Image Credit – Unsplash Ahmad Gunnaivi
Loyal employees are pretty great for any business looking to benefit from great team morale, productivity, and company development. Savvy business owners know that rewarding employees who work hard and stick around is a smart business move. Here are five unique ideas for rewarding loyal employees:
1. Give A High-Quality Gift
Opt for high-quality corporate gift ideas instead of stale and boring items that will leave your employees feeling underwhelmed and uninspired. Nobody wants a branded pen or a tacky gold-edged notebook, not even the stationery nerd from payroll. Think outside the box, so that what you put in the box is exciting for your staff-member to receive.
2. Give Praise Where Praise Is Due
It sounds so obvious, but so many companies underestimate the power of praise. Studies have shown that praise is responsible for boosting a company’s revenue and productivity by as much as 20%. In addition, those who do not feel recognized in their job are three times more likely to voice plans to quit their job within the next 12 months. So, if your employees are showing you loyalty and hard work, a wonderfully inexpensive way to reward them is to start with some verbal treats like “well done,” or “thanks for your contribution to this project.”
3. Increase Their Skill Set
Nearly 40% of employees feel they are either never, or rarely learning at work, yet there is a strong relationship between employee learning and the amount of love a worker feels for their job. It makes sense to reward your employees with new skills and training that helps them feel like they are developing within their role, or at least working towards higher positions within the company. Start with a question such as: “You’ve been with us for X months now, which skills would you like to develop or learn within the next X months?”
4. Gift Them With Memories
Most people treasure memories more than things, so what better gift to give a valued employee than an experience they will never forget? How about a gourmet meal for the office foodie, or an animal-feeding experience for the intern who sells chocolates for the ASPCA? A private cinema viewing or a cocktail-making class will make almost any staff member joyful. Gifting your staff with experiences will put a smile on their face, one which they will forever associate with working for you.
5. A Charitable Donation
Employees these days are focused on job needs that stretch far beyond the money they earn. Studies tell us that amongst the top three things employees want out of their careers is a sense of purpose. Good project management enables team members to understand the company’s bigger vision and how it benefits the wider community. But why not push beyond that, and personalize that sense of purpose for your team members? Why not gift them with a charitable donation for a cause of their choice, for every agreed milestone they meet? The team member then gains a sense of global worth that stretches far outside the walls of the office, which is excellent motivation for any conscientious employee.
“For it is in giving that we receive” – Francis Of Assisi
Loyal employees are an asset to any company, which is why it makes good business sense to reward that loyalty with valuable gifts. This kind of investment in your team can only benefit the business long-term. It solidifies the fact that the task of reward should always be prioritized in line with a business plan that truly values those who contribute to growth.
