Best Ways To Give Employee Recognition

How To Become An Entrepreneur

1. Employee Conference Room

Everyone loves to hear and see their name repeated over and over. Recognize your employees by naming the conference room after them so that for a period of time all meetings can be held in the "employee's name" conference room. There is no better way to appreciate someone than to put their name in writing where others take note.
Thanks to: Vicki Donlan of VickiDonlan.

2. Soft Kindness In A Hard Office

I gave this tip to very coaching client very skeptical of simple relationship building techniques.

“Buy some blank cards. Next time an employee does something worthy of mention, write a short thank you note. Even though it’s easier, do not hand deliver the note; mail it to the employee's home.”

After the first card it changed the disposition of the whole office and the employee in this hard-core organization posted this soft approach kindness on his bulletin board.
Thanks to: Jim Bouchard of Think Like a Black Belt.

3. Honor Their Uniqueness

Every person is unique - and each has what we would call their "own unique creative expression." The more you can allow an employee to be their true selves and enact their unique expression in the workplace, the more they will feel recognized and valued.
Thanks to: Jeffrey Gitterman of Beyond Success Consulting.

4. Build Family Incorporation

A great way to recognize employees is to send them a card to their home address on their birthday, then send them a card on their employment anniversary date. By getting these cards at home, they get the surprise of something special in the mail, instead of junk mail or a bill. The whole family gets to be part of the celebration too!

I have done this, and help other companies do this using a powerful tool that is simple, easy, automated, and cost effective.
Thanks to: Curt Tueffert of Brick Wall Motivation.

5. Experience Rewards

We have found the most effective way to recognize employees is through unique and memorable experiences. By sending employees to do things like hot air balloon rides, cooking classes, sailing lessons or indoor skydiving, we help them create memories that will last a lifetime and give them something exciting to look forward to. Taking into account what our employees are passionate about and feeding those passions has been a huge success.
Thanks to: Adam Michaels of Cloud 9 Living.

6. One Size Does Not Fit All

We need to *recognize* that each individual is different.

An expensive bottle of wine for each team member won’t mean much for the ones who don't drink wine. A single mom might value an afternoon off with her child more than that bottle of wine. Others might value a ticket to a workshop more that helps them in their career or their hobby.

The best reward is the unexpected one that shows the receiver that we’ve paid attention to them. It should make them go, "Wow, how did you know?"
Thanks to: Anja Schuetz of selfcoachingcards.eu.

7. Reward Employees With Coins

The hottest new way for businesses to reward their employees is through coins! Coins for Anything, an Inc. 5000 company, is improving employee moral for companies like Starbucks, Google, Delta, FedEx & Miller.

One creative use for coins is employee recognition.

Giving employees a collectible token that reflects their accomplishments & hard work is great way to make sure they feel appreciated - Plus a coin stands out from a pile of personalized pens & coffee mugs & is hard to lose.
Thanks to: Jeff Morin of Coins For Anything.

8. Let Them Have A Say

Let them determine how they would like to be recognized. Too often employees are rewarded with things that are not valuable to them or something they do not even like. Once I saw a manager put out a super human effort and in return received a ski weekend for two. The only problem was that she hated skiing and was a single mom of three children. To do this simply, provide parameters around things such as money and resources, and let the employee design their own reward.
Thanks to: Michael Denisoff of Denisoff Consulting Group.

9. Write Their Families

My favorite tip to recognize employees is to send a hand-written thank you note to their spouse, children, significant other, or parents. It can be simple:

"Dear NAME: I work with Sue at XYZ Company, and wanted you and your family to know how important she is to our organization. In fact, recently, Sue (describe what recently happened to warrant the recognition.) Thank you for all you do at home to help her do the great work she does for our business."

Notes get saved--and remembered.
Thanks to: Darcy Eikenberg of Coach Darcy LLC.

10. Recognition In Song

My strategy is to give a personalized song about the employee you'd like to honor - something that is professionally written & recorded with original lyrics about this person’s life, achievements, family, foibles, etc. It may seem extravagant, but it is actually truly affordable for businesses of all sizes and types and is the ultimate personalized gift to honor someone who has given their best to your company.
Thanks to: Laura Danilov of FunKidsCd (Now writing for adults)!.

