Your business runs smoothly and earns money due in part to the work done by your employees. If your staff has recently put in extra hours at work, taken on an additional project, or recently closed an outstanding deal, you should think about ways to reward your employees. You give them a reward they will truly appreciate by thinking in terms of what they could really use or enjoy; look at their lives from their perspective.

Most of your employees probably don't care whether they get a plaque or their name mounted on a wall all that much. Most of your employees would appreciate a gesture that gave them a break from the daily work schedule, gave them the opportunity to treat themselves to something special, or in some way contributed to a better family life. There are three outstanding ways to do this that are reasonably priced and will be appreciated a great deal by your employees.

Comp Time For Employees

Additional time off is an excellent way to reward your staff, particularly if they recently put in some overtime. If your employees had to stay late at night several times or come in on weekends, it no doubt impacted their family lives. Giving each employee an extra day or two off at the beginning or end of a work week is a great way to let them know you understand how much their added hours might have affected their personal lives.

If you want to reward several people, you might offer comp time by giving them each a choice of several different days they can choose from. Be sure you let them know about this in plenty of time to make arrangements to do something with their family or friends. For instance, a secretary may use the time to visit relatives out of town if she knows she can have a three-day weekend. Giving employees time off is a great way to reward them, and it costs you nothing, making it a valuable reward at a great price.

Buy Gift Cards

Cash bonuses or raises aren't always possible when your employees have put in a stellar performance on a project, but gifts cards fit any budget. You can tailor the selection when you buy gift card vouchers based on each employee's interests. If you know that some of your staff enjoy dining out, gift cards for fine restaurants in your area are an excellent choice. It will give them the opportunity to take their spouse and family to a nice meal, a treat they will really appreciate. Rewards like this can also contribute to reducing the stress levels of your employees, which is a bonus for you as their employer.

Some companies send out letters of commendation to their employees and give them the option to choose from several gift cards. If you have a large staff or aren't familiar with all of their personal tastes, this is a great way to reward them. Your employees will enjoy choosing their own reward from a list of possible gift cards available. If you go this route, be sure to include at least three different types of gifts cards, including restaurants gift cards, department store gift cards, and perhaps a home improvement store, sports outfitter, or bookstore option.

You can also buy gift card vouchers in advance so that you're never without a few tokens of appreciation for the right situation. At the end of a long month that was particularly stressful, you'll be gratified to see how your employees react if you hand them each a gift card as they are heading home. For these instant rewards, restaurant gift cards or cards for major department stores are a nice idea. For the most part, you should try to give gift cards for at least $50 to $100. This is a substantial enough amount to truly show your appreciation and give the recipients some buying power.

Appreciation Dinners

An appreciation dinner isn't the same as an awards dinner. Taking your staff out for an appreciation dinner is more informal. You can do this for lunch with a whole department if you like, or take one or two employees at a time so that you have some personal face time with them. Regardless of which route you take, be sure to steer the conversation toward your appreciation of their efforts.

An even nicer option for an appreciation dinner is to take out one or two employees at a time and invite their families to join you for dinner. Recognizing the achievements of your staff in front of their family is a lovely way to reward them for their hard work and will give them a chance to show their families that they are vital to the company.

Regardless of what you choose, showing staff how much they are valued goes a long way in terms of boosting office morale. From appreciation dinners to extra time off and more, staff will always remember that that their efforts were recognized and appreciated.