Where employers tend to go wrong, however, is that they think they need a grand gesture to make employees feel appreciated when in actuality, something simple will do the trick. Here are a few ways to recognize your employees that won’t break the bank, and more importantly, that you can regularly implement all year long.
Easy Ways to Recognize Your Employees
There are plenty of ways to recognize your employees that can make a big difference without getting too flashy. These staff recognition ideas will cost you little to no time, money, or effort, but will go a long way towards improving employee morale.
- Create a traveling trophy that you give to a new MVP each month. This award can be something goofy—think the “Dundies” from The Office.
- Include a blurb in the company newsletter or send out a regular email that highlights the achievements of an employee or team.
- Award top employees a particular parking spot for a period. This would be especially meaningful if it were your parking spot you were giving up.
- Give an employee the afternoon or a day off for a job well done.
- Provide a small gift card to a relevant location, like a coffee shop.
- Give a simple greeting card signed by their senior leaders and peers.
- Decorate their cube or office with special signs, balloons, or other decorations to recognize a particular achievement.
- Offer prizes or incentives for going above and beyond, such as a quarterly bonus for attending a leadership workshop or added PTO for hitting a certain quota.
- Announce an employee’s success to clients if appropriate.
- Create certificates, pins, or buttons to award for high performance—people love to display their accomplishments.
- Write them a heartfelt note expressing your appreciation.
- Take them out to lunch at a nice restaurant. You can make this a group outing if you’re worried it might be awkward or put them on the spot.
- Allow them to work from home for a day.
- Credit them a free Uber ride to and from work for a day so they can avoid the typical commute.
- Throw a quarterly party to celebrate everyone’s achievements, making sure to highlight specific accomplishments in front of the group.
Sincere recognition at work goes a long way towards motivating your crew to strive for greatness and makes them feel appreciated, which in turn creates a more positive company culture. It’s more important to find ways to recognize your employees regularly with small gestures than it is to grant larger gestures that are few and far between.
I hope you recognize that you don’t have to do or spend a lot to make your employees feel appreciated. If you are interested in motivating, rewarding, and finding new ways to recognize your employees, click on my contact form and let’s schedule a video chat.
Coach Dave