Gratitude – How to Reward Your Employees for Good Work

Everyone craves recognition or appreciation for a job well done. Expressions of gratitude can be birthed from anywhere, positively affecting each party. It can start at home by rewarding your children with their favorite freeze-dried candy to keep their room neat throughout the week. Even in the workplace, employers should think of ways to show employees appreciation for good work. Here are some ways to reward your employees:

1.  Give Personalized Gifts

Everyone has a hobby, sport, or something they love to do when not at work. It can be challenging for the employer to identify what their employees love doing during their free time, primarily if you do not interact much. However, their colleagues might know their hobbies and what you can get them. It would be nice to get them a branded gift with your company’s logo as it also helps promote your brand.

You can get ideas about popular items on vendor websites which might be helpful based on their likes. For example, if they love exercising, you can get opinions on popular things to help them do their craft better. These can range from quality fitness gear to water bottles or tech accessories.

2.  Give Monetary Incentive

Financial incentives are best presented as bonuses either quarterly or annually. Most companies give their employees a bonus annually. With the increased cost of living, no one would mind putting some extra money into their accounts. However, most companies opt to give them annually as a larger package.

The prize will come in handy with the many expenses brought by festivities at the end of the year. The annual office party also presents the ideal time to recognize the hardworking staff by rewarding them with a bigger bonus than the rest or giving them a promotion publicly. Combining the monetary incentive with the party makes everyone in the company feel valued.

3.  Give Time Off

Besides financial compensation, vacation is equally a good incentive without infringing on their leave days. Time away from the office helps employees refresh and return to work feeling more energized. Instead of assigning time off for them, you can ask them to choose a suitable time that will be valuable to them.

You can offer a gift card that could be a shopping voucher at a local supermarket or a package of something they can enjoy with family members in their off time. Alternatively, you can also give them time off by giving them a certain number of hours to work remotely from home on various days of the week. At least you shall have saved them from the commuting costs and other daily expenses in their everyday work life.

4.  Create Office Traditions

Annual office parties are among the most common office traditions people engage in. However, you can also ask your staff to develop office traditions that employees look forward to. It could be a monthly office BBQ, a quarterly team building in a different location outside the usual environment, or an external social event.

Take advantage of such forums to publicly recognize or thank employees who have accomplished significant work or hit specific targets. Such office traditions also improve the work ethic of your employees, help them work together, and reinforce a positive work environment amongst one another.

5.  Write a Thank You Note

In the modern world where technology has overtaken everything, the paper world has been forgotten by most. However, when the boss takes the time to buy a colorful card and write a few words on it, that stands out. That gesture shows that the employer values them by setting aside a few minutes of their time. If possible, you can couple the note with something extra as well.

6.  Feature Top Employees in Company Newsletter or Blog

One cannot entirely disregard the technology even with advocacy of using the old-fashioned way like the “Thank you notes.” If the enterprise has an online blog or a newsletter, you can use any of those to broadcast the top employees. On the page or newsletter, use a picture of them with a caption of their name, department, experience, and achievement. Doing this will also motivate employees to be better at their job.

7.  Create A Reward System

Each department can develop a unique, rewarding strategy, or you can have a universal one. You can come up with a reward system by either using targets or setting goals and recording points for each accomplishment, which you will use in the final tally. Once the estimated time frame is achieved, allow them to trade in their rewards of choice if they want to amongst one another. Since every employee has unique preferences for their kind of reward, a reward system with this in mind would be a great motivator.

If you have been looking to improve your company’s culture, lower turnover, and boost productivity, gratitude is the first place to start. You do not have to crush the bank account to do this, especially if you are an upcoming small business. Start small, and with time, you will notice an improvement in your company. As little as it is, you also mentor your employees indirectly to treat their employees better if they ever start their businesses.

About the Author

Roni Davis is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area.

Photo by RODNAE Productions