10 Occasions You Should Be Rewarding Your Employees
They’re brilliant individuals that breathe life into your company with their enthusiasm, dedication, and ingenuity. You may run the show, but your employees make it a success!
Last Friday, March 6, businesses all over the United States celebrated National Employee Appreciation Day. Employers organized special events for their staff and distributed gifts or other incentives to show their thanks. We hope your company took part in the fun!
Although Employee Appreciation Day is a fantastic opportunity to communicate your gratitude, you should make sure that your employees feel validated year-round. It may not be feasible to throw parties and distribute prizes every week, but excellent work should still be rewarded in some way.
In this post, we’re going to share some tips on how to acknowledge outstanding job performance consistently and effectively. We’re also going to highlight significant moments within your employees’ careers that deserve recognition.
Frequent Praise Can Increase Job Satisfaction
You don’t have to wait for a major achievement or a big work anniversary to let someone know they’re doing a great job. As a matter of fact, the more often you offer positive feedback, the better! According to this study, only 7% of employees feel their company appreciates their work, while 79% claim that feeling underappreciated was their reason for leaving their previous job.
Why are so many businesses falling short when it comes to acknowledging good work? The same study claimed that many managers find employee appreciation confusing and don’t know how to get started. However, it doesn’t have to be that complicated! It’s important to come up with big rewards for large-scale accomplishments, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to produce a gift every time an employee does well at their job. If you want to recognize everyday efforts like efficiency or cooperation, a little verbal praise goes a long way toward increasing workplace productivity and employee satisfaction.
Be Clear About the Work You’re Rewarding
Increasing the frequency of your employee recognition is an admirable goal, but the quality of your approval still matters. Office culture experts at FOND tell us that catch-all phrases such as “good job” won’t cut it. This ambiguous type of recognition makes employees feel that their individual talents and accomplishments aren’t being noticed or appreciated.
Praise is a powerful tool. Used effectively, it not only gives your employees a sense of achievement, but it also lets them know what you value. Rewarding specific behaviors encourages employees to continue performing them.
Bearing this in mind, don’t give positive feedback for something you wouldn’t want other employees to emulate. This article from Adecco suggests that employee recognition should always reflect your company’s values; otherwise, people end up getting confused about your expectations.
Make Sure the Reward Is Right for the Employee
Photo by Tanya Trukyr on Unsplash
While you should be conscientious about the type of work you reward, how you choose to honor an employee’s accomplishments can be just as crucial. It’s always a good idea to consider the message a particular gift might send.
For example, if you want to recognize an employee for taking on a big new project, your gift should demonstrate that you’re pleased with their ambition. Sending them on a relaxing vacation would not be appropriate because it would take them away from their job just as they’re gaining momentum. A much more effective appreciation award would be something that signifies your approval, such as a raise or promotion.
The scale of your gift is also something to consider. Consistent daily efforts like punctuality or a positive attitude should be rewarded with a small token of appreciation, such as a personal note or even a verbal “thank you.” A huge gift would be out of place in this situation. On the other hand, you wouldn’t offer a simple note of thanks to someone celebrating their 50th work anniversary, since that would probably be a little insulting.
It’s ultimately up to you how and when to offer praise and incentives to your employees. If you’re still not sure what kind of achievements merit recognition, here are the top 10 occasions we think employees should receive some kind of acknowledgement.
On Their First Day of Work
It’s always in your best interest to set up a new employee for success from the moment they step through the door. On their first day, you want to make sure that they feel confident about their role in your company.
You might consider a small welcome gift to help them get settled in, such as a reusable water bottle or some fun desk supplies. Most importantly, you should take some time to let them know you’re glad to have them on your team.
On Their Work Anniversary
One of the reasons you want to make a good first impression on a new employee is that you want them to continue working for your company for years to come. One of the best ways to retain excellent employees is to consistently reward their loyalty. That’s why it’s so important to celebrate work anniversaries. Throwing a party or awarding a thoughtful gift to someone that’s been with your company for several years lets them know that their continued dedication is appreciated.
