30 Awesome Ways To Reward Employees & Boost Productivity
This is a quote by renowned writer and leadership training guru Dale Carnegie, which a lot of people might recognize. Dale understood that feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up. For employees it makes them feel safe at the most basic level, which encourages them to put in their best work.
When employees start to feel as though they are not doing enough, it creates an environment which drains and diverts energy away from creating value. An environment in which productivity cannot thrive.
Rewarding and recognizing excellent service from your employees not only boosts productivity, it reinforces the actions of the employee and makes it even more likely that they will do it again. The Positive reinforcement sets an example for everyone in your organization and helps them understand the kind of work you value most
Here are 30 ways you can reward employees & boost productivity
1. Lunch With The CEO
Let the Boss take the employees out for lunch, they can even be allowed to choose the location. This will boost moral & provides the opportunity for the CEO to get direct feedback from the employees.
2. House & Car Cleaning Services
Partner with cleaning companies to provide a thorough house cleaning service for the busy productive employees and have their car professionally detailed while they’re at work. Trust me they will appreciate it,
3. Friday Happy Hour (team celebration)
Senior staff spends time with the performing team outside the office environment on a Friday. It can be at the mall, a fancy restaurant or the beach, The goal is to provide a fun atmosphere that encourages team bonding and boosts team morale.
4. Time Off
5. Gift Cards
Online retailers like Amazon have gift cards that have a minimum value of $10 & a maximum of $2k (the value can be customized). It also comes with free 2-day shipping once redeemed.
6. Tickets to Social Events
7. Meal Vouchers For Two
8. Travel Subsidy
9. Cash-Equivalent
Sometimes the best way to pick the right reward is to allow the employees choose. A cash equivalent for the options should be presented, this gives staff the choice to pick which option would be most valuable to them.
10. Quarterly Draws
At the end of a quarter, top performing employees are picked for a draw, where they could win mouth-watering gifts like iPhones, Laptops, Weekend getaways for 2, Washing machines, $200 Shopping vouchers. The prizes must be of value for this to have the desired effect.
11. Recognition
12. Create Award Plaques
You can be as creative with these awards as you want. Hell you can design your own certificates with Canva, then print and frame it before handing it to the employee
13. Training
14. Favorite Liquor (Age restriction 21+)
15. Movie Tickets
16. Create a Wall of Fame
17. Pay For a Subscription
18. Boss For a Day
19. The Champion Belt
Make the best employee the office champion. Create a Championship Belt (Something like the WWE belt), and hand it to the employee in the presence of everyone. The championship tenure can be yearly or half yearly before the next ‘battle finale’
20. Afternoon At a Spa
21. Name Product After Employee
Fun fact: Shakey’s Pizza in San Angelo Texas named it's famous 'Mad Mike' Pizza after Mike Rowden - the employee who created it
22. Handwritten Letter of Recognition
23. Engraved pen set
24. Night In a Luxury Hotel
25. Free Hair Cut/Styling
26. Gasoline Gift Card
27. Public Billboard Commendation
Has the employee really gone out of his/her to help the company reach a certain goal? Or has their action brought about a windfall of good PR for the brand? why not in addition to any of these forms of reward, take out a Billboard to recognize and show appreciation to the employee.
This is guaranteed to make the employee a local celebrity for a few weeks or months, and also give them a memory they would never forget.
28. Write Them Linkedin Recommendations
Reward outstanding employees by having their bosses or senior colleagues write them Linkedin recommendations.
Writing a recommendation on LinkedIn for such employees is one of the most powerful signs of approval you can bestow on them. Not only are you recognizing the employee, you are equally endorsing their qualities and skills in a forum of over 120 million professionals. (Check out this Hubspot guide on writing Linkedin recommendations)
29. Work Desk Upgrade
Replacing that squeaky chair or worn desk the employee sits on every day to accomplish their task. If they own an office, consider throwing in some artwork or uplifting decor.
Don’t stop there, upgrade the work tools; new LCD monitors, comfort-designed keyboards, and mouse pads etc. These make great rewards and shows the employee that you care.
30. Promotion
Happy employees = Happy customers.
You can use one or as much as many of these ideas to reward employees & boost productivity. It’s all about making them feel appreciated and valued.
This is awesome!
Thanks Nancy!
Wow,so inspiring,I will definitely have to act fast.I have been neglecting a high performing team.Thank you for sharing.
You’re very welcome Saima