That's Business

An employer was walking across the parking lot the same time as one of his employees. As they walked, he noticed a penny and picked it up. The employee had done an excellent job on a recent assignment. Spontaneously, the employer gave the employee the Penny Award and gave the employee the penny along with a heart-felt thank you and a big compliment for a job well done. That award soon evolved into a coveted company award.

Many times, employers think that the best way to reward an employee is by giving her money. This is not always the case. While money is nice, sometimes meaningful praise is more important to an employee. Instead of giving your employees a penny award, consider doing some of the following options.

Flex time. Having a flexible schedule is very desirable to many employees. Being able to arrive at the office earlier or later to avoid rush hour traffic is very welcomed. Coming in after getting children off to school is also meaningful.

A coveted parking spot . Reserve a parking spot close to the entrance of your company. Award this spot to good performing employees.

Give them a hand. During your next staff meeting, highlight the employee and tell what she has done that was outstanding and exemplar. Then, have the other employees give her a standing ovation.

Hall of Fame . Find a spot somewhere in your company that is highly visible. Turn it into the Hall of Fame. (Make a sign, paint a section of the wall a different color, etc.) When someone does something special, take her picture and put it on the Hall of Fame with an explanation of what they did.

Time off. Give your employee the afternoon off especially on a Friday. Employees appreciate having a jump-start on the weekend especially when it is in recognition of a job well done. (This could become the most popular reward that your employees ask for!)