Happy, rewarded, and respected employees are the most valuable employees a company can have. Work gets done. Projects get accomplished. And people punch out at the end of the day ready to come back tomorrow.
But creating that kind of atmosphere takes some work. And some play. Keep reading our guide on employment reward to know how to make your tech team better, stronger, and more invested!
9 Epic Employment Reward Ideas
From eating out to team parties, there are tons of ways you can get your tech staff more invested in team projects.
There is a concern, though, that if you become friends with your staff then that they won’t actually work for you as much as they’ll slack around.
We’d like to try and dispell that. If you’re invested in something. And you have staff on your team that value why their there, building bonds can bolster work performance. Remember, fun work is the best work.
1. Staff Shopping Spree
This is the mega-cookie of rewards.
It’s a little known fact that people love spending money that they don’t have to pay back or take out of their own wallet.
It’s like being a kid again when mom gives you $20 to find a present for someone.
But in this case, the shopping spree is adult oriented.
Let’s say your team has a goal, like to get 100 clients or reach a goal of 1,800 sales or to finish a product so it can be presented to a pitching board.
If the goal is reached, take your staff out for a shopping spree. Reward them each $100 or $180 or something related to the goal.
Tell them they have a set amount of time, like an hour or two, to spend all of the money. They could get cool gadgets or homeware accessories, some new clothes or even a new video game! Something fun that they’re going to enjoy outside of the office!
Meet up at a designated location (like maybe a lunch spot) and have everyone share what they bought.
This idea, of a mandatory shopping spree, where they don’t have to spend their own money but someone else’s, is a crazy reward and motivator. Have fun with it!
2. Team Cook Out
Did you ever play on a sports team as a kid?
Cookouts were a great way to get everyone introduced to each other, relax, and enjoy some great food.
Having a cookout brings people together in a way that’s a little different than a restaurant. It’s a back yard, people can walk around, you control the music and the smell of the grill is always popular. Your tech team can chill and have some tech team laughs.
Host a staff cookout to reward your team for their hard work!
3. Team Shirts
Why not wear your accomplishments?
This could be a simple T-Shirt reward where everyone gets a company piece of apparel, or it could be something silly where the team creates a fun shirt to be worn as a joke.
Like maybe you have a rival tech team and want to express how your team beat them in a friendly, funny way.
Have fun with this. Apparel doesn’t have to be limited to shirts, either. It could be pullovers, coats, or button downs too!
4. Week-Day Warrior Moment
Some places enjoy celebrating one specific employee publicly at the end of the month.
If that works for your office, great. If not, try this:
Go around to each of your staff members throughout the week and praise them on one thing they’ve done that really stood out. Call it their Week-Day Warrior Moment.
If something stands out as a serious Week-Day Warrior Moment, you might want to get your staff member a gift. We’d recommend something cool, like products from FineAwards.com.
This shows that you’re paying attention to your staff and that even little things are valuable.
5. Lunch with the Boss
If something stands out in a way that’s so incredible, you can reward that staff member by taking them out to lunch.
When a boss picks up the bill for an employee, it feels good. It tells the employee they’re valued and the work they do is valued.
It also builds that bond more than a “nice job” or high-five ever would.
6. Kindness Auction
If your team reaches a landmark goal, a Kindness Auction might be in order.
This works by giving each of your staff members some tokens or Monopoly money. Then, the management team will auction off acts-of-kindness, like a homemade meal, a car wash, a plate of cookies, free babysitting, the bosses car for the day, something noteworthy!
Team members then bid for different options!
7. Staff Movie Night
Movies are a fantastic way to reward hard work because they don’t require people to do anything but sit and enjoy.
For a staff movie night, the management team should do more than just buy everyone’s ticket, though.
For families, there are a lot of movie theater challenges to overcome. Some things we recommend the management team steps in to also take care of are:
- Pay for any baby sitters needed
- Buy snacks and drinks for your team
- Organize carpools if needed
- Find a movie that everyone will want to see and CAN make it to
And then kick back, relax, and enjoy the show!
8. Time Coupons
Basically, brownie points turned tangible.
Time Coupons are little pieces of paper you can give out to staff for exceptional work. These can be used to get out of work 15 minutes early or extend their lunch break from 1 hour to 2.
Whatever you see fit, implementing some sort of in-office currency reminds staff that they could be notified and rewarded at any moment.
Just try to notice everyone. Nothing is more frustrating than not being noticed, while one person in the offices seems to only do work when the boss is nearby.
9. Kick Off Drinks
It’s the weekend, people are tired and have worked hard for five days. Don’t send your team home with a wave or just a nod and bye.
When the weekend is upon you, that last hour is usually rushed or disconnected anyway. Turn that hour into a weekend send-off, where you crack some champagne, have a few snacks and let your staff go on a high note.
They’ll remember you for it, and when they come back on Monday they’ll be that much more ready to hit the ground running.
More Rewards and Ideas
We hope these employment reward ideas have been useful, and we hope your tech team enjoys them! If you’re looking for more ideas on how to reward your staff or create a positive working environment, head on over to our geeky blog where we’ve got tons of content on tech.
