How Tech Leaders- Like Yelp and Twitter- Are Showing Employee Appreciation with Custom Oil Paintings

Modern employees and salespeople are incentivized by more complex reasons than ever before—and not all of them are tangible.  Yelp shows their employees appreciation by commissioning custom oil portraits of them.

Companies with high employee engagement reap a number of valuable benefits: productivity and innovation flourish, employee retention is high, and loyalty is fostered. One innovative way that companies have driven employee engagement and differentiate themselves in a competitive job market is through their art recognition programs.

Millennials now comprise the largest segment of the American workforce, and a recent study shows that nearly four in every five employees would prefer new perks and benefits over a pay increase.

As part of “Employee Success”, companies both large and small are turning to custom, Renaissance-style oil paintings of their employees to recognize performance and achievements.

Chris Jensen says, “When you think about it, a gift card to a coffee shop doesn’t cut it anymore. Over the past three years, we have increasingly commissioned portraits of employees to recognize top salesperson, for winners of bug-breaking competitions, to recognize employees who have made it to the one or eight-year mark.”  

Each company conducts their unveiling ceremony a little differently. Some companies unveil them as part of small monthly ceremonies, while others present them at company retreats or conventions. Receiving such a unique gift is not for the faint of heart. The genuine reactions and shocked looks on the faces of the receiver can cause endless laughter, to the point of breathlessness.

“Our paintings are individually handpainted and made according to our customers requests. In most cases, the winners get to pick what they wish to be painted as. As such, our paintings bring to life the vision of the employee has of themselves.” Portraits do not necessarily need to be of Renaissance royalty. “We have commissioned portraits of employees as football players, singers, and even one as an emu.”

Most of the time, the paintings stay on the walls of the office and, as months roll by and companies grow, so, too, does their collection of fine art. Yelp began their Wall of Game in NYC three years ago, and has turned into a formidable recognition strategy that continues to motivate its employees.

“Imagine walking past a portrait of yourself among those of your peers every morning as you get to your desk or seeing those peers and working diligently to see yourself commemorated alongside them.”  There are many ways to boost employee engagement. Nobilified’s paintings bring joy, smiles and laughs, helping create an environment your employees want to be in.