Everyone enjoys being appreciated. Research conducted by NectarHR found the results of appreciation go far beyond warm fuzzies, especially in the workforce. The survey showed that 78 percent of employees were more productive when they received frequent praise, and 84 percent were more motivated to help their companies succeed. The study also revealed companies that practice appreciation have lower employee turnover and higher success rates.
Randy Schmitke, CEO of The O&P EDGE and Amplitude, agrees. “Complimenting employees for a job well done is a simple thing to do, yet it has enormous impact. But in the busy world we live in, it can be easy to forget.”
The spirit of appreciation is the reason Amplitude is launching its first annual Reader’s Choice Awards in 2025. “Prosthetics is such an incredible industry,” says Schmitke, “and many professionals dedicate their lives to it. We want to honor that.”
Announced at Academy’s Annual Meeting & Scientific Symposium in February, Amplitude’s Reader’s Choice Awards (RCA) have been well received in the community. “Attendees were super excited about it,” says Heather Swanson, senior graphic designer for both magazines. Heather manned The O&P EDGE and Amplitude booth at the show. “Everyone kept saying that it’s about time someone did this,” she says.
Awards programs are common in many professions, including other health and medical industries. While most awards rely on peer nomination or outside research companies to select winners, Amplitude chose a different approach. “It didn’t feel right to have an outside research company, who has no firsthand experience with the prosthetics industry, be the judge of outstanding prosthetic professionals,” Schmitke explains. “The RCA staff agreed that peer recognition is valid and important, but it’s the patients, the amputees, who rely on a prosthetic team. They know first-hand who deserves recognition. It was important to us that both groups, peers and patients, have a say in choosing the winners.”
Awards are more than a plaque on a wall or a trophy on a shelf. They validate excellence and give a company credibility. Awards are also an excellent marketing tool. “I was an owner of, and have been involved in, multiple O&P facilities. Finding the time and resources to market a facility is challenging,” Schmitke says. “Most resources go towards patient care. Many facilities, especially the smaller ones, simply don’t have the bandwidth to launch an effective marketing campaign. Amplitude’s Reader’s Choice Awards will be a resource that amputees refer back to, so winning an award is like getting a year’s worth of marketing in one shot.”
Most importantly, Amplitude’s Reader’s Choice Awards serve as recognition of employees’ hard work, and who couldn’t use a little more appreciation?
Voting is open for Amplitude’s Reader’s Choice Awards from May 1 through June 30, 2025. Winners will be announced in a special section of the 2025 November/December issue of Amplitude.
For more information, visit the Reader’s Choice Awards page on Amplitude’s website.