11. Reward Employees Through Work

One of the best ways to recognize an employee is through the work itself. Questions that a manager should himself and his employees are; What engages the employee in the work the most? What is something I'd like to do more? What is something that I could do less of? Reward the employee with the opportunity of a new job task or possible new learning experience to help them advance in their career.
Thanks to: Alan Vengel of The Vengel Consulting Group.

12. "'Motivate 'Em with Urinals?!"

When one of our salespeople would receive a nice comment from a customer, we'd give him/her a gift certificate. We decided to substitute a rose in a vase for some "trophy value." The program was working swell, until I overheard a couple employees chatting by the soda machine (which I was hiding behind!). "Oh goody, I got a customer compliment... now I'll get another flower urinal..." (I quietly, quickly discontinued the roses, and went back to gift certificates).
Thanks to: Tim McHeffey of Tim McHeffey.

13. Humble Yourself

One awesome way to recognize employees is by treating them as if they did something really amazing that you couldn't do without them, or that you couldn't do at all. It's really flattering when your employees think they are on top of the world.
Thanks to: Danny Wong of Custom Men's Dress Shirts | BL.

14. How Not to Give the Wrong Gift

I have found that incentivizing and rewarding employees with merchandise they want makes them happy and motivated to do well. The most successful way I've done this is by using the Ribbon gift albums. The mini-catalogs don't bust the budget (26 to chose from at various prices) and the recipient gets to choose what they want from about 30-40 items in the album. They like them so much, I get asked how to get them so they can give them as personal gifts to friends and family.
Thanks to: Eileen Batson of Batson Group Marketing and PR.

15. MONEY !!!

I've always overpaid my workers but to make up for it I underwork them, and overbonus them too.
Thanks to: Jeff Block of JustPaperRoses.com.

16. What Do THEY Want?

We tend to give rewards that *we* would like. That's fine if we are rewarding ourselves but if we are rewarding those who work for us, we darned well better find out what THEY want. Do they love time with their children and the arts. Give them tickets to an upcoming musical or other event. Do they love to treat themselves but won't ever do it. Give them a facial or pedicure. Do they love a clean house, but hate cleaning - give a day of a cleaning service. What do THEY want. Give that.
Thanks to: Meggin McIntosh of Emphasis on Excellence, Inc..

17. The Gift that Keeps on Giving

One way I like to reward employees when they do a fabulous job, even more fabulous than normal, is to treat them to a gift card to Starbucks, or the nail salon, or even Walmart, depending on what they're into. By far, however, the best reward I've found is to always share the great feedback I get from clients on their work--postitive feedback is always the very best motivation of all!
Thanks to: Jennifer Wong of Rockstar Buzz For Biz.

18. Rewarding Employees

To genuinely reward employees is a mult-phased process. The first step is to recognize their contributions internally - at staff meetings, via e-mail blasts, and/or posting on the company intranet or newsletter. A nice follow-up is to provide a "token" reward- customized to that person's special interests or hobbies.
Thanks to: Janet Boulter of Center Consulting Group.

19. Books Are Blessings

Using books especially those that recognize and continue to reinforce a job well done are a great way to show appreciation while encouraging ongoing personal development. Simple Truths has a plethora of books for under $20 and many have a DVD included. One observation is that people discard a lot, but books have a significant inherent (internal) value that goes far beyond the traditional recognition gifts.
Thanks to: Leanne Hoagland-Smith of ADVANCED SYSTEMS.

20. NOT Just A Gift Certificate

The best "Job Well Done" was when my boss took my wife & I to dinner at a nice steak house to honor my good work. He & his wife hosted us for an amazing dinner. The purpose was to say "thank you", but by making it an event it was an extra special evening. Sure, it cost twice as much as just giving us a gift certificate to the same restaurant, but seven years later we still remember that night.

Humans are "experiential beings", thus any time you can share an experience it is more memorable.
Thanks to: thom singer of NYP Speakers.

21. $$$ and A Personal Shopper

Give your employee a gift card of a substantial amount to a top-notch department store such as Bloomingdale's or Macy's. Arrange to have your employee meet with the store's personal shopper for a day of one-on-one fashion fun.
Thanks to: Susan Greene of Job Hunting Strategies.

22. Give Them A Social Shout Out

Write a glowing review of the employee on your company blog. Or give them a shout via a Facebook status update or a Tweet. It lets people know you care about your employees and makes your employee feel good!
Thanks to: Jillian Koeneman of Freshlime: Digital Marketing.

