Think about the last time you received recognition for a job well done. It probably made you stand a little taller and gave you a sense of pride that you carried throughout the rest of your day. 

We humans love to be acknowledged and rewarded for our hard work, and your employees need this kind of recognition to motivate them and keep them engaged. 

Of course, competitive pay and good benefits is a prerequisite for your employees, but what about for employees that go above and beyond? How are you recognizing employees and making them feel appreciated? 

If you need a little inspiration, we’re here to help. We’re covering 10 creative ways to recognize employees that can help you grow your team and your business. 

Importance of employee recognition 

High-performing employees are motivated by recognition for their hard work. Acknowledging your employees’ efforts can boost your team’s morale, improve employee engagement, and even positively impact retention. This ultimately leads to more growth for your business. 

The data backs this up. One survey found that: 

• 83% of employees feel recognition affects their motivation to succeed 
• 78% of employees said they would be more productive If they were recognized more often 
• 71% of employees would be less likely to quit if they were recognized more frequently.

This is huge! However, only one in three workers report receiving recognition or praise in the last week. Recognizing your employees doesn’t have to be hard, and it can make a huge difference in their engagement and performance at work. 

10 Employee recognition ideas 

Employee praise and recognition contribute to a strong company culture and positive work environment. Let’s go over some ways to recognize your employees that will make them feel seen, valued, and appreciated. 

1. Personalized thank you notes

Has an employee gone above and beyond in an interaction with a customer? Or maybe they just consistently perform their job well with a positive attitude and leadership mentality?  

When it’s time to praise hard work, don’t discount the simplicity of a handwritten thank you. Handwritten notes from the owner or manager can make a big impact. Highlight specific contributions and express genuine gratitude.

2. Employee of the month program

Another simple, but proven recognition method is an employee of the month program. Recognize one outstanding employee monthly with a designated parking spot, a plaque, small bonus, or free meal. This will make your hard-working employees feel valued, and will help motivate other employees to earn this recognition. 

3. Gift cards and bonuses 

We all love a good gift or monetary reward! Consider providing gift cards to popular local restaurants, coffee shops, or stores as a thank you for a job well done. Tailoring the selection to employee preferences makes it even more personal.

4. Surprise treats

What do love almost as much as free money? Food! Bring in breakfast, lunch, or snacks unexpectedly to show appreciation. Personalize it by including some of your employees’ favorite treats. 

Bonus points, if you’re a small business owner, consider collaborating with other small businesses to exchange treats for your teams. For example, a cookie shop may trade a dozen cookies with a coffee shop for a jug of cold brew. You get the idea! 

5. Extra paid time off or scheduling flexibility 

Your hardest working employees show up, speak up, and out-perform. One of the best ways to reward this effort is through extra time-off or flexibility. For example, you may be able to offer someone an extra day of PTO or give them the ability to cut out early on a slow day (if they want!). 

Reward employees with the opportunity to choose their shifts or have a more flexible schedule for a period of time. Some companies also offer paid sabbaticals after a certain number of years of employment.   

6. Team outings 

Organize activities like a bowling night, a picnic, or a local sporting event to foster camaraderie and celebrate achievements. Not only does this help your employees feel appreciated, it’s also great team-building that will improve engagement and build stronger working relationships. 

7. Professional development opportunities 

You can show your employees you’re invested in their future and motivate them to keep growing by offering professional development opportunities. Consider covering the cost of workshops, courses, or certifications that employees are interested in. 

High-performers are more likely to stay with a company that supports their growth, and you’ll help your team build valuable skills that can have a positive impact on your organization. 

8. Support self-care with wellness activities 

One way to combine an employee engagement strategy with employee recognition is by offering rewards in the form of wellness initiatives.This could be reimbursement for a gym membership or massage or even offering wellness events like meditation or yoga classes. 

9. Public recognition

Public praise goes a long way. Create a recognition board in a common area where you highlight employee accomplishments and positive customer feedback. 

You might also start a peer-to-peer recognition program where employees can publicly shout each other out. At CareerPlug, we use Assembly to publicly recognize teammates and give them points that can go toward gift cards. 

10. Celebrate milestones 

Celebrating your employees’ milestones is a great way to acknowledge their accomplishments and tenure. You may shout-out employees publicly for meeting goals or getting promoted. 

At CareerPlug, we make work-anniversaries a big deal, and let employees spin a virtual prize wheel for things like dinner on CareerPlug or the highly-coveted “mystery gift”. 

More employee recognition tips 

As mentioned, recognizing and rewarding employees doesn’t have to be complicated. Make it authentic and specific, and remember that feedback of all types is valuable for helping your employees grow. 

Employee recognition is one part of a strong engagement and retention strategy. To keep a pulse on how your employees are feeling, you might consider offering regular engagement surveys to monitor sentiment and workplace satisfaction. 

With Pulse, CareerPlug’s employee survey tool, you can send employees short surveys to fill out and automated reminders to ensure maximum participation. This can help you determine if your employees are feeling appreciated and have what they need to do their work. You can also use the data to monitor trends overtime and prevent turnover before it happens. 

Learn more about Pulse here, or request a demo to take a full tour of the software.