After a Major Accomplishment
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When your company secures an advantageous new client, closes a big deal, or completes a significant project, make sure you acknowledge the hardworking employees who made it happen. This is a win for them as much as it is for your business, so you should congratulate them on their achievement! You may even consider giving them a little more responsibility in the future.
When They Demonstrate Proficiency
Does your company boast some of the best talent in the market? If so, you probably want to keep them there. This means you need to make sure they know how valuable they are; otherwise, they may decide it’s time to take their expertise elsewhere. Reward your MVPs by communicating how their unique skill set is an asset to the company. Consider providing them with tools and experience that can advance their career and make them even better at what they do.
When They Have the Right Attitude
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Being an excellent employee isn’t always about taking on big projects or having specialized skills. Often, it’s the people who do their jobs consistently and with a positive attitude that make a business run smoothly. Make sure you thank the people within your company that conduct themselves with the kind of graciousness and professionalism you’d like to see everyone demonstrate. Acknowledge the employees who always show up on time, are considerate toward their coworkers, and have a great outlook.
After Handling a Stressful Situation
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Stress is inevitable in the workplace, so how your employees react to difficult or uncomfortable circumstances is critical. When someone is able to think clearly and make good decisions under pressure, you should commend them for handling the situation with maturity. If an employee has to deal with something truly harrowing, you might consider offering them some time to recuperate afterwards.
When They Apply Company Values
When you’re interviewing a potential new hire, you’re not just trying to determine whether or not they have the required skills and experience for the job. You also want to find out how their values compare with your company’s goals and culture. How someone upholds these values should be an important part of how their job performance is evaluated long after they’re brought on board. If you see one of your employees putting your company’s mission statement into action, make sure to recognize them for being such an excellent representative.
When They Take Initiative
Driven employees are an asset to any company. They get things done without waiting to be asked, and they’re not afraid of taking the lead on new ventures. These dynamos come to work every morning highly motivated to make things happen, but their enthusiasm could peter out if they don’t feel like their efforts are appreciated. If you’re fortunate enough to have passionate employees with excellent leadership qualities, make sure to let them know how much you value their can-do attitude.
When They Present an Outside the Box Idea
No matter how well your company is doing, there’s always room for improvement. That’s why employees who challenge outdated methods and suggest creative solutions are indispensable: they protect your company from stagnation. If you want to encourage your employees to think outside the box, you need to reward those who do. Next time someone brings an excellent idea to the table, thank them for their contribution and make sure they get full credit if their idea is implemented. You might also consider putting them at the head of that project.
When they Work Together as a Team
One of the most valuable talents any employee can bring to their role is cooperation. Even if someone has great ideas and an excellent work ethic, they won’t be able to get much done if they can’t play nicely with their coworkers. Being able to compromise, delegate tasks, and listen to other people’s ideas are essential in any workplace, so you should let everyone know how valuable these teamwork skills are. Be sure to give your sincere appreciation to any employees that know how to be team players.
It’s true that a lot of good things can happen when you acknowledge your employees regularly, but it isn’t just about increasing productivity or encouraging certain kinds of behavior. Ultimately, you want your employees to feel good about showing up to work every morning, and receiving recognition is a big part of that.
When brainstorming employee appreciation award ideas, individuality is key. You don’t want to hand out the same nondescript gifts to everyone, especially for significant occasions. That’s where ArtPix 3D comes in.
Our 3D photo crystals aren’t just the perfect luxury keepsakes for friends and family; they also make excellent corporate awards. You can create a stunning employee appreciation gift for any occasion with our-easy-to-navigate online shop. Simply choose a shape, upload an image, and write your personalized message for a unique crystal award that will honor your employees’ achievements for over a lifetime. We can even transform your company logo into a mesmerizing 3D engraving!
You can visit our shop here to get started or check out our FAQ for more information about corporate awards.
As always, stay tuned for more great content next week! In the meantime, you can catch up on our previous blog posts here.