How Do ID Badges Improve the Corporate Work Environment?

We always imagine a corporate environment as something populated with people with stiff backs and unsmiling faces, neck deep in trying to earn millions for their organization. While the last may be true, the contours of a corporate environment have changed considerably over the years, and organizations, yes even those earning billions in revenue are making the necessary systemic changes to make the work environment friendlier and conducive for more fun.

One of the key drivers of this change is the way they are using their corporate ID badges. The humble badge is humble no more and does a whole lot more than just playing a role in the security setup of the organization.

Astute organizations are now using these badges to improve their work environment. Here’s how:

• Playing for the Team

Achieving organizational targets is a team game. An employee working for an organization needs to believe he is a part of the team and needs to be a team player. This is where his badge comes into the picture. Organizations don’t just use an ID badge to identify the person but use it to identify him as a part of a particular team. Most organizations have innovative names for teams that are working on specific projects and use ID badges to bring within the various team players a sense of belonging. These ID badges have custom employee descriptions that talk about the specific strengths of the individual and why he/she is a good pick for the team he belongs to.

• Importance given to the Individual

One track corporate ID badges that follow a set pattern across all employee IDs is a thing of the past. Innovation is the name of the game, and the availability of plenty of ID badge makers that focus on innovative IDs means corporates can experiment with their badges. Even large organizations with hundreds of thousands of employees can ensure each ID card of the employee has a personal touch. Yes, if the organization needs to stand out from the crowd, it must take steps to tell its employees how important they are in the scheme of things. A small personalized message, something like “A warm welcome to ______ (Employee Name) for becoming a part of the ______ (organization name) team.  Signed by the real top gun in the organization’s hierarch is a great personalized touch that pays rich dividends in the form of employee performance!

This small message will make 9 out of 10 employees feel special!

• Special Card Centric Offers

Innovation is hallmark of all successful organizations. They know an organization’s performance and productivity is dependent on whether they are able to keep their employees in good humor or not. There are plenty of ways a card is used to prop up employee morale. Say you are employed by an organization X, and there is a cafeteria on the premises that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you got to pay for it. But, the organization decides to surprise you one day. You get an email from HR that says you get a free snack today; all you need to do is show your ID card at the cafeteria counter. And what’s more this “free snack” is limited to your team only, considering the good work it has done through the month. That will definitely lift your spirits wouldn’t it?

Something else that corporates are doing regularly is tying up with restaurants, theatres, bakeries, etc. so that their employees are eligible for special discounts. And how do employees prove their eligibility for such discounts? You guessed it right! By showing their corporate ID badges, of course!

• ID Cards as  Passport to Events

Go back to the time when you were in college or school and how flashing your IDs got you access to some of the vents hosted by your institution. Well, even corporates ID badges are being used as passports to events.

A new band in town, just show your ID at the gate and get in; the opening night of new restaurant, just show the company ID card and get in; these are just a few examples of how some companies are using their ID badges to offer employees special ‘perk me ups’. They are making sure corporate ID badges can also be used as entry passes for interesting and fun events.

End Words

That’s how corporates are making good use of ID badges to improve personal connect with employees, keeping them in good humor and making sure that they feel the organization cares about them. Corporate ID badges have progressed from being just a part of an organization’s security apparatus to being employee motivators. So, the next time you see an ID card, don’t look at it as a piece of document only, it’s much more than that!