Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, - Printing Industries of America's 2013 Employee Recognition Calendar serves as a reference for Human Resources personnel, identifying various positions to celebrate throughout the year. Companies can create their own employee recognition events and use the Employee Recognition Program as its recognition vehicle.

"Employee recognition comes in many forms, and management professionals agree it is an important component for creating and maintaining a thriving company and committed workforce," says Jim Kyger, Asst. VP of HR for Printing Industries of America. "It doesn't matter if you have a formal or informal employee recognition program-the point is to acknowledge good work by employees."

While some companies have a mix of informal and formal employee recognition programs, they sometimes struggle with the formal part. However, industry acknowledgement can help fill that gap. Printing Industries' Employee Recognition Program (ERP) allows printers to formally recognize outstanding employees for quality work or years of service.

ERP's roots go back to 1950 at Printing Industries of America with the Master Printers of America department. More than 50,000 ERP certificates have been awarded at more than 2,500 firms.

For more information and ideas on other ways to recognize employees, visit www.printing.org/erp.

2013 ERP Recognition Weeks

• January 13–19: Press Operators, Assistants, and Helpers Week (in conjunction with Printing Week & Ben Franklin's birthday, January 17, 1706)

• Feb. 24–March 2: Prepress Week (Anniversary of the introduction of the first PostScript Laser Printer, the Apple LaserWriter, March 1, 1985)

• April 21–27: Administrative Professionals Week (In conjunction with Administrative Professionals Week)

• May 12–18: Shipping/Receiving/Drivers Week (National Transportation Week)

• July 21–27: Mailers Week (in conjunction with anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Postal Service on July 26, 1775)

• October 6–12: Customer Service Representatives Week (Customer Service Week)

• October 6–12: Bindery Week (anniversary of the first patented folder by Cyrus Chambers, Jr., October 7, 1856)