You found our list of the best employee reward ideas.
Employee reward ideas are ways to recognize and incentivize workers for their performance, contributions, and achievements in the workplace. Examples include extra paid time off, flexible work schedules, and office upgrades. The purpose of these ideas is to create a positive workplace culture that celebrates employee achievements and boosts productivity.
These ideas are similar to employee gifts and work from home care packages. You can offer your team employee swag, thank you gifts, or work anniversary gifts.
This list includes:
- low cost rewards for employees
- contest prizes for employees
- reward ideas for adults
- office prize ideas
- rewards to motivate employees
Here we go!
List of employee reward ideas
An exceptional employee reward culture is the gateway to high performance. From paid group lunches to wellness programs, here is a list of the best employee reward ideas that organizations can use to recognize employees.
1. Posty Cards Thank-You Cards
Team leaders may underestimate the power of a thank-you note for deserving employees. While these cards may seem like a simple reward idea, they can go a long way in lifting employees’ spirits. The key to getting thank-you cards right is to add a genuine and heartfelt personal message as opposed to a generic text. The Posty Cards thank-you cards are simple yet elegant and leave plenty of space to add your sincere appreciation. Thank-you cards are also a great choice of low cost rewards for employees, especially for organizations recognizing many employees at once. These reward ideas also boost the connection between employees and the company.
Check out these thank-you cards.
2. Standing Corner Desk and Office Upgrades
If you are looking for office prize ideas to motivate your team, then you cannot go wrong with office upgrades. One of the most cost-effective office upgrade rewards is by revamping deserving workers’ office desks. A corner sit-to-stand is the perfect addition to an in-office or at-home workspace. This desk comes in four different color options and raises up to 42 inches off the floor. To help alleviate aches and pains from sitting all day, consider this gift for your team.
In addition to a new desk, you could also let a deserving employee move to a better office, such as an enclosed office space with better features.
Check out this sit-to-stand corner desk.
3. Cuisinart Coffeemaker and Single-Serve Brewer
One of the best ways to show appreciation to deserving workers is by purchasing practical kitchenware items. If you have a coffee lover on your team, then the Cuisinart Coffeemaker and Single-Serve Brewer is a thoughtful purchase. The equipment has remarkable features ideal for home or office use. With the capacity to hold up to 12 cups of coffee, the Cuisinart Automatic Coffee Maker is also a clever reward for an entire workforce, either as new equipment or an upgrade. The versatile and easy-to-use coffee maker also provides the option of light or strong brews.
Pro Tip: Be sure to carry out prior research before purchasing home equipment. You could even ask the deserving employee to list items they want to upgrade in the future and surprise them with one item.
Check out the Cuisinart Coffeemaker and Single-Serve Brewer.
4. Burt’s Bees Gift Pack
If you are looking for office prize ideas, then the Burt’s Bees Gift Pack is an excellent choice. The pack is a great way to encourage self-care and reward deserving employees. Each employee will receive five body care essentials, including deep cleansing cream, beeswax lip balm, hand salve, foot cream, and body lotion. These items allow employees to have a spa treatment in the comfort of their homes and protect the skin, especially during winter. The pack also features creative packaging, so you can skip the gift wrapping.
Check out the Burt’s Bees Gift Pack.
5. Uber or Lyft Credits
Rideshare credits are one of the most practical employee reward ideas. One of the best rewards for workers who use public transport or ride-sharing services to get to work is Uber or Lyft credits. These services enable employers to pay for rides or deliveries through credits to an employee’s account. You can purchase these credits with debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, or vouchers. Uber or Lyft credits are practical rewards that will eliminate work commute stress.
Check out Uber gift cards and Lyft gift cards.
6. Netflix Subscriptions
If you are looking for reward ideas for adults that will also take off some financial pressure, then Netflix subscriptions are a great option. For instance, you could pay for three to six months of an employee’s Netflix subscription, depending on the level of achievement and your budget. Rewarding employees with Netflix subscriptions will ensure workers get hours of entertainment and an avenue to unwind after achieving targets or going above and beyond.
