Written by: Amber Trail, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Gratitude is the attitude, right? That’s the spirit! Here is the question many employers are now facing; how can I reward and praise my employees who are currently working remotely? Most employers have a fantastic in-house reward and praise system already set up, but now many of those employees are working remotely. So, now what?
Here are some great ways to still show your appreciation to your employees. Because, let’s face it, your employees are the reason you have a company. And who doesn’t love some gratitude and appreciation?
I do have one more remark before I dive right into rewards and praise - if you want to gain the respect of your employees, you first must show them that you trust them. You will never find another harder working employee when they know you trust them. Trust is vital for many people, whether that's personally or professionally. Take it from me. Trust in equals trust out. By putting in the effort to show or tell your employee that you trust his or her capabilities and work, you'll quickly find that the workplace's entire atmosphere shifts positively.
Now, back to gratitude.
Why do we want to praise and reward our employees? Well, it reduces turnover and retains your top talent. Turnover is one of those hidden costs that employers never really think about. It can be brutal for any employer who is constantly training and retraining employees and then losing them. When employees feel valued and trusted, they will value their position and value you as a leader. Truth be told, one of the main reasons an employee quits is because of management. So, if you are in management and want to keep your amazing employees, reward them.
If an employee beat a deadline or landed a new client, why not surprise them with food delivered to their home or, better yet, a sweet dessert delivered to them for working so hard? An unexpected delivery is always a great surprise.
Handwritten thank-you notes are always a great gesture. Nothing says appreciation more than a personalized, handwritten thank-you note. Whether you mail it to the employee or leave it at their desk, it is sure to bring smiles to their face and brighten their day! Employees love personalized gestures of appreciation, especially when it comes from management.
Does your company have swag? If your company has some water bottles, t-shirts, or even a shopping bag with the company logo, send it to your hard-working employees. They will love that they can utilize the swag but also show off who they work for. Employees enjoy bragging about their employer when they love what they do!
If you have an employee who has worked hard and deserves something extra special, why not pay for them to have a weekend getaway with their significant other? It may cost a little extra, but think about how much appreciation and value a gift like that can show your employees. And quite frankly, who doesn’t love a little getaway after working so hard?
Lastly, paid time off. How about throwing in an extra day that your employees can take to do something they love to do in their spare time? Give them an extra paid day off to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Or, if it’s around the holidays, why not give them an extra paid day off so they can spend time with their loved ones or just use that extra day to rest and relax? Paid time off and a positive work-life balance have become some of the latest methods used in the workplace to bring in and keep exceptional talent.
As an employer and a former corporate world employee, I can guarantee your employees will appreciate you more and value their employment if you help design a praise and reward system for them, that will add some extra touches to their employment. And even with these uncertain times, I strongly agree that gratitude can even be free. If you don’t have the extra cash or investment now due to the current state of the world, then there are two words you can say, especially when you say them genuinely - thank you. A ‘thank you’ costs nothing, but it can mean everything to an employee.
With all of this being said, I want you to take the time and evaluate your gratitude. Are you showing it enough? Or have you let it fall to the wayside? Taking advice from the late and great Mr. Rogers, be kind. Be kind to others and be kind to yourself. Kindness and gratitude will go a long way.
And to show my gratitude, THANK YOU for reading this!
Amber Trail. Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Amber Trail, MBA, SHRM-CP is the founder and consultant for her human resources consulting company, The HR Trail, LLC. With over a decade of HR experience and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Amber brings her passion and knowledge of human resources to small businesses nationwide. She realized that not all businesses need nor can they afford a full-time HR professional, and that's why she decided to create The HR Trail. To provide a variety of human resource consulting services such as recruitment, coaching, company handbook development, event planning, and more. Her motto is creativity + passion = purpose and she thrives on successfully helping small businesses accomplish their human resources needs!
