If you are a manager, have you asked yourself this question, how do you reward your team?
If you are not leading a team, ask yourself too, how do you wish to be rewarded?
Many people associate rewards for good work with promotion and pay raise. What if the company just unable to pay more? Well, here are 10 simple ways that I used to reward my staff without breaking my own bank and the amount is small enough that I don’t need to claim from my company.
- Sugar High
I love to buy little treat like Halloween candies on sale that comes in bite sizes Snickers or Mars bars. I would buy them and reward my staff with these little treats. No doubt they are not your 3-year-old kid but who doesn’t like a bite-sized midday snack to perk up the rest of the day? There must be a reason why Unilever have free flow gelato machine on every floor of its building.
- Food Storage
My pedestal is full of snacks, ranging from health nut bars to potato chips to instant cup noodles. A great way to temporary fill up the hungry tummies when my team works overtime with me. Oh, you will be grateful to me when you smell the hot soup in the cup.
- Packed Dinners
This is something I frequently like to do when my staff had to do overtime for the company, I would ask them to order dinner delivery in and I would pay for the bill. We can have a mini pizza party for half an hour before returning back to work or have a round table of Chinese takeout dishes. I would ask them to take turns to order in so that everyone gets to order something they like. Great for bonding too!
- Caffeine Galore
When I know we are having a new service or product launches or even it has been a long day, I love to pop over to Starbucks during lunch and surprise my team with their favourite cup of coffee. Doesn’t cost me a bomb and I don’t do it all the time but when I do, people appreciate it a lot. Same goes when I bought desserts or ice cream.
- Office Lunch Outing
It doesn’t have to be a fancy restaurant or something expensive. A good out of the office lunch to create bonding among the staff is a great thing to do and you don’t even have to offer to pay, just invite everyone on a go dutch basis. Sometimes, people just need an excuse to get together and mingle.
- Drinks on Me
This is actually pretty common. After a long day, a cold tall glass of beer would do wonders for the soul, gather the whole team after work to the pub across the street for a quick round before heading home.
- Birthday Celebration
Once a month, we will celebrate whoever’s birthday falls in that particular month. The team will chip in for a present and a card, and I’ll surprise with a cake. We will do loud and proud celebrations after work in one of the meeting rooms. By the way, it means a lot to the person when you as a boss remembers their birthday, sometimes I might be away on business trips, those times I would remember to drop a sweet happy birthday text to the person on the day of birthday. Sincere thoughts count a long way.
- Trust & Respect
This is free but costly. Many times, I choose to turn a blind eye and resist to micromanage a staff because I wanted to show that I trust and respect his due responsibility. This often allows them to gain trust and respect for me as well. No one wishes to be working constantly under prying eyes and led on by a short leash. If you do this all the time, your staff will hate you.
- Gaining the Spotlight
I like to bid for high-profile projects and in turn, throw the project to my team while I mentored them. When the project is a success, I turned the spotlight onto them and let them shine. When the project fails, I will step up and take the responsibility because it is my guidance who fail them. This is the only way that your staff will be recognised by higher management and be groomed.
- Open your Golden Mouth
A cheery ‘Good Morning’, a ‘Good job!’ and a ‘Thank you, I appreciate it.’ makes an employee day. Give credit when credit is due. Teach when a lesson needs to be taught. Mentor when guidance is needed. These actions will be appreciated more than any kind of monetary rewards.
Do you agree with me? Have you come across good rewards before? Or did you have a great boss? Share with us at the comments below.
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Reblogged this on Still Another Writer's Blog.
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This will work.. That’s how my old manager used to retain employees..
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That’s really nice!
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All excellent ways to create ambiance and trust – sadly much lacking in the big corporate world. I’m my own boss and my only employee, so based on your advice, I’m going to give myself a big pat on the back, open a bag of munchies and watch a movie… Your advice says I earned it since I’m pleased with my performance and I appreciate the way I treat the company’s customers… 🙂 Great post, Middle Me… or should that be “Middle You?” Always in the middle, it must make you feel squished at times, yes? 🙂
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Haha!! Middle you! Great idea! The idea came about as I was always saying I’m squash in the middle hence the me. Give yourself more than that! Reward yourself a trip to the spa once in a while.
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Reblogged this on CELONA'S BLOG and commented:
I Needed to share this on a Monday morning..
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful post Kally Tay.
Have a great week ahead people ;-D
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Thanks for sharing this out
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I really enjoy contents that seek to expose and inform.. it was a really great post Kally Tay..