23. Send Flowers

Send the employee flowers and have the flowers delivered at work for everyone to see. The note should tell the employee how much you appreciate their hard work and the great job they do.
Thanks to: Peter Geisheker of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm.

24. Keep It Quiet

Any employee worthy of recognition will understand this. Don't make a big production, don't give the gossip hounds at work more to talk about and don't make it look like you are playing favorites. Commend them in private, preferably with a gift/reward that is appropriate for what they have accomplished. The one on one meeting usually means more to the recognized employee anyway and there is much less that can go wrong compared to public recognition.
Thanks to: Anthony Adams of Replacement Windows Boston.

25. Sponsor A Family Portrait

Reward your star employee with a gift certificate for a family portrait by a top-quality photographer. The gift will become a lasting treasured reward, because few families arrange formal family photos regularly, either because of expense or negligence. Once the portrait is completed, get the employee's permission to display it prominently in the work place for a month. Not only are you recognizing the employee, you are honoring the family that supports him or her with encouragement and love.
Thanks to: Bill Lampton, Ph.D. of Championship Communication.

26. Keep Praise Consistent

Sincere praise of employee accomplishments should be an ongoing objective for all managers and business owners. Overall employee morale is consistently higher when all employee(s) achievements are recognized. This can be done by mentioning the employee(s) and the accomplishment(s) in a group meeting, the office newsletter, or at a regularly scheduled Employee Celebration Day. Praise should always be public. This is an opportunity to foster goodwill and optimism throughout your workplace.
Thanks to: Dale Little of Business Strategist, Dale Little.

27. Stimulating Personal Growth

One of my client's hung a board above the entrance to the department. On the board was the name of everyone who achieved a personal best that week. Too many programs recognize only the best and brightest. With my client's approach everyone gets to be a hero. How inspiring is that?
Thanks to: Dale Furtwengler of Furtwengler & Associates, P.C..

28. Major ROI In 5 Minutes

I have three levels of recognition:
1) small project that goes live and took just a wee bit of extra effort. I hand write a thank you note on my personal, business stationary.
2) employee saved the company big bucks-I hand write a thank you note and enclose a check for $100.
3) employee puts in over 20hours of overtime, saves the company big money and comes in over the weekend. I give a handwritten note and a day off.

The ROI I have experienced from this is extreme loyalty and low turnover.
Thanks to: janine Bolon of SmartCents.

29. A Hall Of Fame Job

We inducted all 4-year attendees at the Kansas City Royals Fantasy Camp into the Fantasy Camp "Hall of Fame". They were given a Fantasy Camp Hall of Fame plaque that was resembled the Hall of Fame plaques given out in Cooperstown, NY (Home of the MLB HOF).
They felt like big-leaguers...
Thanks to: Greg Pryor.

30. Movie Time

No employees here...yet, but when I worked at a large financial firm, if a customer sent in a letter about how pleased there were with an employee's assistance, they receive an Outstanding Customer Service certificate and two movie tickets.
Thanks to: Julie Northrop of FreeBirthdayTreats.com.

31. Brand Employee Recognition

Create an inspiring employee recognition program. Begin by developing a theme and branding your program, so that it becomes a known entity within your company. For example, call it the The Badge of Honor and create a logo resembling a badge. Integrate this branded section as a consistent part of your company's intranet and employee newsletter. Continue forward by giving these employees a recognition letter with the branded name/logo and gift certificate. Plus, be sure to personally thank them.
Thanks to: Anahid Derbabian of Integrity Communications.

32. Praise In Public

Keeping employee morale high is not an easy task. It requires a balance of recognition and expectation. The most effective way to do this would be to deliver a personal message to that employee, either through email, phone card, or greeting card for work well done. However, utilizing a method that informs everyone else of this person's positive impact can be extremely beneficial. It is always important to praise in public, criticize in private. People like recognition in front of their peers.
Thanks to: Mark Hall of Input Ladder.

33. Speak Their "Love Language"

I believe everyone feels appreciated and valued in different ways…it’s their “love language”. Once you determine the recipient’s workplace love language, tailor the reward to speak that language. One employee may value a monetary award, while another time off, another public recognition, while yet another feels more comfortable in a small, intimate group with kudos being announced companywide through intranet, newsletter or e-mail. Know your employees and speak their language.
Thanks to: Beverly Floyd of The Corporate Vine.