Check out Netflix.
7. Company Swag
Company swag is a great choice of contest prizes for employees. While participants will love a great sweatshirt, hoodie, or T-shirt with the company logo, feel free to explore unique swag items. Given the varying preferences, we recognize that it may not always be easy to determine the best swag items for your teams. Providing swag boxes is a great way to ensure that you cater to every participant’s need. You can then include a variety of items or even let recipients choose the products they want. Some unique swag items you can use to reward deserving employees are fitness gear, tech upgrades, and sophisticated dinner packs. Company swag is a clever way to reward workers and leave a lasting impression. With the right choice of swag, you will boost team spirit and increase brand awareness.
For inspiration, check out this corporate swag guide.
8. ClassPass Gift Cards
Employee physical and mental wellness is a major concern in the workplace. With ClassPass, companies can reward deserving employees and promote workers’ health. ClassPass is a monthly subscription service that provides access to over 30,000 studios and gyms. For utmost effectiveness, ClassPass offers memberships to gyms with diverse wellness programs. Teams can then pick their favorite programs like strength training, yoga, dancing, or swimming. With so many locations to choose from, employees are sure to find a class near them. Rewarding employees with gym memberships will motivate other team members, promote workers’ health, and boost productivity.
Check out ClassPass.
9. StubHub Event Tickets
Event tickets top the list of rewards to motivate employees and create memories. StubHub offers a huge catalog of events to choose from, including concerts, comedians, and sporting events.
Rather than offering general tickets to deserving workers, we advise that you tailor the passes to participants’ interests. For instance, if an employee loves soccer, then you could provide passes to a sporting event. Other event ticket reward ideas are concert performances, movie passes, art shows, and exhibitions. You could even give extra passes for employees to take their loved ones. Additionally, StubHub offers gift cards, so your workers can choose the event that suits their tastes best.
Access to these events will motivate other workers and enable participants to recharge.
Learn more about StubHub.
10. Home Cleaners
Home cleaners are one of the most thoughtful employee reward ideas. Many companies offers cleaning services weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. Additionally, recipients can get extra services like holiday cleaning, specialty cleaning, and move-in or move-out cleaning.
This idea will reduce the costs and time employees typically spend cleaning their homes. As a result, deserving employees will save on cleaning costs and get more time to relax after work. While home cleaners are a fantastic reward for any employee, team members with kids will especially appreciate the concept. Depending on your budget, you can provide a gift card for between $50 and $500.
11. Monetary Rewards
As one of the strongest motivators for work, money is a fantastic choice for employee rewards. Money is specifically a clever choice when you are unsure of the best items deserving workers would love.
Examples of monetary rewards include:
- Bonuses
- Cash prizes
- Company stock
- Retirement benefits
- Commissions
- Pay raises
You can use cash to reward workers after reaching specific levels of performance, achievements, or deliverables. The best monetary rewards will recognize employees’ efforts, motivate team members, and boost organizational loyalty. Financial rewards are a great option when recognizing performance that translates into economic benefits for an organization.
12. Car Maintenance
With the high annual cost of maintaining a car, you could consider rewarding workers with free vehicle maintenance vouchers. This idea is excellent for all workers, specifically employees who spend most of their work time on the road, like salespeople. You could absorb all the costs of keeping the vehicle in good shape, like tire changes, oil changes, and car washes. Car maintenance rewards will reduce employees’ financial stress, motivate other workers, and boost productivity.
13. Extra Paid Time Off
Extra paid time off tops the list of rewards to motivate employees. By allowing workers to relax and recharge, you will surely have a more productive team. Extra paid time off is a great reward for employees after a difficult project or hitting a tight deadline. If you want to make extra time off as a regular reward, then you could also implement half-day-Fridays for deserving employees. Workers who meet a specific target get to jumpstart their weekend.
