Award: For the coworker who is always trying something new

Best Intern 

Best Cowboy

Free Finder: This person always grabs the free stuff from the workplace! 

Road Warrior for whoever travels the most or has the longest commute

Joe Six-Pack Award:  For being one of the regular people 

Border Patrol Award: For being the most protective of their space

Cat Lady Award 

The Dr. Doolittle Award: For talking more about their pets than spouse or children

Conclusion

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About Thanks

Thanks is a leading provider of a recognition-based platform that increases communication, builds teamwork, and makes recognition a part of company culture. Fast, easy and simple Thanks makes it easy to bring data-driven employee recognition to your entire organization. O.C. Tanner purchased the Thanks platform in 2019 to fulfill the recognition needs of smaller businesses. 

Thanks customers benefit from the same decades of research in employee motivation and company culture that O.C. Tanner enterprise clients enjoy, but in a product that is geared for fast, easy and simple deployment. Whether you’re starting a recognition program or improving and expanding on what you already have, Thanks has everything you need to engage your people with effective, scalable recognition.