Free Reward and Recognition Ideas for Employees
Traditionally, when a manager thinks of employee rewards, he thinks of money. But during times of corporate belt tightening, non-monetary rewards should be considered, because they can be just as effective. Monetary rewards are sometimes forgotten, but non-monetary ones are more creative and personal, and often long remembered.
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Work options
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Offer the employee the opportunity to work flexible hours. Allow him to come and go at the hours that best accommodate his personal life, as long as that doesn't interfere with the department's function, recommends the website HR World. Many employees would value this gesture more than a one-time monetary reward. The company also benefits from this, because the change is a constant benefit that motivates the employee to perform. Another option would be to commend an employee on a job well done, and tell him that he can leave early from work as his reward.
Public applause
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Commend the employee in public ways. For example, implement an employee-of-the-month program and acknowledge the best performing employee by placing her name on a wall plaque. Also give the employee a certificate of acknowledgment she can take home to show her family. Have the president of the company send the recognized employee a letter of congratulations.
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Choice Assignment
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The website HR Advisors recommends giving the employee a choice of projects to work on next, so he can do something he enjoys. Providing this choice reinforces the employee's good performance and gets great results from him, because you've assigned him to do something he specially enjoys.
Special Treatment
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Provide special treatment, such as providing reserved parking for the employee in an area normally reserved for senior level executives. If there's an executive dining room, allow the best-performing employee to eat lunch in the executive area. If the company has annual box seats for an athletic event, such as baseball, give the employee a set of tickets to the game.
Listen
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Simply listening to what an employee has to say can be highly effective. Ask the employee for her opinion and her ideas. To demonstrate you're listening, repeat and expand upon what the employee has said.
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