By Sumona
One way to keep your employees happy and motivated is by giving rewards. Rewarding them will make them feel recognized and appreciated for their hard work and dedication to your company.
Furthermore, the rewarded employees will feel more energized and committed to doing even better, inspiring their colleagues to do the same. However, giving rewards shouldn’t be done carelessly without a plan.
You need to establish an effective employee reward system to ensure that your rewards program is impactful. The last thing you want is to make some of your employees feel ignored because you kept on rewarding the same employee over and over again. To help you develop unique and practical ideas to recognize and congratulate your team members for a job well done, here are six ways you can reward your employees effectively that will surely boost their morale:
1. Handwritten Personal Thank You Notes
This may seem like a tiny gesture, but you might be surprised how most of your employees have never experienced receiving handwritten thank-you notes before, especially from their boss. Nowadays, text messages, chats, and emails are dominating, making handwritten notes seem like old school and out of the option. But the truth is, handwritten notes bring more meaning, and this small gesture will show your employees how truly you appreciate them.
So, for business owners managing a small group of employees, consider giving some handwritten thank you notes to your people, especially when they’ve performed well. It may be that the employee has never committed any tardiness or absences in the past month, or the particular department has met their target sales.
2. Public Expression Of Gratitude
Another effective form of reward is by publicly expressing your gratitude to your employees. You can publicly say your thanks and appreciation to your employees during your monthly company meeting or an email blast. If not verbally, you can thank them and recognize them publicly by putting their names on a public company billboard, company blog, or company newsletter.
3. Office Party
Giving rewards and recognition doesn’t always have to be done in a formal setting. You can loosen up and organize an annual or bi-annual office party for your employees. This will be a perfect time to highlight the company’s achievements and, at the same time, congratulate the employees for their hard work.
This can also be an excellent time to recognize employees who’ve been working for you for several years and thank them for their loyalty. This reward option may be costly, but the entire workforce will surely thank you for it.
4. New Year Bonus
Some people may say giving money is a great reward, but the truth is, it’s not always a great motivator, and its impact may not last for a long time.
Giving away money to awarded employees may sound exciting for them during the first few months, but later on, you might realize how costly it can be. Worst, some of your employees may start to think that it’s too small and would wish for more.
But there’s one exception, and that’s the New Year bonus. The New Year bonus recognizes your employees for their work the entire year, hence giving them a financial bonus. This method is much more validating as it will make them feel that they truly deserved it than handing out money every month.
5. Schedule Flexibility Or Time Off
Suppose you’ve asked your employees to work overtime for the entire week or give up their day off due to a work project that needs to be submitted at the soonest time possible.
In that case, after the project has been fulfilled and they’ve done their job successfully, one of the best rewards you can provide is a flexible schedule. For example, you can ask them to come two hours later for the next day to provide them with time to sleep. You can also ask them only to work half-day to go home early and rest.
Better yet, allow them to take two days off, considering that they haven’t had any day off for the sake of the project. As a manager or employer, it’s also your responsibility to ensure your employees have a balanced work-life. Allowing them to spend time with their family or do their hobbies and passions will feel very rewarding to them.
6. Company Field Trip
If your company budget allows, especially if your employees have done a great job boosting your sales and company revenue, why not surprise them with a yearly company field trip? Since this can be a costly option, you may do this only once a year, such as during a company anniversary or end-of-the-year celebration.
You can take your team somewhere they’ve never been to before. There’s no better type of reward than letting your people experience things they’ve always wanted. Regardless of whether it’s a luxurious or simple vacation, this unique experience will make them feel genuinely appreciated for their hard work.
Wrapping Up
Rewarding your employees shouldn’t feel like a chore or an obligation. You can make it as fun and exciting as you want it to be. From handing out written thank you notes, announcing their names on a company billboard, to arranging an annual company field trip, your employee reward system will surely boost their morale and productivity. So, try out one of these ideas and see how your team becomes more dedicated and in love with their work.
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