Last week we talked about awesome swag that will make your employees feel connected, engaged, and part of the team. Employee Spotlights are another great way to recognize the people of your small business, and a simple way to encourage employee engagement.
But, “Employee of the Month” has been done for decades; what are some new ideas to highlight your employees and their accomplishments?
Employee Recognition That Works
Here are 10 new, practically free, and easy ways to recognize employees:
The Employee Spotlight Journal
Start a notebook where an employee gets to write to another employee to recognize their hard work. Then pass the notebook on each week, allowing the “winner” to become the next writer.
Weekly Superlatives
Give out weekly (or monthly) superlatives for categories that are a little more out of the box. For example, the Early Bird for the person who is always early, the Smiley for the person who is always positive and upbeat, and the Tech Guru for the person always helping other employees with their tech problems, even when it’s not part of their job. You can switch up these awards every week or month to reflect the good you’re noticing.
Extra Percentage Off
If you sell a product or service you employees would purchase, consider giving them an additional one-time-use savings coupon above their regular discount. Extra discounts are a great way to thank your employees for doing a stellar job and it drives them to purchase from you.
Social Media Spotlights
Use your Facebook and Instagram (and other social media channels) to promote not just your products, but your employees as well! Craft a spotlight that gives insight into who they are and share the types of things people will find interesting or something that they may find a commonality in.
Customer Choice Awards
Let your customers nominate a winner. Major league baseball invites fans to vote for the All-star team. You can do the same by allowing customers to nominate their favorite employee. If you have a larger company, you can divide nominations by department. Your employees may even get into the competition and try to outdo their peers, which is a win for customers.
Start a Compliment Train
Set out strips of paper in the break room and ask employees to start a compliment train by writing something nice about a coworker, making the strip into a circle, and attaching them together. Then watch the compliment train grow!
A Swag Grab Bag
Do you remember when you were a kid and after a visit to the doctor’s office they let you pick a toy to take home with you? Well, you can incorporate this idea into your business by having a bunch of swag, and each month for employee recognition you let someone choose what they want. This is also a great use of leftover swag from trade shows and events.
Employee of the Hour
Instead of “Employee of the Month,” at random times throughout the day pick an employee and say, “You are now the employee of the hour! Great job and thank you for all you do!” It doesn’t always have to be something big. Simply showing that you are paying attention and see them doing a great job will go a long way.
Employee-Nominated Winners
Instead of the boss always choosing, let your employees pick their fellow winners.
Switch Jobs for a Day
One day a month, choose an employee and let them pick the job they would like to do – either switching with a co-worker (who has agreed to the switch of course!) or allowing them to take on another role. Let them know they can do any job of their choice for the day…including being the boss! This is a creative way to recognize your employees and let them try something new for a day. However, you may want to give some parameters on things like financial sign-offs and major company decisions.
There are so many ways to praise and recognize your employees. Keep in mind not everyone likes public praise. Some would much rather have a note or email that says “good job.” It’s a good idea to ask your employees how they like to receive feedback and praise. Even just doing that will go a long way in making your employees feel valued.
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