34. Change Their Behavior

I worked with a company that had horrible employee attendance. So we implemented a perfect attendance drawing each month. Anyone who was not late, didn't leave early or absent each month was placed in the drawing for a $50.00 gas card. Within 6 months we change the behavior of employees and attendance improved.
Thanks to: Carrie Beers of Carrie Beers Coaching.

35. Verbalize Your Appreciation

Recognize employees with words of praise and affirmation. People need to be TOLD how valuable they are. Unfortunately, sometimes the people who need to be reprimanded or whose actions need correcting are the ones who receive the most attention. The reliable, trustworthy, committed employee, especially the one who serves quietly and humbly, may be taken for granted. So, SPEAK sincere compliments, tell them how much you appreciate them, express your gratitude in words. They'll be inspired!
Thanks to: Laurel Clark of School of Metaphysics.

36. Public, Positive and Personal

Recognition is a powerful motivator for all employees. For maximum effect, make it PUBLIC, in front of as many co-workers as possible. The recognition should include POSITIVE words, specifically praising the worker's accomplishments and attitude. This is not the time for sarcasm or back handed compliments. If giving a tangible reward, such as sporting event tix, day at the spa, restaurant certificate, plaque or other award, make it PERSONALized to the employee's job, personality, and interests.
Thanks to: Barbara McCandless of Closet Factory of Virginia Beach.

37. A Spot Bonus Rocks

When an employee goes above-and-beyond on a project, a small on-the-spot bonus is the best way to indicate that they are both recognized and appreciated.

The check should always be handed to the employee by the company President/CEO and – in my opinion – should be done away from the rest of the staff. A three minute meeting where the CEO says “thank you for a job well done” and delivers a check for $100, $500 or other amount can help solidify a star employee’s moral.
Thanks to: Kevin Mercuri of Propheta Communications.

38. Small Gifts Go A Long Way

I have worked in the past for a company who gave managers the freedom to give small gifts to employees with no bureaucratic ties: gift certificates good at a variety of popular stores, for $50-$150 always went a long way in rewarding ongoing accomplishments and creating good will.
Thanks to: Oana Hogrefe of Oana Hogrefe Photography.

39. Just Don't Be Materialistic

It's conventional wisdom that if we pay off people with flashy perks they work better but that is not the case especially in the situations when the mind is being used in doing something by the employee, We should understand the drive behind the kind of work they have done and increase there motivation levels so that they can do more great work, for example give an employee a chance to work with you for a day not just a formality,get their insights on your motto and let them feel like a family.
Thanks to: Akash Sharma of Revenue Strategy Solutions Ltd..

40. Ask Them What They Want

When I hire an employee, I ask on a new hire form, "What way do you like to be recognized and rewarded?". I ask if, besides verbal recognition, they appreciate gift cards (and to where), cash, gifts (and what types of things they enjoy), flowers, a public celebration, a meal out (I inquire about favorite restaurant), or "other" (fill in the blank).

By asking, I know when the opportunity presents itself, I can recognize and reward that employee in a way that is meaningful to them.
Thanks to: Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed .

41. Team Building of course :)

Actually, we are big fans of anything companies do to reward and motivate their employees and a big part of our business is creating and facilitating events that show employees that the company cares about their well being, their working together and their success.

Whether you choose a company like ours or just go out as a group, people spend a lot of time at work, make them happy, comfortable and motivated to work on your behalf by recognizing that hard work in good times and bad.
Thanks to: David Goldstein of TeamBonding.

42. Incentive For 2

Give your employee and his spouse/significant other the day off together with tickets to a museum/attraction and dinner gift certificate.

This incentive takes extra effort as I would call the employer of the spouse and explain the incentive, ask for the day off for spouse in advance, so it's a double surprise. Have the spouse meet the employee at work in the morning with the surprise incentive.

If the budget allows you may want to pay the spouse for the day off if they won't get paid.
Thanks to: Teajai Kimsey of Ideas That Work.

43. Social Media 201 - Win-Win

In addition to recognizing an employee for work well done in the company newsletter, a picture posted in the reception area, giving the employee a day off from work -- perhaps even an award of some kind, take it one step further. Use social media to include a recommendation on the employee's LinkedIn page, a post on their Facebook wall, a Tweet, a clever video on YouTube, etc. Not only will you be recongizing the employee in a special way, the company will gain some great exposure too.
Thanks to: Greg Jenkins of Bravo Productions.

