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Rewarding Your Employees

Just like everyone else, employees need to feel important and appreciated. Contrary to popular belief, money isn’t everything, not to employees at least: That doesn’t mean that it is not important but when you want to reward employees, there are many ways to say thank you.



  • Every company has employees who work way past office hours. Order a meal for these dedicated employees. 

  • After a successful event or the completion of a big project, buy the team coffee, lunch or a dessert and thank everyone for their hard work and cooperation. This is also a good opportunity to socialize for a few minutes.  

  • Reward achievements with warm gestures. Buy an employee dinner for two at a nice restaurant where they can take whom they want. *  

  • Create an Employee of the Month/Year system. Winners should have certificates issued plus a gift such as a free lunch.  
  • Giving credit is crucial. Make sure you do it when discussing an employee’s or group’s ideas with other people, peers or higher management.  

  • An annual trip or gathering is often a popular idea in the corporate world. The entire team gets a chance to get together and see what the company has done in the last year and what they have planned for the future.  

  • Creating a photo gallery of events or a wall with outstanding employees is often good. It should be a place where everyone can see it, even visitors.  

  • Loyalty and dedication should be rewarded. After an employee has been at a company for a year, reward him with something, like an engraved key chain for example. Then after 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and so forth. The value of each should increase as the number of years does.  

  • Simple gestures are greatly appreciated. Try these:
    • Send a thank you card - Recognize an employee(s) in a company/staff meeting or event
    • Send out an email to everyone recognizing him/her
    • Call an employee into your office just to say thank you
    • Have top management call/email/go to an employee to thank him/her      


* From 1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson

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