Rewarding Your Team Members for a Job Well Done

A quality team can be difficult to build and sustain. Discovering that unique dynamic that causes your people to rise to the occasion, often going above and beyond to achieve the goals of the company, might even seem like an urban legend. You’ve heard of this workplace utopia, but how can you find such a group of motivated individuals who are goal-oriented and engaged with one another?

The most positive and effective way to motivate and keep a great team is through recognition and reward for a job well-done. High turnover impacts the company’s bottom line, causes friction within the team and saps the morale of the team members. Not to mention reflecting poorly on leadership. The cost in time, money, and motivation that accompanies the ‘revolving door’ underscores the need to maintain a cohesive, collaborative, and committed group of employees.

The Atta Boys Aren’t Enough

Simply tossing out “atta boys” and the occasional gift card is good for bringing a smile to someone’s face. But, to make your team members proud of going the extra mile, and to keep them and their peers motivated to go above and beyond,

. Here are a few ideas for you to put into practice to keep things moving in a positive direction.

Express Appreciation Regularly

According, to a recent article by Kim Harrison, letting your employees know that you value them can raise their engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction level. It can boost their motivation and help them improve their performance.

When you formally recognize and give specific feedback for individual or group effort, you’re letting your team know that their actions are noticed, their efforts are appreciated, and that what they are doing makes a difference to all. There’s no greater motivator than appreciation, recognition, and letting people know they are valued.

Give a Gift

Everyone likes to receive a tangible token of appreciation. This type of gift could be in the form of an unexpected bonus, a gift card, or even a small gift that recognizes personal interests. The act of leadership presenting the award is in itself a reward. You’re saying that you honor the dedication and sacrifices that member of your team has made, personally, for the good of the group and the company. Giving a meaningful gift can be quite the emotional experience, and therefore something the individual will remember for years to come.

Provide Growth Opportunities

Of course, one of the surest motivators in business is the reward of career advancement. When your employees witness a peer advancing to leadership through dedication and hard work, that encourages the same type of behavior as a means to success.

Should a team member show the dedication and drive to advance, but perhaps not meet certain requirements to be promoted, offer opportunities to hone individual skills for future advancement. This can be done through training or membership in an organization related to your particular field that could aid in advancing that team member’s competency.

Say an Authentic “Please and Thank You”

Demonstrate how much you appreciate your team members for their contributions by publicly offering a “thank you” for tasks performed. Even the simplest request should be made with a heartfelt “please”. Though in and of itself these “magic words” are simply good manners. If you recognize your employees in a respectable way, usually you will be rewarded in kind. No one likes a “bossy” boss. Never assume your leadership role is analogous to a dictator! You will find that door revolving more frequently if you fail to express appreciation and communicate with your employees in a civilized manner.

When Possible Reward with Flex-Time

As today’s workforce includes several generations of employees, it can be advantageous to offer flex-time as a reward. Young parents appreciate an early off or later start time as much as those with aging parents for whom they care. Once in a while, a flex schedule can work well to motivate the team as a whole. Especially around the holidays. Offer flex time as a reward and let the team members work out the coverage themselves. Not only is this a fantastic and cost-free way to recognize the success of your team, but it also builds camaraderie as the members work together to ensure proper coverage and that everyone benefits.

Social Rewards Build Teams

Activities away from the office can do wonders to build team cohesiveness and bonding, as well as let everyone relax and enjoy lunch, dinner, or drinks on the boss. Be present or don’t. It’s entirely up to you. Maybe plan a dinner and then excuse yourself partway through the festivities. Your team will certainly loosen up away from the office, as they discuss anything BUT work, and you will recognize the need for your team to kick up their heels after a grueling project, or particularly challenging quarter.

Recognize and Celebrate Success 

Most companies have ways of recognizing their top-producers. Typically, with an “employee of the month” type plaque, a specific certificate of recognition, or some such status symbol. Consider making a celebration out of this honor top performers by including the entire team. Host a morning meeting in the team member’s honor.

Come together to brainstorm ways to recognize team members who have achieved the honor. You can make it a fun time, with a tongue in cheek award of your choosing, something personal to the team. One company uses a toy chainsaw, symbolic of ‘cutting through the BS,’ as their award. The winner proudly displays this symbol on his or her desk for the duration. There are many ways of celebrating the above and beyond the performance of your team members. Make time to brainstorm and come up with your own ways.

Bringing it All Together

Success may be considered its own reward, and it’s a wonderful one. For those times when you want to reward hard work and can’t reward your team with promotions, or increased salaries, it’s essential to find ways to sustain morale to keep the team motivated and achieving outstanding results.

Hands down, the major factors which motivate team members to work harder and aim for the stars are a genuine display of appreciation and recognition. When you single out employees and applaud them in front of their colleagues and peers, it speaks volumes, and not just to the honoree. Publicly rewarding your team for a job well-done encourages and motivates everyone to work harder.

Recognizing desired behavior and performance leads to increased desired behavior and performance on the part of almost every employee. How do you express appreciation and recognition for team members who go above and beyond?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Tim Crowley Motivational Keynote Speaker, Leadership and Resilience Expert

Dr. Tim Crowley’s passion is to help build strong teams to strengthen organizations and to produce breakthrough results. His services have touched the lives of leaders in some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Including AT&T, Boehringer – Ingelheim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ernst & Young, Hallmark, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Marriot, Microsoft, Nestle-Purina, along with numerous organizations, universities, state and federal agencies.

When not keynoting, leading workshops, and blogging he looks for inspiration through mountain biking, volunteering, and making memories with his family and friends. https://drtimcrowley.com