9 Incredible Ways to Reward Your Staff -

9 Incredible Ways to Reward Your Staff

Do you remember the last time someone praised you for doing a good job?

Remember how motivating and energising that was?

If I close my eyes right now and recall every compliment I received, I know my heart would feel like a fully charged battery. Imagine how wonderful it is to pass enthusiasm to your staff!

As I run my business, I think of ways to give that kind of appreciation. I was never shy about giving credit to my staff. As much as I can, I want them to feel valued.

I look for ways to be creative with my gratitude. So far, I feel that I keep getting great feedback for implementing them.

Here are 9 great ideas to reward your staff that you might want to follow!

1. Celebrate their birthday with a cake!

What a great way to enjoy someone’s special day by sharing a dessert with the team.

I make sure that each of my staff member’s birthday is plotted on my calendar and that they receive a personalised cake.

Letting your staff know that you care about their big day is a heartfelt move!

2. Do monthly events

There’s always a good reason to celebrate each awesome month. There’s Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and all other special days to honour specific people or cultures.

During these events, I run activities or provide gifts.

These don’t have to be grand or expensive. It’s always the thought that counts!

3. Have a Pizza day, Doughnut day, or Coffee day (even if there’s no occasion)!

Even in months without special holidays or events, I make sure that we give something out. It’s great to see the staff enjoying slices of pizza, getting stuffed with doughnuts, or sipping fancy frappes.

It’s a simple gesture, but it’s my way of saying thank you for being awesome this month!

4. Write about them or mention them.

Give them time to be in the spotlight! Make sure you write good things about your staff and recognise the effort they put in. If you have a newsletter, mention them!

If you want to send videos, then talk briefly about the staff member that impressed you recently. Let everyone know that you are happy because they did something great.

Sincere compliments surely boost the staff’s morale. It helps them know that even if they are not directly working with you, their good deeds are noticed.

5. Have Lunch with them.

Take your employees out to lunch!

Do your best to keep work-related discussions to a minimum. Take this time to get to know more about their interests, hobbies, or anything outside their work. It’s also good if you don’t sit among the usual people – move around if there’s space!

I remember doing this when we were just 10 people and I can’t help but smile thinking how we manage to do this even at 50 strong! Yes, we might have taken all the seats in the floor’s shared pantry. But that 1 hour of us eating good lunch, talking and laughing together, is one of the greatest moments I felt proud to have started this business.

6. Have Recognition Days.

Certificates are not cliché!

We present certificates and cash incentives to those who don’t have tardiness issues within each quarter.

I remember seeing my staff proudly pose with me for every recognition certificate they get. I believe that presenting them this to honor their achievement (no matter how big or small) encourages them to keep doing good work.

7. Buy books!

Do you want your staff to grow further as an individual and share simple philosophies with you? Invest in creating your own in-house library!

Not everyone is a bookworm, but having good books around might just turn them into one!

Share that life-changing experience you have when reading powerful books by making these available for them to enjoy.

You can also get them to list down the books they want, so you can buy them.

8. Bring toys to the office!

Toys are for all ages – especially those that awaken wit and competitiveness in you!

In my last office visit, I purchased toys and board games for my staff to use while they are on break.

Encouraging staff to take breaks with games that flex their creative muscle helps them come back to work refreshed and thinking outside the square.

They can spend their time challenging their colleagues in a game of scrabble or chess!

9. Organise company social events

Give your staff a reason to glam up or dress down with memorable company events!

Organise company summer outings or fancy Christmas dinners. This way you give your staff the opportunity to mingle with you and their co-workers away from the hustle and bustle of the office.

This helps strengthen relationships amongst your staff and is also a way to build friendships.

Last year we had our Christmas party in one of the best restaurants in Cebu City. I brought my family with me and we exchanged gifts with the staff. We also gave prizes during the raffle and everyone went home happy as they brought extra treats with them.

Keeping the staff happy is every business owner’s responsibility. Don’t be an uninteresting boss who just passes around tasks. Be the one who inspires people!