44. Letters Of Appreciation

Most of the times a letter of appreciation is prepared directly addressing to the employee and mentioning him about his contribution towards the company. This letter is handed over to the employee. This is one of the most direct and straightforward approach. The employee recognizes directly that he has been given due credit for his performance.
Thanks to: Aniket Nikhade.

45. Thank You is NOT Cash

Understanding your business, is also knowing what motivates people, including your employees. Individually present them with what they will appreciate most, for example, tickets to a show for them to reconnect with their spouse. Game tickets for them to reconnect with their families. This appreciation generally goes further than cash.
Thanks to: Jeffrey Schoener of Neuro-Enhancement Strategies.

46. Know Thy Employees!

In my 15+ years of management experience I noticed that different people like to be recognized in different ways. Some will be happy to get a certificate of appreciation, a short recognition speech, and a big round of applause from the team... while others will be happy if they get a bonus check or a gift card to a favorite store... But what I found with most employees, they all like to eat; hence, I often recognized my top performers - or the entire team - by taking them out for a good lunch...
Thanks to: E.G. Sebastian of E.G. Performance Solutions.

47. Make It By Employees

We have several successful small businesses in our network that have formed employee committees whose purpose is solely to select and reward employees who perform above and beyond; the most successful of these programs reward based on exemplifying company values. In one case, a CEO comes "Publisher's Clearinghouse"-style to a winning employee's workstation, with balloons and gives a gift certificate. Even if a CEO does this, the main thing is that workers be the ones to select a fellow coworker.
Thanks to: Mark Harbeke of Winning Workplaces.

48. Make It Personal

Since every employee is unique, it is important to take into account the person being recognized. Do they love to be publicly acknowledged? Do they have a favorite restaurant or store? When an employee does something worth recognizing, take the time to make it personal. Thank them and acknowledge their achievement and reward them with something they can really use and enjoy. Taking that extra time to make it special shows how much you appreciate their hard work.
Thanks to: Sheena Edwards of Lizzie Lou Shoes.

49. Just Say Thanks

Most managers/leaders know how important it is to reward their employees for a job well done. The problem is, most employees don't want a 'reward'.

What will get your employees more joy and thus, get them to work even harder, is a "THANK YOU" and preferably in front of their co-workers. Sounds too simple?

"We do that. We have an 'employee of the month' wall." Unless it comes with the verbal 'thank you' it won't work.

An honest "thank you" goes a long way and will reap great rewards.
Thanks to: Joe Randeen of 3 Penguins Design.

50. Tell Their Parents!

I use to employee 5 women, all under the age of 30. I would offer the standard recognition: tell co-workers, award gift cards, take them to lunch, give extra time off, etc. But when I really wanted a unique way to recognize them for a job well done, I would hand write a thank you note to their parents, which would say how much I appreciate their daughter. Always caught employees by surprise.
Thanks to: Traci Bisson of The Mom Entrepreneur.

51. It's Simple: ASK!

Ask employees what motivates them as individuals in advance besides cash, raises or paid-time-off. An easy time to ask this question is during their annual review. You may be surprised to hear that some of your people would prefer having the company pay for a class or conference instead of a parking pass. You’ll get valuable insight into your staff plus gain a host of creative ideas that you already know will work.
Thanks to: Karen Howe of MIndbloom.

52. Proper Peer Peppering

By far, the very best way to let an employee know how much you appreciate them or what a great job they are doing is to tell a different employee or executive how great they are within ear shot. Works like a charm!
Thanks to: Elisabeth Donati of Creative Wealth Intl., LLC.

53. It's Only Fair To Share

Recognizing just one employee at a time created some very unhealthy competition in my company. To encourage teamwork and increase in productivity, we implemented a profit sharing rewards system, where 1% of total sales per week (less that week’s fees and returns) are divided among all employees that worked that week. This program has been in place for less than 6 months, but we have seen the teamwork and morale go up considerably.
Thanks to: Denis Stepansky of ItsHot.com Diamond Watches Jewelry.

54. Shower Them With Gifts

This probably sounds very corny and girly, but the ONLY virtual "pat on the back" I remember is a pair of Mikimoto pearl earrings I received as a gift from my boss sometime in late 1990's, possibly early 2000's. I still wear them and think very fondly of her. All the others, cards, flowers, bonuses, days off, you use and forget about them as soon as they are gone.