You could also consider rewarding deserving workers with extra paid vacation for up to one week and cater for all expenses. Finances allowing, you can even sponsor an employee’s family vacation to a destination of their choice. If your organization is tight on finances, then you can also opt to cater for the most expensive aspect of travel, such as accommodation or flight tickets. Providing extra paid time off to deserving employees is an excellent reward and increases employee retention.
Pro Tip: Try giving employees extra paid time off before a weekend or holiday. That way, employees can extend their time away and relax more.
14. Paid Group Lunches
Paid group lunches are some of the best experiences that will motivate teams. One way to enhance group lunches is by inviting top company leaders to join the lunch sessions. If you are rewarding a large group, then you could bring food trucks to the office. However, be sure to carry out prior research and bring in food trucks with your team’s favorite dishes. Besides motivating participants, teams will connect outside the office and form powerful bonds. Paid group lunches are also a clever way to grow your corporate culture, lower attrition, and boost employee morale.
15. Flexible Work Schedule
If you have a team with a fixed working schedule, then you can reward your employees with a flexible work schedule. This working schedule gives employees the autonomy to work when they are most productive. For instance, you could let teams work remotely for a specific period only if they meet certain targets. A flexible work schedule will motivate employees and promote work-life balance. Additionally, you will boost productivity and have a happier workforce.
16. Professional Development Opportunities by Hone
Professional development opportunities top the list of reward ideas for adults. Whether you provide free or subsidized opportunities to deserving participants, you will motivate other employees. Hone offers scalable training for a wide variety of teams. You can choose from over 60 courses, including managing conflict, building trust, and inclusion and belonging.
Companies providing professional development opportunities also benefit from the extra skills teams pick up. Workers’ professional development also increases the chances for organizations to promote their workers. As a result, companies can save on hiring and new employee training costs. Be sure to center these opportunities on the needs and interests of your workers at varying tenure and levels.
Learn more about Hone.
17. Memberships to Professional Organizations
If you want to help your team members boost their professional reputation, then you may consider offering free admissions to professional organizations or industry bodies. These organizations hold individual members with specific skills, knowledge, or expertise. As a result, participants get an avenue to network and develop professionally. You can let employees select the professional chartered institutes they want to join. Sponsoring the membership fee will provide workers with access to skilled peers and boost their reputation. Your organization will also benefit from relevant connections that team members gain from the industry bodies.
Check out this list of professional associations to get started.
18. Access to Company Car
If you have a team that often struggles with the commute to work, then access to a company car is a good bet of reward. One way to use company cars is to let workers drive top-performance vehicles reserved for company leadership for up to a month. Alternatively, you can have a culture where top performers use the fleet of company cars instead of taking the bus to the office. Be sure to cater to the fuel expenses. Giving deserving workers access to company vehicles will motivate other team members to work harder.
19. Special Parking Spots
Special parking spots are fantastic employee reward ideas that will motivate team members. This idea is an excellent choice for big companies with parking spaces far from the entrance. Smaller companies with few parking slots can also reward deserving employees with spots inside the premises. You can also reward top achievers with parking spots reserved for VIPs. Special parking privileges will create a sense of pride among participants and encourage team members to work harder.
20. Job Shadowing for the Day
Employees are often curious about other workers’ jobs, and they may even think some roles are glamorous. You can reward deserving employees with the opportunity to shadow any of their peers. For instance, Tom from the accounting department could follow Ann from the creative marketing department. Letting employees shadow their colleagues is a fantastic reward that allows teams to have unique work experiences. Employees also expand their knowledge and find new and exciting career paths.
Conclusion
Employee reward ideas are vital to any organization’s strategy for engaging and motivating its workforce. Through these activities, organizations can boost employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention. For maximum effectiveness, we advise you to tailor your reward programs to your employees’ unique needs, preferences, and business objectives. Therefore, we have included both monetary and nonmonetary ideas that appeal to a diverse group of employees.
Next, check out our list of employee care kits, corporate travel gift ideas, and luxury gift ideas.
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