6 Practical Rewards to Increase Employee Performance

80% of employees say they’re stressed at work. While this may not come as a surprise to you, it is also not something we should ignore. Stress can lead to dissatisfaction, which whether or not an employer is at fault for, will negatively impact productivity, satisfaction and maybe even retention. According to Globoforce’s 2014 Workforce Mood Tracker Report, 73% of employees said being recognized made them happier at work and 35% said it made them happier at home.

The value of a simple pat on the back is not to be underestimated, especially when employee performance is on the line. Help employees de-stress with by using these practical rewards to show your appreciation.

 1. Take them to lunch

Show an employee or the whole team you appreciate them by treating them to lunch at their favorite spot. This not only rewards them for hard work but encourages team bonding and allows the manager to connect with the team on a less formal level. Caution: Keep office talk to a minimum and instead focus on hobbies and getting to know one another outside of the organization. This time is for de-stressing.

2. Donate to their favorite charity

Taking an interest in what is important to your people is a great way to build rapport and trust. Give gratitude by donating to an employee’s favorite charity. If your company matches gifts, up the match ratio for employees you’re looking to reward. This shows appreciation for their work and nearly 70% of companies who began corporate responsibility programs found it improved their ability to retain employees.

3. Schedule a one-on-one

Sometimes the simplest way to show appreciation is to tell them. Invite a hard worker to have a face to face meeting and tell them why you appreciate their contributions. Have specific examples to give so they know you’re being genuine and paying attention to the details. The experience will help keep introverted employees out of unwanted spotlights while still leaving extroverts feeling special.

Read more on Understanding Employee Happiness and Productivity with an Employee Evaluation System

4. Write a Thank You note

Nothing compares to that feeling you get when someone has hand written a kind letter personalized to you. Managers can recognize an employee’s hard work by delivering them a thank you note as a quick reminder that their work is noticed and appreciated. The act is small and takes little time, but gives a lasting impression and leaves employees with a physical keepsake to look back on.

5. Have a team outing

Have a whole team of hard workers that need some appreciation? Take them out to do something fun. Try the local arcade, roller skating rink, bowling, etc. There may be a lot of options, but that means more possibilities to show recognition and have some fun with the team.

6. Recognize them in front of the group

A great way to appreciate and show respect for a hard working employee is by recognizing their achievements in front of the team. It doesn’t have to be a grand ceremony but a few words about what they have been achieving and how the work supports company goals will do the trick.

According to Gallup, more than half of employees with open and approachable managers are engaged in their work. Recognizing hard work doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be genuine. Of course, be sure to note each accomplishment for employee performance reviews when employees will be looking for specific examples from leadership.

If you still don’t have an employee evaluation software or your current tool just isn’t cutting it, let Trakstar simplify your process with its easy to implement and powerful platform.