So, make it meaningful, useful, and good. And don't be cheap.
Thanks to: Selma Avdicevic of Woolly Boo.

55. Walk In Their Shoes

A great way to show appreciation and recognition to an employee is to trade places with them. You do their job and they do yours for whatever period of time is appropriate. This shows them you care and are interested in better understanding their contributions and that you trust them enough to let them peak behind the curtain of what you do as their boss or manager.

This is a great way to show your respect for them, does not cost anything and can be insightful for both of you. Have fun!
Thanks to: Ken Bechtel of Finding You In The Goo.

56. Be A Positive Mirror

Positive feedback and encouragement for a job well done go further than material rewards.
Thanks to: Marjorie Rand of Marjorie L. Rand, Ph.D..

57. Personal Applause

The very best way to show an employee recognition is public applause for something s/he personally achieved -- including something learned. With this approach you encourage appropriate risk taking, learning, and achievement. Wrap some fun around how you deliver the applause and it will also be memorable to all.
Thanks to: Kate Nasser of The People-Skills Coach, CAS, Inc..

58. See Them True!

Great companies large and small require people of quality dedicated to organizational and personal success. Businesses need to commit to their people, too. See them true, by showing appreciation through recognition and reward that speaks to the individual. Meeting the company president for personal acknowledgment can be a great gift for one person while a family pack for Disneyland may be for another. Personalize the reward and you'll see a surge of positive energy light up the business!
Thanks to: Judith Lukomski of Transitions Today Inc..

59. It's All About You!

Hug them, give them Babka from Zabars, then tell them there's more loving where that came from. Sincerity, acknowledgment, and pick there brains let them know you care and there work is important.
Thanks to: Jerry Pollio of CMT Creative Marketing.

60. The Delight's In The Details

There are a thousand and one options of what to do, but when trying to communicate THANKS!, the details (in preparation and fulfillment) are what speaks loudest and lasts longest. I had a thanks to give and found out from the spouse that her oldest friend lived in the town where the awarded trip had a layover. The trip was nice, but what she really appreciated was our having her friend surprise her at the airport during the lay over. Details!
Thanks to: Dan Wilson of VendReview.

61. Employ Empowerment

Every recognition empowers every employee. Happy employees are the backbone of a company. Enterprised employees make successful companies. Recognize and reward both in public and private, but reprimand only in private. Know their pulse. Use your imagination.
Use this mantra to empower your enterprise. It has never failed. Using a group reward program, like a nice dinner for your team and their family empowers the group. Buying a much wanted but surprise gift for an employee is huge.
Thanks to: Aisha Bauer of eSutras Organics.

62. Employee Recognition

The best to way recognize an employee's effort is with a financial bonus.
Thanks to: Anthony Miner of Bonsai Sheroes LLC.

63. Don't Forget the Classics

Handwritten notes of appreciation can instantly inspire employees. For a unique spin on this classic tradition, grab a sand pail. On top of every employee's desk, place a cheerfully-colored sand bucket and a notepad, designed with a shovel and the title "Sand for your Sandbox." Employees can jot messages of thanks on their notepad, then shovel their handwritten notes into each other's buckets. With every note received, buckets fill with "sand" and coworkers get an extra boost of encouragement.
Thanks to: Gabrielle Santella of KaBOOM!.

64. Give Ownership - Give Voice

Thanking your team is essential. Do it often and joyfully. Here are two ways.

Give Ownership. Show you trust them. Develop them, be there for them. Provide positive, constructive feedback and 'put them out there again.'

Give Voice. Tell them 1-1 you are grateful for what they do. Send it out in team emails. Say it verbally in a team meeting. One of the most powerful things you can do is to call them and thank them and say "You're doing a wonderful job today."
Thanks to: Pamela Hawley of UniversalGiving.

65. Ownership is the "happy pill"

The best way to reward employees for doing a great job is to give them ownership of a process in which they excel. Give them a small budget. Let them plan the whole project and meet with you periodically. Most importantly, in the end give them credit for the whole thing publically during the project and after it is complete, whether or not there was a positive outcome. They will keep coming back for more. 9 Years in management proved that this works almost every time.
Thanks to: Joshua Black of The Underdog Millionaire.

