Boosting Morale With Proper Incentives - Options In Employee Awards
If you own or operate a business, one of the most important and challenging tasks you need to be sure to focus on is showing appreciation for the work your employees do. It can be hard to stay motivated day in and day out, so feeling like your boss truly notices your efforts can go a long way.
The balance you have to maintain, however, is passing out awards to the people who deserve them without creating harsh feelings in others or breaking the budget. Below, you'll find some suggestions for employee awards that should allow you to straddle that line and guarantee that you can show your appreciation without creating a problem.
Time Off
If you're concerned that passing out tangible gifts might create some resentment, rewarding a hard-working employee with some time off can be an excellent compromise. It's also important to remember that gift values may be taxable, so your employees could find inadvertent frustration in high-value items you give them.
A little extra time off work can be a strong motivating factor for most people, and it has the added benefit of not costing the company anything directly. In many cases, this might be the best option for seeing true appreciation from your employees while simultaneously showing your own.
Catered Lunch
For many people, their lunch break isn't only important during the work day because it's a chance to rest and get some food. It's also the demarcation of the midway point of the day, and the break gives them a little cheer that helps them rally and finish up strong.
Bringing in a catered lunch as an award can add just a little excitement to that part of the day and make things feel special. Providing food for the whole office will also put the spotlight on the employee receiving the award by crediting them for the lunch, but it can avoid showing any favoritism.
Gift Cards
Ultimately, letting an employee choose their own award is perhaps the best way to be sure that they'll be happy with it. Gift cards are flexible enough that they don't require you to make any assumptions about your staff, especially if you purchase them from large and diverse retailers. Some online retailers even offer a loyalty program for companies who provide awards through their business, creating an added incentive for you to take the time to make sure your employees are recognized.
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