This year has been challenging for everyone, including your employees. As many businesses continue to operate under coronavirus restrictions, it seems that employee relations are more important than ever. Even though you want to show your employees how much you appreciate them, few employers have extra money in the budget this year. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money – or maybe even none at all – to express appreciation for a job well done.
Offer a Few Extra Hours Off to Reward Excellent Performance
Most people who work full-time just don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything they need to do, especially those who are also parents. A simple way to improve employee relations is to establish a flex reward program that gives employees a few extra hours off as a way for the company to express thanks.
Before launching the flex reward program, make sure that you have established clear expectations for how employees can earn extra paid time away from work. The criteria must be fair to everyone. You should also include when the employee can use the extra hours. For example, would you require workers to use the additional paid time off all at once and at a certain time of day? Along with ground rules, make sure employees know that receiving approval for their extra hours is contingent upon having enough staff coverage in their absence.
Offer the Opportunity to Learn New Skills
Even employees who love their jobs will eventually feel bored and dissatisfied if they never take on any new tasks. A great way to reward hard-working employees is to offer them free training to pick up some new skills. You could also offer one-on-one coaching sessions to show that you support and truly care about your employee’s professional development. Be sure to follow up on any training by allowing employees to use their new skills as much as possible.
Hold Brainstorming Sessions with Employees
Employees who feel their contributions are important tend to approach their work with greater motivation than those who feel like they have no say regarding their position or the company in general. Listening to ideas your employees have to improve a process or introduce a new concept shows that you respect them and care about what they have to offer. Consider setting a schedule for brainstorming sessions and then follow through with implementing at least a few of the ideas if viable. Don’t forget to publicly give credit to the employee who suggested the change.
Support a Cause Outside of the Office
Whether it’s fulfilling a family’s wish list at the holidays or working at a local food pantry, volunteering with your team is a great way to build cohesiveness. It also sends a strong message that your company cares about the community. A slight variation of this is to grant employees extra paid time off during the year to complete volunteer projects of their choice.
Let Us Manage the Payroll Part
Although monetary perks aren’t always necessary to show appreciation and improve employee relations, people still need to receive a paycheck. Palmetto Payroll offers complete outsourced payroll services to small business owners in Columbia, South Carolina and the surrounding communities. Please contact us today to learn more.
