Income is only part of the story when it comes to having a successful work life within a company. If you want to experience more meaningful (and less costly) ways to show appreciation for your employees, here are 50 ways to implement recognition.
1.- Flexible schedule: Let your team work when they want to work.
2.- Celebrate birthdays: a common form of employee recognition, to show that everyone deserves to be remembered on their birthday.
3.- A thank-you note: a personal thank-you note goes a long way and can be treasured by your employees in the long run. You can even create a formal letter, using the company stamp to give the letter a little something extra.
4.- Thank-you video: create a simple, fun, and shareable recognition video for your employee.
5.- Premium parking: temporary premium parking can be a great form of employee recognition.
6.- Company gear: can be most effective when the equipment/apparel is top quality and useful for the employee (and especially fun when there is a limited quantity available) (e.g., branded t-shirts, jackets, etc.).
7.- Day passes (PPD): an extra day off from work is ideal for employees. Paid ones… even better.
8.- Travel allowance: for teams that travel frequently, these can provide a nice incentive to take a trip and help strengthen the bonds between your team members.
9.- Flexible work options: give your workers the freedom to work where they work best.
10.- Catered meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner… it's all up to you when serving delicious meals as a reward for your employees.
11.- Gift cards/packages: think credits at their favorite restaurant or add-ons to their Starbucks cards.
12.- DIY trophies: if you feel crafty and like to get creative, make a customized trophy or a gift basket containing a variety of gifts.
13.- Wine tasting or brewery visit: if your employees enjoy having a bottle of beer or a glass of wine, send them to a local brewery or winery to elevate their tasting experience.
14.- Reward points system: reward employees with a system of custom points or tokens. At the end of a certain period, let them redeem what they have collected for gifts and other prizes.
15.- Life coach: hire one for your employees to work with on whatever they want. However, be careful how you present this, as you want to make sure it looks like a reward, not a hidden agenda to fix something.
16.- Wall of fame: create a wall of fame for each recognized employee and list what they did to earn recognition.
17.- Founders' wall: an upgrade to the employee wall of fame, start with a brief description and timeline of how they have contributed to the company's current position.
18.- Press release: issue a press release or inform your local newspaper about your employee's success.
19.- New tech gadgets: think useful tech accessories, such as headphones, speakers, or a new phone.
20.- Bring your pets: allow your employee to bring their pet to work (where appropriate).
21.- Company newsletter: highlight your employee's success in print or digital format across the entire company.
22.- Perk your part-timers: make sure to give part-time employees fair recognition for their contribution to the workplace.
23.- Thank the whole family: send gifts and notes of gratitude to your employees' families in situations where they have to work overtime or are away from home for work-related reasons.
24.- Start a team: whether it's a sports team or a fantasy league, the idea is to build relationships, camaraderie, and respect among employees.
25.- Name claim: name a product or award after an outstanding employee who invents or contributes to a new process, product, or service.
26.- Mentorship time: offer the gift of your time and attention, and offer to coach your employees.
27.- Collector's gift: find out what your employees' passions, hobbies, or interests are. Then give them a gift in that area (e.g., a coin for their coin collection).
28.- Movie tickets: gift some movie tickets and time off to watch their favorite movie during the workday.
29.- Charitable donation: find out what their favorite charity is and make a donation in their honor.
30.- Spa day: give them a day of relaxation and special treatment at a luxury spa.
31.- Cover a major expense: help ease your employees' financial worries by contributing to a major payment or purchase for them (e.g., a mortgage payment, car payment, tuition, etc.).
32.- Family day: set aside an afternoon for employees to bring their families to the workplace and showcase the company and the work your employees do.
33.- Their own personal assistant: hire a temporary assistant for a period of time to help them with whatever tasks they have.
34.- Subscription coverage: pay for a subscription of their choice (e.g., magazines, gym membership, Spotify, etc.).
35.- A new chair: many employees sit for at least eight hours a day, so a comfortable, ergonomic new chair can definitely make for the best reward.
36.- VIP Meet-and-Greet: introduce an employee to the "VIPs" in your organization to signal how important that employee is to the company.
37.- Adult education: Pay for an adult education class of their choice (e.g., cooking classes, dance classes, etc.).
38.- Taxi service: many employees have spouses or dependents who rely on them for transportation. Offer a free taxi service for those dependent on your employee when you ask them to work overtime.
39.- Concert tickets: pay for an event or music festival of their choice.
40.- Training and conferences: offer training opportunities to high-performing employees, or send them to an annual conference they would enjoy.
41.- Music: if your business plays background music, letting your employees control the playlists can be a unique experience for their workday.
42.- Website recognition: feature your top-performing employees on your website to leave a better digital footprint for their work.
43.- Pay it forward: develop a unique award that employees pass along to one another as an expression of recognition.
44.- Training videos: feature high-performing employees in training videos to give them an opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge they have acquired.
45.- Alternative dress code: break the norm and host casual days to help set the mood for your top employees.
46.- Swap workspaces: see the fun that can happen when you sit at different desks!
47.- Show respect in everything you do and say: simple and effective. Your employees go through a lot to earn their place and your respect for the work they have done, and showing them that respect demonstrates that you understand the journey they took to get there.
48.- Separation or dismissal: Even at the time of an employee's separation from the company, recognition is important. A good exit or separation from the company (whether due to a strategic decision, change of duties, or even low performance) can make your company stand out from others in the market.
49.- Letter of gratitude: For the employee's time and dedication to the company. In a delicate and difficult moment, a letter can make all the difference in helping them see the future with greater optimism.
50.- Severance pay: Regardless of whether you consider it fair or not, pay your former employee in accordance with legal terms (3 months of salary in Mexico). A fair severance package speaks volumes about you as a person, as an executive, and as a company.