Being a boss is a difficult job, managing other employees and maximizing productivity are skills that not many people have. One of the most effective ways to increase productivity is to reward your employees for good performance. It can be more difficult than many would think to make your employees feel recognized and appreciated. This article will discuss ways to make it easier for those in management positions to make their employees feel like their work matters.
1. Offering Genuine Praise
Offering genuine praise is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reward employees. While a casual compliment can seem trivial, these little things can have huge implications for productivity. Whether it is something major or minor, offering a genuine compliment can be much more effective than some would think. Employees knowing that you appreciate their work and think highly of them makes them more confident and productive in the workplace.
2. Give them an Award or Gift
Giving an employee an award is another form of offering praise. Giving an employee an award not only incentivizes that individual to work harder but additionally encourages other employees to compete amongst themselves. This award may not have much significance beyond the gesture, but acknowledging an employee’s performance publicly and giving them something physical as a reward can significantly increase their productivity. These rewards don’t need to be twenty-four karat gold; giving employees something as simple as freeze-dried candy, snacks, or company merchandise can be great examples of a nice award.
3. Offer Time Off
Offering time off can be a great way to maintain productivity and also prevent employee burnout. If an employee stayed a few hours late on Thursday working on a project, reward their extra effort by letting them leave an hour early on Friday. These time-off rewards don’t need to be significant, but an employee knowing that you see the extra work they have been putting in will make them much more likely to continue putting in extra effort.
4. Schedule Something Special
Scheduling an event for the employee’s team can be a great way to reward them for outstanding performance. If a particular employee or team leader has been going above and beyond for a while, reward their entire team. Some examples could be paying for their dinner at a nice restaurant, getting a masseuse to come in, or having them do a fun team-building activity.
These team rewards bring employees closer together and make them a better team. Additionally, employees knowing that their group is being rewarded can make them feel much more appreciated. For example, if your team lead is the only one receiving rewards for your work, you will feel less incentivized to go above and beyond.
5. Give them Something Unique
Giving employees something unique and memorable will raise productivity more than most would think. Something as simple as a gold tennis ball or even a sock can affect productivity. For example, every week, give out a unique reward to a particular employee or team for their performance. This acknowledgment makes employees’ work feel important and valued every week without costing the company money.
Some wacky gift examples could include a unique trophy (maybe a gold tennis ball), a special coffee cup, or perhaps a hat. The possibilities for these rewards are endless. The important thing is not the reward itself but the acknowledgment of an employee’s exceptional work.
6. Reward the Whole Company
If your company has had a particularly successful quarter and productivity is up, then this could be an opportunity to throw a company-wide event. Rewarding the whole company with an event such as a BBQ, Field day, or happy hour can make every single employee feel appreciated.
It is important for employees to feel like they are part of the company. The success of the company depends on employees working together. Because of this, make sure nobody is overlooked. Rewarding the entire company brings all employees closer together and creates a healthy company culture.
7. Invest in Employee Education
If a particular employee is overperforming in their job, it is your responsibility as a manager to recognize this. It is imperative as a company to make investments in your employees; investing in people is a stock that pays dividends. For example, if you have an exceptionally hard-working employee who seems very driven but not qualified enough to undertake a higher position, invest in their education. Educating employees makes them more prepared to take on more difficult responsibilities in the future and also makes them more committed to your company.
Your employees are the most important part of your company. Educating them allows you to hire internally for important positions significantly more often. This can have enormous implications for workplace productivity. Employees knowing that their manager is “one of their own” are driven to work harder for the possibility of receiving the same position.
8. Donate to a Charity or Cause
Donating to a charity or cause of the employees choice is an excellent opportunity to do something for your staff and other people. This act of support rewards the employee for their hard work and betters the wider community. Additionally, this technique of rewarding employees comes at very little cost to the company.
Very often, companies will be donating to a variety of charities; putting this decision into the hands of employees makes it much more personal. This technique dramatically improves company culture and is just a good thing to do, improving the community and productivity at the same time.
These methods are great opportunities for you to have your employees feel seen. While things as simple as giving an employee a snack or a compliment may seem trivial, they are extremely important for increasing productivity in the workplace. Employees should feel as if they are always seen for putting in extra effort.
About the Author
Jennifer Walker
