With beautiful weather all around us, the summer months can be a difficult time for office workers who long for a little adventure. It’s a real buzzkill to sit behind a desk all day while summer wastes away before your eyes. Unless employers are careful, morale and productivity can both take a hit. Summer is often a great opportunity to reward your employees and show them how much their hard work is valued with a day away from the office.
“When employees feel like their work is important to the success of the business, it can motivate them to work harder to support the team,” writes Elizabeth Smith, Chron.
Morale-Boosting Rewards That Don’t Break the Bank
“In a perfect world, as an employer you would be able to give everyone wonderfully large raises and hold a lavish company dinner every month, but that’s not a realistic possibility for most companies,” says Sophia Beirne, RecruitLoop. “Finding ways to reward your employees doesn’t have to be extraordinarily expensive.”
Simple, thoughtful gestures go a long way! Here are a few cost-effective ways to reward your employees:
- Speak Up: Sometimes verbal praise is all an employee really needs to feel appreciated. Let people know that you truly value the work that they are doing. “Praise won’t cost you a dime,” says Beirne. “Using meaningful praise is the simplest way to show that you care, and everyone will appreciate that.”
- Additional Responsibility: Show your employees that hard work really does pay off. If an employee continues to shine, give them additional job responsibilities – and let them know why. “The amount of responsibility you give to an employee should directly correlate with how capable you believe they are,” says Beirne. “Selecting employees to take the lead on important tasks, or giving them the ability to make their own judgement calls without your involvement shows them that you believe they’re up to the task.”
- Flexible Work Schedule: Work-life balance is always a hot topic of debate. So, why not use this to your advantage as an employer? If an employee continues to go above and beyond, why not show them how much you appreciate their performance by allowing them to work a flexible schedule? “If someone stayed late the night before putting necessary finishing touches on a project, tell them to come in an hour or two later the next day so they can catch up on their sleep,” says Beirne. “Helping them create an ideal work and life balance is massively rewarding, because you’re giving them extra time to spend with their loved ones, or pursue their passions.” Companies that are more flexible tend to have an easier time recruiting and retaining top talent.
- Get Out of the Office: When summer beckons, reward your employees with a day of high-flying adventure. “Working in an office can be a very sedentary job, so it’s especially important to your overall sense of health and happiness to take a few minutes during your workday to get up and move a little,” says Jason Bergund, founding director of Dancetherapy. Team bonding activities are a great way to boost morale and camaraderie. Terrapin Adventures can help! Conveniently located between Baltimore and Washington DC, Terrapin Adventures is able to create a customized team building or team bonding programs (onsite or offsite, indoor or outdoor) to meet the specific needs of your organization,team, or group.
Benefits of Morale Building
“Rewards and recognition can help your staff feel appreciated, which creates a more open, friendly atmosphere,” says Smith. This can have several benefits.
Increased Productivity & Performance
When employees know they are appreciated, they work harder for their employers.
“Happier workers use the time they have more effectively, increasing the pace at which they can work without sacrificing quality,” explains Dr. Daniel Sgroi of the University of Warwick’s the Department of Economics.
Conversely, employees who feel like their accomplishments go unnoticed or underappreciated will not work up to their full potential.
“Low morale causes people to stop caring and make more mistakes on the job,” says Johnny Duncan, Bonusly.
Staff Recruitment & Retention
As an employer, there are two factors crucial to maintaining a high level of success: recruiting top talent and retaining that talent.
“When companies recognize teamwork with tangible rewards, they become more productive and better at retaining employees,” says Joanna L. Krotz, Groco. “Besides boosting profits, a stable staff cuts the costs of recruiting and training.”
If you have any questions, please call Terrapin Adventure at 301.725.1313, or email us at info@terrapinadventures.com to learn more.
Sources
- Beirne, Sophia. “7 Effective Ways to Reward Your Employees.” Do Better Hiring , RecruitLoop, 22 Feb. 2016, recruitloop.com/blog/7-effective-ways-to-reward-your-employees/.
- Duncan, Johnny. “How to Boost Employee Morale and Experience Its Many Benefits.” Bonusly, blog.bonus.ly/how-to-boost-employee-morale-and-experience-its-many-benefits.
- Krotz, Joanna L. “Reward Employees for Teamwork.” Groco, www.groco.com/readingroom/bus_rewardteamwork.aspx.
- Smith, Elizabeth. “Rewards and Recognition Team-Building Ideas.” Small Business – Chron.com, Chron.com, 26 Oct. 2016, smallbusiness.chron.com/rewards-recognition-teambuilding-ideas-24425.html.