8 Ways to Recognize Employees For a Job Well Done
Employees are the backbone of any company. They’re the ones doing the hard work day in and day out.
And yet, 63% of workers feel unappreciated by their employers on a daily basis, and 59% say they’ve never had a boss who truly appreciates their work.
As an employer, this is a huge missed opportunity. Employees who don’t feel appreciated are less productive and more likely to quit.
If you want to maximize your employees’ happiness and the success of your company, you must take employee recognition seriously.
It doesn’t have to be intricate or expensive. All you have to do is make a habit of recognizing employees for a job well done. They’ll be grateful you did and work harder as a result.
So here are a few different ways of recognizing employees that you can try:
- Hand out gift bags and vouchers
Employees love money. That’s why they’re working for you, after all. But if you want to recognize them with something more personal than straight cash, try gifting them a voucher to their favorite store or restaurant. It saves them the money and shows that you know their tastes.
Gift cards and gift bags are also a great non-cash award to have on hand for you to give out whenever someone goes above and beyond in their work.
- Send personalized thank you cards
Personalized thank you cards are another great way to show employees how much you appreciate them. Write them by hand to give them an extra personal touch.
You might also have other team members sign the card to show the employee just how much they are appreciated across the company.
- Give out custom awards
Design a custom award that you give out to someone different every week or month. This could be a peer-nominated award for employees that stand out during that period or one that comes directly from the executive team.
To make a nice and official-looking award, invest in a custom plaque or award made just for your company.
- Do company-wide shout-outs
Make your employee recognition public by doing a company-wide shout-out. This could be through an e-mail blast, social media post, or an announcement at the beginning of a company meeting.
Shout-outs are a great way to not only recognize specific employees but inspire and motivate the rest of the company to work hard as well.
It’s best to have the public recognition come directly from the employee’s boss or even the CEO. That way, it has extra weight and significance.
- Offer personal development opportunities
Employees want to feel like they are progressing in their career. You can help them do this by sending them to continuing education classes or local conferences as a reward for their hard work.
Give them the time off and funds to do this. You might also offer training programs and certifications to help them get promoted.
By investing in your employees’ career advancement, you will reap rewards later. They will become more productive and happy and become a more valuable employee overall.
- Take them out for lunch
Everyone needs to eat. So why not take your employee out for lunch for a job well done? This also gives you a chance to get to know them better in a one-on-one setting, which you might not get otherwise.
- Throw a celebration party
To celebrate company milestones, sometimes it’s best to throw a party. This could be a potluck, game event, concert—you name it!
Celebration parties are a great way to encourage team camaraderie and boost morale. Plus, it’s a great way to get to know more people in your company.
- Say thank you
Lastly, you can never go wrong with just saying “thank you.” Verbal appreciation is a simple but powerful gesture that helps make employees feel seen and valued. So don’t underestimate it.
If you feel the urge to thank an employee for a job well done, just do it. It’s never a bad idea.
The bottom line
No matter how good you think you are at recognizing employees, there’s always room for improvement. So adopt some of the tips above and see if you can’t make your employees feel a little more appreciated and valued. You won’t regret it.