I would say this here and say it anywhere; I love what you do with words 😉
Keep th good work going hun!
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With words like yours, I will try to do my best!! Thanks a lot, readers like yourself are my pillars.
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same here Kally, writers like you makes me wanna wrote more.. thanks for always doubling on your work rate 😉
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Great post Kally. Nice way to start the week, on a positive note.
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Glad you like it, Miriam!
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The foody tips are nice, but spotlight on your team in success, and on yourself in failure is the very best, together with “opening your golden mouth” 🙂
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Way too many bosses in the world takes credit for others’ work.
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my boss used some of them…
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That’s great!! Do you like it?
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Great suggestions, you are clearly a super person to work with and for, plenty of opportunities for positivity, take care and easy on those snacks!
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Haha!! Thank you! I do enjoyed working with my team.
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Great post Kally, you gave some good opinions to me.
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Thank you for saying that!!
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Hm. Maybe it’s time to start with healty treats? Less sick days, reduce insurancy costs, etc. 😛
When I was still working for a company, I also liked the teambuilding days/workshops. As a management assistent most of the times I would organize these days. City tours with a lunch, bowling, visit a wine yard, all kind of different things. Once a year a whole day and every three months an afternoon or evening event.
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Oooo.. Wine yard sounds really nice.. I did bowling with my team before.
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Lovely post, Kally!
A slight change here in my company is that we share the bill of a lunch or snack treat. Managers and team leads don’t open up their wallet that easily here. But it’s okay.
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I guess it’s the thought that counts. 😉
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🙂
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Reblogged this on Blog of Hammad Rais and commented:
The simplest ways to reward your team. Easy on your pocket and effective.
But if you are a part of the team, then you better present this list in your next meeting. ASAP!!
Thanks to Kally for such a great post !!
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Thanks for sharing this out!!!
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Totally agree with you on this post. Rewarding staff doesn’t have to be something as extravagant as a pay rise or promotion as you said. Rather, enhancing a positive work culture is the way to go. Some places I’ve worked there have been a stash of goodies in the cupboard and a bottle of whisky for “after 5” for those who drink. Then there are places where I’ve worked where everyone has to bring their own snacks -and for themselves. I found working in the former places to be much more vibrant where everyone makes sure everyone has enough to eat throughout the day 😀
I’ve found some employers like to implement a reward system. Basically the office monitors employee’s performance and the person who does the most work or exceeds their targets each month, they will get presented with an award in front of their team. While this way is a good way to motivate and appreciate staff, I do think it is important to not forget about those who didn’t. Have a bit of a mixed feeling about this awards-scheme 🙂
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I prefer to be rewarded in an everyday environment settings than to get an award if I am good. PS. I heard Facebook has free flow wine and champagne in their cafeteria and Google have a free flow sushi bar how cool is that?
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Sure shot this works. I was so happy to read your post, so much in line what I think will work. Unfortunately the company I worked in last did not belive in this way. On a personal level, I incorporated it within my team and it worked wobders!
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Definitely works wonders. We are all humans and deserve a little reward every now and then. Heck, I’m rewarding myself with a cupcake now.. Lol.
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Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
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Adorei a ideia! Um abraço
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Thank you so much! And welcome to MiddleMe!
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I’ve got one: don’t be a patronising jerk
it’s like the trust and respect one- it doesn’t cost anything- and it has the highest reward of actually motivating staff to do their job
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That’s a good one to share!
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I’m not a manager of any kind , but think that your ideas and suggestions may also suit a lot of other situations in life!
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Reblogged this on Write, Live and Love and commented:
Some things I like to use to reward my team!
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Thanks for sharing!!
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Awesome post!
I totally agree with your point. People do forget that reward is different than a remuneration. Sometimes a simple pat on the back and a public acknowledgement of the job well done does wonders. It’s human nature that they like to be appreciated for their efforts. That appreciation can take many forms. I keep small golden stars stickers in my desk. If someone performs well in my team, I announce his name on the floor and award that sticker to him. The sticker costs nothing, but the envy of their friends and the pride in being appreciated makes them glow and creates a happy competition.
I liked ideas. Am going to implement them. 🙂
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I like your idea too!! I once worked in a team where we can exchange customer’s’ complimentary emails for a cup of coffee or a meal, sometimes even cash rewards.
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Food…food…more food…I so agree 🙂
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Food always bond people together
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Your generosity is only exceeded by your consideration for the workers.
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Thanks, Leland!!
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