EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION IDEAS

photo credit: gumdropgas

One of the key jobs of a manager is to motivate employees so that job productivity remains high.  A key skill in accomplishing this goal is appropriate and timely employee recognition.  Although formal company incentive programs usually come with a cost, a lot of low cost ideas are available.

Below are some simple low cost recognition ideas that a manager can initiate to increase employee morale and productivity among his team.

Most of the rewards are less than $100 and can be controlled at the local level without corporate approvals.

1. Give letters of recognition from the manager, director, or vice-president for a job well done.  This can be for individual or team accomplishments.  Be sure to include why the results were important and the specific behaviors or actions taken that resulted in succe
2. Personal phone calls from the manager, director, or vice-president.
3. Designate a desired parking spot for Employee of the Month or Top Sales Representative.

1. Encourage magazine or book purchases related to an employee’s job.   Conversely, if you know an employee has an outside interest or hobby, you can purchase a related book or clip an article and leave it on their desk with a note inside.
2. Preferential upgrade of computer systems.  Upgrade your top performers first.
3. Give preferential office location or seating arrangement to boost morale of your best performers.
4. Represent company at national industry conference/event.  Many employees will include a few vacation days with the trip since the company has already paid the travel expense.
5. Award employee pinsfor special achievements or reaching milestones.  Employees will proudly wear lapel pins to show off for their friends or associates.
6. Publish recognition announcements in the company newsletter or local newspaper.
7. Allow your best performers to come in an hour later or leave an hour earlier.
8. Delegate your authority to your best performer when you are absence from the office.
9. Remember Birthdays with a card, cake, or small gift.
10. Establish a bulletin board for special announcements/achievements.
11. Give “Plum” or leveraging assignments to your best people.
12. Feature employees in training films.

As you can see, most of these employee recognition ideas have little or no incremental costs.  They are just easy ways to use your current budget to acknowledge your best performers.  If a manager effectively utilizes these ideas he will see employee productivity, attitude, and morale increase within his work group.