Motivated employees who feel appreciated are one of the most important assets any business can have. They have higher attendance rates, are more efficient, and are more likely to always act in the best interests of the business. The best gifts depend a great deal on the individual employee and gifts do not have to be lavish to light a fire under an employee and encourage their best efforts at all times.

If you have a business that employs viral marketing through a social media site such as Facebook; you are in an ideal position to recognize hard workers and overachievers. This is also the ideal option if you have younger employees who spend a lot of time engaging in social networking. Establish a peer-to-peer recognition group among your employees and they can nominate an employee of the week or month and display their picture on the company Facebook page. This is also a great way to expand the company profile as all of their Facebook friends will want to have a look at your site.

Another excellent way to motivate a younger staff is by on-the-spot awards programs by management. Gift cards, award certificates, and cards of appreciation are all great ways to keep your staff on their toes and working hard since an award can be given out at any time.

One of the most standard ways many large companies reward employees is through service awards. When an employee reaches a milestone such as 5 or 10 years in service, gifts such as gold cuff links, watches, and other valuable gifts are effective motivators for many people. It is important for a company to remember this important milestone and award the dedication of those employees.

Tailor your employee rewards program to the individual to promote a stable and happy work force.

-Pete

When the economy is in the toilet as it has been for the past few years,keeping employees happy when there might not be sufficient capital on hand to give them a raise can be a tricky proposition.  But there are a few tried and true methods for building and maintaining team spirit that do not cost a bundle of cash.

Many of the strategies you have available to you depend largely on the size of the organization you are part of.  Smaller companies have the advantage of providing more cross-training opportunities for their employees, making them feel a more integral part of operations.  Employees in smaller companies also feel a larger sense of ownership of the company and feel their contributions makes more of a difference than their counter-parts in larger companies.  Employees who feel their work is key to daily operations of a business are always much more likely to always act in the best interests of the business as a whole.  But there are strategies that work no matter the size of a business.

Communication is Key

You never know what a person is thinking or how they feel about their jobs without asking.  Effective communication is the key to keeping employees happy no matter the state of the economy.     Employees need feedback on how well they are doing their jobs but they often need more than this basic information.  Employees need to feel that they can return feedback as well to have a truly effective communication process.  This can be accomplished with management having an open door policy, weekly or monthly meetings, or regular social events where business can be discussed in a casual and relaxed atmosphere.  Another method that is used is to have a suggestions box where people can leave feedback anonymously.

Foster Employee Growth and Development

No one wants to work in a dead-end job.  No matter the size of the business, management must find ways to cross-train employees to better understand and grow the business.  When seminars are available that could foster growth both personally and professionally, employees should be encouraged to attend.

Tokens of Appreciation with a Personal Touch

Award your star performers to let them know their work is more than appreciated.  The right gifts do not have to be lavish and expensive, but if you can tailor them to the likes and needs of the people they will be cherished forever.  Engraved ball point pens or desk clocks are not only useful at work, they’re a constant reminder that their work has been recognized and is appreciated. It’s often said it’s the thought that counts, and indeed it does go a long way in the minds of employees.

It doesn’t cost a lot to make the day of one of your employees, a modest gift that shows their efforts are not going unnoticed might be just the thing you need to keep your key employees on board during  good and tough economic times.

-Pete

Hey All, it’s the Gift Whisperer here with a post for all your small business owners out there. These are tough times and you don’t always need to spend a ton to make sure the hard working members of your team are happy. Your employees are perhaps your single most important business asset. And they’re different than other capital assets due to the simple fact that they’re human. Different people are motivated by different things – money, benefits, vacations. But one thing all employees want is to be recognized and respected for the job they do. And like all humans, your employees are going through different stages of life and may need a pick-me-up to help them get through some tough times.

Many employers do not consider employee recognition gifts to be important. After all, they’re paying a good salary, what else could they possibly want? But when you look at the costs involved in high employee turnover, you have to do a double-take. Losing a key employee can be devastating to companies of all shapes and sizes.

While it’s true you may be purchasing something they really don’t need, you will go a long way in purchasing something a lot more important, loyalty. Select a person for recognition who has been working long hours on an important project, a salesman who has spent countless hours on the road away from friends and family, or an employee who has continued to be productive and loyal despite tough personal circumstances such as the loss of a family member. A small token of appreciation may be just what the doctor ordered for them to rededicate themselves and keep working hard for you and the business.

The most meaningful gifts are tailored to the individual. If you have an employee that is an avid reader, a cherished book is the gift of choice for them. If you have an employee who is a big sports fan, tickets for the big game so they can take their spouse and children will be remembered for a long time to come.

Employers in larger companies that hand out a large number of these types of gifts most often cannot tailor the gifts to individuals because of the time and expense involved. Luckily, there are a number of great gifts that almost everyone is sure to love. Men are notorious for being fashion inept and great gifts like tie tacks and cuff links or money clips & wallets are always appreciated in helping to upgrade their wardrobe. Employees of either sex will always appreciate custom ball point pens and desk clocks to make their work place a more cheerful place and they serve as a constant reminder that their service is valued.

With the economy in the gutter and employees being asked to do more with less, recognizing their hard work will be the key in keeping your top performers once the economy rebounds. A token of appreciation no matter how small can go a long way in the eyes of an employee.

Be sure to get my “Gift Whisperer’s Gift Guide – 7 Secrets to Giving the Gift They Really Want”

-Pete