A corporate awards ceremony offers the platform to hand out trophies and awards to exemplary employees who’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty. From typical employee-of-the-month awards to recognizing sales teams who reached their sales goals, a corporate awards ceremony is the perfect opportunity to recognize workers for their hard work. However, you’ll want to avoid making the following all-too-common mistakes when hosting an awards ceremony.

Mistake #1) Not Testing The Equipment Beforehand

Take a moment to test the microphone, speakers, lighting, and other equipment before the ceremony begins. Make sure everything works appropriately and there are no major issues with the equipment. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to stop the ceremony so you can troubleshoot technical problems.

If something does go wrong, act fast to get the equipment operational. Of course, it’s not a bad idea to have a tech professional on standby in the event of equipment failure. The longer the equipment remains the down, the greater the chance of attendees walking out.

Mistake #2) Dragging It Out

Employees and other attendees probably don’t want to sit through a long, drawn-out awards ceremony. As the ceremony continues through the evening, some people may get up and leave if it’s taking too long. To avoid this from happening, keep your awards ceremony short and sweet – focusing on the awards.

Mistake #3) Not Pronouncing Recipients’ Names Correctly

A third mistake that you’ll want to avoid when hosting a corporate awards ceremony is incorrectly pronouncing recipients’ names. Go through the list of award recipients before the ceremony begins, and if you are unfamiliar with the correct pronunciation of an employee’s name, ask someone for assistance.

Mistake #4) Using Generic Awards

If you really want to have a meaningful and professional awards ceremony, you should avoid using generic awards. Instead, hand out personalized plaques and/or 3D sculptures personalized with the recipient’s name. This will have a stronger effect on the recipient, instilling a sense of pride and accomplishment for achieving the award.

Mistake #5) Lack of Planning

Lack of planning can turn a corporate awards ceremony into a disaster. If you plan on hosting the ceremony, write a speech beforehand and have a list of the award recipients in the appropriate order. You don’t have to necessarily read straight from your speech, but having it nearby will allow you to get back on track should you lose focus. This alone can make a world of different in hosting a successful corporate awards ceremony.