Employers and staff at any Recognition Express outlet are able to nominate a colleague for the award by the 31st July 2007. This year the judges are looking for nominees who have gone that 'extra mile' for the company.

"More and more businesses are realising that a happy workforce is a successful workforce," says Nigel Toplis, Managing Director of Recognition Express. "Employee recognition is also a key factor in staff satisfaction and motivation, and can be more important than a pay rise. But many organisations do little to acknowledge individual employee achievement.

"What managers need to realise is that recognising staff doesn't have to be costly or time consuming and could be as simple as running an 'employee of the month scheme' or giving staff an extra day off for a job well done. That's what the Recognition Awards are all about - in the short and long-term they could boost your team's morale and increase productivity."