The number one reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated, according to Gallup Research and the book “How Full is Your Bucket?” In addition, 65 percent of Americans didn’t receive workplace recognition in the last year. Here then, are serveral tips to help you reward and recognize employees.

Recognizing and rewarding praise-worthy employees can be as simple as a creative thank you and is important for keeping them productive and happy. Here are some ways to get started:

Pay for a Class

Show your employees you’re vested in their interests and support their ambitions. Pay for a fun class, such as skydiving or cooking, or let them pick out a business class to improve their skills. By doing this, you get a better idea of where they want to take their career while simultaneously supporting them. Take it a step further and ask them to write up a small proposal to show how they want to use their new knowledge in the workplace and assign them new responsibilities. The more you show value and trust your employees’ decisions, the more they’ll deliver on performance.

Hold an Appreciation Meeting

Surprise your best employees by holding a spontaneous one-on-one meeting. Instead of discussing their behavior or a project, let them know how much you appreciate their work and give them specific examples of where they thrive. Give them a small gift that could both benefit their personal and professional life, such as a new tablet or up-to-date smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S 6. Pay for some fun and professional apps, such as Evernote or a scheduler, to help with their workflow. Let them know you hope they enjoy it at home as well as the workplace to give them the freedom to embrace their new gift.

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Give Time off to Volunteer

Honor your employees’ good deeds and desire to give back to the community by allotting time off to volunteer. Ask the employees to take some photos with their smartphones during their day and post them on the workroom bulletin board or refrigerator so everyone else in the office can see. Or, provide the opportunity for your employees to band together and start a blood drive, book collection or work day in a community garden as a group project. The experience could turn into a team-building exercise and help boost coworker relationships and morale by supporting one another.

Recognize Them Publicly

It’s not always enough to just say thanks or to give a special perk. True recognition comes from publicly acknowledging an employee’s efforts. Include a photo, bio and accomplishment in a community newsletter. Once the newsletter runs, bring it up in a meeting and talk about what an asset the employee is to the company. Ask a senior manager to send a personal note to say thank you and include a small token like a coffee card, flowers or invitation to discuss new ideas.

Offer Flex Time

Make employee recognition and rewards an ongoing process. Instead of choosing a perk just for a day, set a milestone and long-term reward. Tell employees if they hit a specific benchmark, they can work from home one day a week, come into the office late or take a long lunch. Let them know the reward is for being an asset to the company and you trust their productivity and work ethic.

The more you appreciate your employees, the more they’ll appreciate the workplace and value their job. Contact us for more thoughts and ideas.

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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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