No/Low Cost Rewards for Workers

Stresses build from now until after the first of the year as employees juggle demanding customers with family events, church services, gift expectations and tight budgets. Workers who were easy going in June may suddenly become more difficult as the holidays loom. As a leader, look for ways to keep people moving in a positive direction. We like to say “catch people at their best.” Each day make an effort to find someone doing something right and make sure they know it. Here are ideas for supporting people with no or little cost:

• Talk is not only cheap – it is free. But the right words can mean a lot. So simply telling people that you believe in them, that you support them and that you appreciate them can go a long way. At the same time, let people know you have high expectations and keep them striving for improvement everyday. Remember names and greet people by name when you see them.
• Share your time. Ask someone to lunch or coffee to listen to their ideas about how their job could be better or what they think the company needs to do next. Really listen. (Put down the iPad.)
• Have fun. For teams that need to produce, blowing off some steam is a good way to crank up the adrenalin. Before heading off to the sales or production floor, create a quick “Minute to Win It” challenge: Two people compete to see how many tissues they can pull out of a box, stack apples or bounce pencils on their eraser end into a cup in a minute. With the right team dynamics, these events can breathe some fun into a stressed time.
• If you have an onsite cafeteria, buy cards worth one free drink or a snack and hand them out to new employees who are caught doing their job well.
• Spray paint an old trophy (or make one that humorously represents your company) and make it a travelling trophy that gets passed on from winner to winner for representing great company spirit. Ideas include pens epoxied into a pen cup and painted silver, an old telephone handset, a toy pipe wrench, a golden coffee mug or a spatula.

At the end of the day, it isn’t so much about how you celebrate success as much as genuinely appreciating the people in your workplace. Any silly idea can become a tradition if there is sincerity behind the message and a sense of humor – even about yourself.