There are no hard and fast rules about when or what types of occasions merit special recognition. Some of the more common reasons for recognition and reward are:

• length of service (usually landmark anniversaries like one, five, 10, and 20 years of service, for example)
• retirement
• safety (usually more common in manufacturing businesses, this includes recognition for achieving a certain number of days without an on-the-job injury)
• attendance (six months or a year without an absence is the typically rewarded goal)
• productivity
• customer service
• superior performance awards (usually for outstanding effort and achievement on a specific project)
• employee-of-the-month programs