66. Great Rewards!

If an employee does really good I try to take them away for a romantic weekend. Right now my only employee is my wife, so I probably will have to change this policy when I get more employees.
Thanks to: Nick Fill of FLAGRANT-T.

67. Ask Them How

There's no one best way to recognize each person. I start by asking new employees how they want to be recognized when they do well. I follow up by using that method. A couple of weeks after each time I do, I go by and ask how I could have done it better. Before long, I can delight anyone with recognition. So can you!
Thanks to: Donald Mitchell of The Four Hundred Year Project.

68. Give Them A Free Pass

A great way to reward an employee who deserves to be noticed for their job and work ethic is to give them a free pass. Where they can take the day off without having to pretend to be sick or call in with a sick day. That way they can look forward to it and enjoy hitting up the beach or taking a day off to relax. So give the gift of a free play day because we all know that we need those every once and a while!
Thanks to: Ashley Bodi of BusinessBeware.Biz.

69. Employee Recognition

I believe that employee recognition is best when matched to what is most important for the individual employee as well as to the level of accomplishment or work recognized.

If I were to offer only one suggestion, it would be to reward the employee with extra paid vacation/time off. Employees are expected to do more with less and the stress can be overwhelming. If you really want that employee to continue working at peak level, allow them time to decompress and re-energize!
Thanks to: David Weaver of The Weaver Group.

70. Ask SoThey Receive.

When you have a new hire and at yearly performance reviews ask the employee to list 9 ways they would like to be rewarded. Have 3 items low budget, 3 mid and 3 high. Let them know that as long as the business is doing well you will aim for the mid and high rewards. Review their list yearly in case of changes. This serves 2 purposes 1) They will be rewarded with what they value and 2) they will help the company do better to get the mid and high rewards
Thanks to: Harriet Cohen of Training Solutions.

71. Education Vacation

People love to travel but rarely find the extra time or money to do so. When our team members meet their goals, they enjoy an all-inclusive vacation in the Carribean. We take advantage of having them all to ourselves for an entire week by creating workshops to help them improve their skills and productivity. It is a win-win for everyone. This is also a great opportunity to get to know them better and find out just what will motivate them to be the best they can be.
Thanks to: Savannah Ross of Rich Mom Enterprises Inc..

72. Just a Spoonful of Sugar

I like to pay attention to my employees favorites, and get a little something they love...either a gift certificate to a coffee shop, pick up lunch at a local spot, get a cute clothing item I happen to see...what ever they most enjoy, is what I like to reward a job well done with!
Thanks to: LeeAnn Hopkins of Just Hair.

73. Put Them In the Spotlight

Nearly everyone likes public recognition when they've done something noteworthy. Whether it's a memo distributed in the office, being mentioned in the company newsletter or on the website, or a more public presentation at a company meeting or other occasion. Maybe the accomplishment is even worthy of a press release, i.e., bringing in a substantial new client. Not only does the employee enjoy being in the spotlight, it's a reminder to the other employees that positive results are noticed.
Thanks to: Paul Nadrowski of Get More In The Door Online Mktg.

74. Basking In The Glow

There's nothing like sharing the great accomplishments of others with their colleagues in a public forum. Based on the personal preferences of those being recognized, public recognition can be very exciting especially if you ask the individual you are recognizing to share how they were able to accomplish their particular task or goal. I call it "Basking in the Glow". It's also very motivating to others because rewards and recognition are contagious and that's a good thing.
Thanks to: Marya Grier of Performance Connect.

75. Customize Taking the Edge Off

Massage, babysitting services so the staff member could go out with his/her spouse, a pro basketball game, rock climbing, play tickets, etc. are all ways I have rewarded my awesome performers over the years. The real trick is to know your employee's value system. Rewarding everyone the same is not only boring, but it can be very ineffective too. Check out "1001 Ways to Reward Employees" by Bob Nelson. It has given me loads of great ideas over the years. To your success!
Thanks to: Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions, Inc..

76. It's Simple. Not Easy- Pandora

Time
Observation
Listening
Making their lives easier

Ultimately it's not about time off, money or public praise. It's about acknowledging their contributions, empowering them and giving them the tools they need. Recognize their talents and give them the means in which to exceed their own expectations.
Thanks to: Kim Lampe of Modern B*a*g Ladies.

 

Compiled by Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

Category: The Right Actions, Your Belief System
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