Low-Cost Ways to Recognize Your Employees
Big companies often have large-scale programs to reward high-performing employees. As a small business owner, though, you may not have the resources to give workers big bonuses for landing new clients or exceeding their sales quotas. But, business expert Kevin Kruse, author of “Employee Engagement for Everyone,” says you can always find ways to let your employees know you appreciate them — without spending a lot of money.
“Recognition is one of the top three drivers of employee engagement — growth and trust are the other two,” Kruse says. “When we feel like we are appreciated by our boss and peers, we’re more likely to give ‘discretionary effort’ – going the extra mile, even when nobody is watching.”
Here are five simple and cost-effective ways to recognize your employees.
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Say ‘Thank You’
Make it a point to walk by your employees’ work areas and regularly show appreciation for their hard work, Kruse suggests. Many managers forget to do it, but a little gratitude can go a long way toward fostering loyalty and good feeling among your staff. If you’re not a naturally effusive person, Kruse suggests instituting a few “recognition rituals” (see the next tip for more details) within your company to remind yourself and others to pay attention to your team’s efforts.
Recognize Employees Monthly
Set recognition rituals and make an effort to recognize employees monthly, or even weekly, says Kruse. Don’t think of employee recognition as a quarterly or annual event — that’s not often enough for employees to feel truly appreciated, he says. Take a minute at every staff meeting to publicly acknowledge team members who went above and beyond on a work project or customer issue in the past week or two, suggests Kruse. Or, include the recognition in a staff email by showcasing an employee who did outstanding work in some way.
Make it About More Than Numbers
It’s easy to use concrete standards like rewarding someone for the highest sales figures or fewest product defects, Kruse notes. However, many workers go the extra mile on things that don’t have measurable outcomes. “For instance, they may have worked a weekend, voluntarily pitched in to help a team member debug a software module, or other things that are still critical to a great performance culture,” he says. Remember to show your gratitude for these “softer” measures, too.
Put Your Appreciation in Writing
Emails are typically expected and a bit impersonal. Instead, take time to craft a handwritten note, even if it’s a short one, suggests Kruse. “Handwritten notes are so rare — ‘Wow, she took the time to write this out on a thank-you card?!’ — that people tend to pin them up on their cube walls or keep them at home forever,” he says.