With increasing numbers of employees working remotely, ensuring that their work is recognized and praised has become vital. Ensuring that remote employees are rewarded for their performance and dedication is essential for improving employees’ job satisfaction and engagement, whilst reducing turnover rates. Here are 9 amazing remote employee rewards that will help all members of your team feel valued and recognized.
1. Create A Virtual Community
One of the common pitfalls of remote working is that employees feel disconnected from the wider team and work community. As a result of this, it is easy for feelings of isolation and lack of motivation to creep in. Whilst it’s important to have regular communication and feedback from managers when working remotely, interaction with the rest of the team is also extremely significant.
One simple way to foster a sense of more traditional work place experience is to create a virtual community. This can be easily achieved by organizing opportunities for team members to all participate via video conferences and social media groups. In this way, everyone has the opportunity to share their ideas and be actively involved in the team.
Providing remote employees with the opportunity to interact more meaningfully and easily with others in the team will signal that their voice is not only important, but actively sought. As such, they will feel more motivated and this will also help to lessen feelings of isolation.
2. Offer Technology And Workspace Upgrades
When it comes to remote employee rewards, it’s worth considering what specific benefits might be most valuable. Unlike office-based workers, remote employees have specific challenges related to their home working environment. As such, designing rewards which directly address this can be more appreciated.
For example, you might find that providing remote employees with a technology allowance is a positive reward. Alternatively, you could reward them with a new app, a software or even laptop upgrade, or provide them with new equipment, such as new headphones.
Similarly, creating an appropriate home workspace can be a major concern for many people who work remotely. Consider offering remote employees a workspace upgrade as part of their reward. For instance, you could buy them a new desk or office chair, so that they can create a more comfortable and stimulating working environment.
Although these options may not seem glamorous, they can make a big difference to the ease and job satisfaction of your employees who work remotely. By directly addressing the individual situation of your remote employees, you are also communicating that you consider their working environment and them to be important.
3. Have A Surprise Treat Delivered
If a remote employee has performed particularly well, you might want to show them your appreciation and offer a reward in a timelier manner. One of the most effective ways to do this is to have a surprise treat delivered to them.
“Online shopping means that there are a whole range of options to choose from. Whether you want to deliver a bouquet of flowers or even have their favorite food or treat delivered to their house, it couldn’t be easier or faster to do. It’s a thoughtful gesture that shows your employees that they matter and that you are aware of their hard work and appreciate it,” says Ronald Kemper, a writer at Big Assignments and Best Essay Services.
4. Provide Specific Recognition
Taking time to recognize the hard work of your employees is an important part of helping to keep them motivated and satisfied in their job. Employees who feel valued and recognized are more likely to be more dedicated and engaged in their job, including remote employees.
Whenever a remote employee has made a particularly valuable contribution or gone above and beyond their role, make sure that you take time to acknowledge this. In particular, be sure to let the employee know why you are recognizing their efforts. Be as specific about their individual contribution and achievement as you can.
Similarly, it can be very rewarding to thank remote employees in front of their peers, such as during a team meeting. Acknowledging the hard work of remote employees in the presence of others can help to make their contribution and involvement in the team become more visible and valued. It’s also a great way to boost morale and job satisfaction.
5. Send A Handwritten Note And Gift Card
Personalized rewards for remote employees are another effective strategy. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to send a handwritten note of thanks or a thank you card. Importantly, make sure that you are specific about what you are thanking your employee for. It can seem like a small gesture, but it can make a big difference.
Another option is to reward remote employees with a gift card. You could send this in conjunction with a handwritten note. If you know what their favorite restaurant or shop is, it can be more personal and effective to purchase a gift card for one of these stores. Alternatively, you might want to consider sending a gift card for a local shop or restaurant that they can easily use.
6. Offer Additional Time Off
The boundaries between home and work life can be increasingly blurred when working remotely. As such, one of the most beneficial remote employee rewards that you can provide is additional time off or vacation. You might choose to reward the hard work and efforts of remote employees with an extended weekend or offering them additional vacation days to use at a later date.
Another effective reward can be to provide some impromptu time off, such as taking off an afternoon or morning, as a way to reward them for their work and dedication. You could even reward remote employees with a day experience, such as a spa day or even an overnight stay in a hotel. These can be particularly encouraging for remote employees as it provides them with the opportunity to physically get away from their home/work space.
Health and wellbeing are important aspects for everyone. Consider rewarding remote employees with some additional health benefits. For example, you might offer health insurance as a remote employee reward. Alternatively, you could offer a gym membership to employees or even pay for a series of classes, such as yoga or even dance lessons.
As well as the physical health of your remote employees, consider offering health rewards that promote their mental well being too. For instance, you could reward remote employees with a meditation course, home-spa kit or offer reduced hours or ‘health breaks’ to allow them to recuperate and engage in some self-care.
8. Be Aware Of Individual Cultural Backgrounds
Offering remote employees rewards which are respectful of their individual circumstances and backgrounds can be especially meaningful and effective. Take time to find out about the cultural background of your remote employees. By paying attention to these key details, you will be able to provide them with a reward which is more relevant.
“Make a note of important or key dates for your remote employees, such as any specific religious or cultural holidays they celebrate, and make sure you add it to your work calendar. This is particularly important if any of your remote employees work abroad. You can then offer remote employees rewards which are in-keeping with their cultural background, such as providing additional time off during times of the year that are more important to them,” says Gale Meyer, a crystal expert at Essayroo and Boomessays.
9. Have Consistent Individual Meetings
Whilst physical and financial rewards are a successful way to show all employees that their work and efforts are being noticed, it’s particularly important to ensure that they also receive positive praise and feedback individually and in a timely manner. Communication is especially important when dealing with remote employees.
Ensuring that you communicate regularly and consistently with remote employees is essential for fostering a positive working environment. Setting aside designated time each week to connect with your remote employees is an important step. Email communication, phone calls and social media groups are effective for daily updates and progress reports.
However, one-to-one time with remote employees will provide you with the opportunity to give them individual, specific feedback and get to know them better personally, meaning that you can provide them with more tailored rewards. Importantly, it will also give you essential insight into their career progression and professional development goals. As such, you will be better placed to offer remote employees rewards related to their ongoing development, such as training courses or promotions.
Conclusion
Ensuring that you consistently promote and offer rewards to hardworking remote employees is an important aspect to ensuring that your workforce stays motivated and engaged. Not only do remote employee rewards acknowledge the efforts and dedication of individual employees, but they also help to establish a positive company culture, in which employees feel valued. As a result, remote employees will be more likely to produce better results and experience greater job satisfaction.
