Nowadays, giving rewards for employees is not just a good thing to have. With the competitive nature of businesses in this day and age, rewarding of employees has become a strategy to increase the productivity of the human side of the business.
According to a survey, 63% of employees who receive incentives are very unlikely to look for a new job. While employees who were promoted after three years have a 70% possibility of staying with their company.
Recognizing employees sure does motivate people to keep up their good work. After all, who doesn’t love incentives?
So how do you show employee appreciation? Here are 20 unique and simple ideas for employee recognition you can start using today.
20 Ideas for Employee Recognition
1. Plan on how to recognize your employees.
I know that this article should give you ideas for the recognition of employees, but nothing will happen until you make plans and figure out how to implement them. The best way to start appreciating your employees is to create a feasible plan, so you can implement these ideas for employee recognition the way you want it to be — smooth and perfect.
2. Grant them the CEO for the day award.
This is a unique and fun way to recognize an employee. Let an employee be “CEO for the day” where they can proclaim new rules like a jeans day or a small potluck gathering.
3. Nothing beats this classic idea for employee recognition: hand-written notes.
A personal note is a simple yet heartwarming way to recognize an employee. It’s not an employee reward per se, but it makes the employee feel rewarded and treasured. Money or knickknacks may never be as rewarding.
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4. Celebrate the birthdays.
If your employee doesn’t mind, make sure to celebrate their birthdays. It doesn’t have to be grand, a simple birthday cake and message will do. And if you are feeling extra, you can give them a simple gift. Birthdays are for gifts, after all!
5. VIP parking spot — a quirky idea for employee recognition!
Every driver’s to-die-for is a good parking spot. So why not give an exemplary employee a special parking space for a week or month?
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6. Breakfast treat, an idea for employee recognition.
Treat your model employee like a king with his favorite breakfast. Ask around their closest friends at work and show up with it. It can be a cup of espresso or a big-sized burrito — anything he drools over!
7. Who can’t say no to the wall of fame?
Wall of fame may seem a bit old school, but it sure was popular for a reason. Dedicate a wall space for your exemplary employee, so other employees can recognize and congratulate them as well. Truly, it’s one of the best ways to recognize employees.
8. Create a points system for you to follow.
Develop a points system to reward an employee. It’s the perfect platform to keep your employees competitive and inspired. After collecting enough points, your employees can redeem them for gifts. Don’t forget to offer a variety of rewards, so your employees have a lot to choose from.
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9. Why not…. cover a major expense?
If your employee has shown an exemplary and remarkable performance over the past few years, why not go to the extent of paying for a major expense for that employee? It could be a mortgage payment or a home appliance. You can do this for an employee who has helped in achieving something that resulted in huge savings for the company.
10. Another beneficial idea for employee recognition: offer professional development opportunities.
As a leader, one of the best things you can do for your employee is to understand their strength and support their development. Identify your employee’s strengths and let them pick out a project to work on. Doing this shows that you trust them enough to hold them accountable for special projects.
11. But first, coffee.
Next time you have a meeting, try to hold it on a local coffee shop to make it feel casual and relaxed. You can also pay for your employees’ drinks as a little treat.
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12. Don’t forget the anniversaries.
Studies show that employees were likely to leave after a year of employment. Because of this, you should not let an employee’s anniversary go unnoticed. Reward and recognize them for staying.
13. Create a special day to reward employees.
You don’t have to stay locked into the holidays on the calendar. This time around, create your own dedicated holiday to celebrate your honorable employee. While giving them a day off is an option, a better approach is to spend the day doing something fun together. It could be a joke awards ceremony or an unlimited barbecue night. Whatever it is, this idea for employee recognition will surely make them feel loved and valued.
14.Cookies, just because.
Everybody loves cookies. Next time, why not show your appreciation by giving them a box of specially shaped cookies? You can also put a thank you card with it.
15. A Secret Santa-style idea for employee recognition
Have all employees draw the name of another employee and let them identify the achievement of that particular person. Then, they can send that person an anonymous note to show appreciation.
16. Pay it forward.
Use the pay-it-forward concept where employees will pass awards for each other as an act of recognition. It’s a good way to build a good relationship in the workplace.
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17. Another quirky employee award: recognition tees!
If someone has gone the extra mile at work, try to create a T-shirt design for that specific award and let them wear it every Friday. You can also create a variety of designs for different awards — it’s a fun way to recognize employees!
18. Certificate of achievement
Nothing beats the classic certificate of achievement. Present a certificate to an employee that they can put on their desk and be proud of.
19. Recognize an employee during a meeting.
Your employees love it when you give them positive reinforcement in public. Highlight your employee’s achievement during a company meeting, so other employees can give their words of appreciation too.
20. Lastly, say “thank you!”
When was the last time you said thank you? Some managers take for granted the need to say thank you to their employees. A simple thank you, whether a task is required or not, is still the best way to show your appreciation. It may not seem like it matters, but it is something that your employees will treasure and value forever.
At the end of the day, the only thing a person needs is to know that they’re being acknowledged — and that’s enough to get us through the day.
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