Nobody likes working for free, and the same is true for your employees. True, they’re all getting their monthly paychecks, but people are more likely to want to work for you if there are additional perks to the job. Most employees now offer around three weeks off work, gym memberships, and childcare vouchers. However, these kinds of perks might be beyond what you can offer as a startup company. Fortunately, there are ways to show your hardworking employees how much you value them without blowing your budget.
Employee of the month
A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, and it’s always nice to be recognised for your hard work. It’s even better when you’re aware that your boss has been keeping an eye on everyone and has singled you out as someone worthy of praise. To acknowledge your Employee of the Month you can get info from Name Badge about a personalised trophy or award plaque, you can take their picture and proudly display it in the office for the next month, or you can simply write them a thank you note if you think they would prefer a private acknowledgement.
Vouchers
Sometimes it’s nice to reward employees with a little bonus at the end of the month, but if you’re limited by budget then there are other ways you could treat them. Gift vouchers for spas, restaurants, or movie tickets will always be a welcome treat that they can share with their friends or family.
Days off
All that hard work eventually takes a toll on the morale of even the most enthusiastic worker. Sometimes the best reward is time off to recuperate without sacrificing their holiday time. An extra day to relax, breathe, and sleep, will keep your employees healthy, happy, and ready to come back fighting.
Lunch with the boss
It’s always good for an employer to get to know his employees. If you take your employee out to lunch at a place of their choosing, you’re allowing them to get to know you in an informal setting, and you might learn more about them and why they have chosen to work in your industry. Take this time to get to know more about what your employee’s interests and hobbies are beyond their work lives. This will always remind you that your employees are people, not worker drones, and it will make you keep your work goals reasonable. Not to mention, it makes your employees like you – no one has a lot of loyalty for the boss who’s nothing more than a name on a newsletter.
Flexible time
After your employees have proven their commitment to the company and their work ethic, it might be time to loosen the reigns a bit. Studies suggest that telecommuting allowances and other types of flexible work arrangements have positive implications for employee morale and job satisfaction, both of which are positively correlated with productivity. Therefore, you’re actually benefitting your business by giving your employees to flexibility.