Your employees are the life of your organization. They work hard for you and you know it. If you could, you would give all your employees a raise or a bonus, but sometimes, you just can’t yet. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still show your employees just how much you appreciate their challenging work. There are plenty of ways to show your employees that you care without spending their next paycheck.
- Throw a Party
Get everyone out of the office for the afternoon, invite the families and throw a tailgating party or even just a barbecue in the parking lot.
- Publicly Thank Them
Use social media or even the local paper to recognize a special employee and show them how much they mean to the company.
- Allow Casual Dress Days
Once in a while, let employees wear casual attire to work. Let them wear flip flops (as long as it’s safe), or PJ’s or whatever else they might want to wear. Remember spirit days in school? Same idea.
- Organize Field Trip
Who doesn’t love a field trip? Take your employees on a tour of a local supplier or vendor’s facility and then go out to lunch. This is not only a fun way to spend the day, but you can also improve relationships with your vendors by showing interest in their operations. Let employees bring their kids along too!
- Have a “Let Your Kid Sell Their Stuff” Event
Are the Girl Scouts selling cookies? The Boy Scouts selling popcorn? The local school selling wrapping paper? Let your employees take orders or bring their kids in to sell their fundraiser stuff and encourage everyone who can to shop around. If you can afford it, match the donations your employees make or buy a few extra boxes of cookies to spread around the office.
- Host an Awards Night
Go out to a favorite restaurant — or have an afternoon in the office — where you give out awards to different employees for going the extra mile.
- Write Thank You Notes
These are simple, inexpensive, but highly effective ways to show how much you care. Just hand write a note and give it to your employee. Let them know you appreciate their hard work. You will make their day.
- Create a Relaxation Room
Put a couch, maybe a video game system, or just a place to close your eyes for a few minutes in an unused space. Invite employees to help decorate or arrange the space. Occasionally you can bring in a massage therapist to give out 15-minute neck massages.
- Provide Work from Home Days
This could be a permanent reward for someone who has really gone above and beyond. Let them work from home one or two days a week. Show them how to use their smartphones to call into important meetings and give them the tools they need to stay home for a day or two.
- Let Them be President for the Day
This is especially important for younger staff members. You can invite them to be “president of the company” for the day and use the president’s office, take part in important meetings and more. This will also give that person a little more perspective on the company and help them get a leg up on moving up that corporate ladder.
