Remember how you felt the last time someone told you what a great job you were doing?
(Really think about it, and relive that moment of glory.)
That’s why it’s so important to make time to praise employees for a job well done.
Recognition makes people feel really good about themselves. It also motivates employees to keep up the good work. Positive reinforcement sets an example for everyone in your organization, showing them the kind of work you value most.
And it doesn’t have to be an elaborate event. Here are 52 ways you can start rewarding your employees today.
- CEO for the day:Let an employee be “CEO for the Day” and proclaim a jeans day, potluck or make a speech at a team meeting.
Chris Brennan, Performance Specialist
- Lunch with the boss
Take your employees out to lunch and let them choose the location. Do your best to keep work related discussions to a minimum. Take this time to get to know more about what your employee’s interests and hobbies are beyond their work lives.
Steve Moore, Director, The HR Center of Excellence
- Team shopping spree
If you hit a number-based milestone, such as a sales goal, take that number and use it as the basis for a celebration. Let’s say it’s 16,425. Take everyone to the mall. Give each employee $164.25 with these rules: you have 164.25 minutes to spend as much of the money as possible and you must spend the money on yourself (not kids, not a spouse – nobody but yourself). Have them meet you in the middle of the mall when time is up for a show-and-tell about what they bought. Afterwards, go to dinner together.
Jill Evans Silman, MS-HRM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior Performance Consultant, Recruiting Services
- Acts-of-service auction
At an employee appreciation dinner or company party, give everyone play money to use at an auction. The auction items should be small, personal things the management team will do for the winning bidder: wash cars, cook a meal, bake a cake, doing the employee’s job for 6 hours, baby-sitting, etc.
Jill Evans Silman, MS-HRM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior Performance Consultant, Recruiting Services
- Themed team lunch
Host a company lunch break, possibly themed, held outdoors (cookout or picnic) or formalized with nice linen on the tables.
Lynne Klein, PHR, Human Resource Advisor, HR Center of Excellence
- Company apparel
Who doesn’t love a free t-shirt or ball cap? Offering employees free company apparel and other logo merchandise can be a simple, inexpensive way to say, ‘thank you’.
Mary Lawrence, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, MidMarket Human Resource Consultant
- Gala guests
If your group has a relationship with a particular charity, buy a couple of tickets to their next lunch or dinner event and allow your employees to attend. Those events are always fun, and it provides them with a new experience.
Corinn Price, Director, Community Involvement
- Team service project
Organize a community volunteer activity. To make it even more rewarding, consider letting your employees choose the organization/event.
Lynne Klein, PHR, Human Resource Advisor, HR Center of Excellence
- ‘Thank you’ meeting
Call an employee into your office to just say thanks. It’s most impactful if you simply say thanks for a particular thing and nothing else. Don’t discuss other issues; only talk about the good work.
Jill Evans Silman, MS-HRM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior Performance Consultant, Recruiting Services
- Certificate of achievement
Present a certificate in honor of a specific achievement.
Kelley M Zanfardino, SPHR-CA, SCP, Human Resource Advisor, HR Center of Excellence