Creative Employee Reward Ideas?Part 1

Employee rewards are an essential component of effective employee engagement strategies, but many leaders still struggle to implement them successfully. By aligning the rewards you offer with your team's values, you can positively influence how they're received.

Employee rewards don't have to be large or costly; in many cases, small rewards are impactful because they can be given more frequently, and frequency is crucial to successful rewards programs. Creativity, not cost, is the real secret to building an assortment of employee rewards that everyone will be excited to earn.

More than anything, rewards need to mean something to the employees receiving them.

To oil the gears, we've assembled this comprehensive list of creative employee reward ideas and organized it by category so you can find what you need. Think of this list as a foundation for developing your own outstanding catalog of creative employee rewards.

COMPANY-SPECIFIC

What are some rewards that only you can give to your employees? Company-specific rewards are among the most unique employee rewards you can provide. If you're not offering them, you're missing a great opportunity. Here are a couple ideas to get started:

Before we go any further here: make sure your company-branded gear is cool and useful so people actually value it. Lots of companies have personalized pens and the like, but you can be more creative than that, right? 

If it feels like junk or is garishly branded, it's not going to be a particularly enticing reward — worse, it can even reflect poorly on your company. It doesn't take a huge mental leap to equate the apparent value of a reward with the value placed on the contributions that earned it.

Company-branded rewards are most effective when the gear is tasteful, useful, and of the best possible quality. It can be especially fun when there's a limited quantity available. For example: 

1. T-shirts

We have a limited-edition early employee t-shirt that everyone covets for its unrivaled softness and awesome design featuring the Brooklyn Bridge. Over a year later, I still wear mine and smile about the early days every time I put it on.

A few other possibilities include the following items: 

2. Coffee mugs 3. Water bottles 4. Notebooks

Although those can be great options, sometimes an even better approach would be to match those items to the team's culture.

If there are a lot of outdoor enthusiasts on your team, consider something like a daypack. If there's a large contingent of golfers among you, consider some gear that fits. You can get almost anything branded or personalized.

Still not sure what kind of gear you should be considering? Poll your team and pick from the most popular suggestions. Better yet, get them involved!

5. Swag design

Get your employees involved in designing your new company swag, whether it’s a wall calendar featuring the dogs of your office or a t-shirt featuring an alternative company mascot. Handing the creative reins to your employees can inspire new collaborative dynamics, give them a sense of ownership, and imbue the final product with more meaning.

6. Lunch with the president/CEO/leader

You might be surprised how many employees would love a chance to sit down and break bread with the leader of the organization. If your employees want to get to know you better, why not give them a chance in an informal, relaxed setting?

7. Master classes

Do you have a senior employee willing to share some of their highly valuable skills or insights? Provide an incentive for them to hold a master class and fund it through your rewards program. 

You might also have a virtuoso, or hobbyist on your team that would be willing to teach a class on their area of expertise in return for picking up the tab for lunch. We recently held some great Lunch and Learns on topics like "Listening with Empathy" and "Google Analytics."

8. Dogs at the office

If your office circumstances permit, pets at work can be a great way to improve morale across the entire team. It's a good idea to check with everyone before rolling out something like this though — not everyone is keen on sharing their work space with pets.

9. VIP parking

Unless you're based in a city like NYC, almost every office has that one parking spot that everyone covets. If your office has designated parking, reserving the very best spot to celebrate a teammate can be a great reward.

10. DJ for the day

If you have music playing in your office and there's not already a mandatory soundtrack, consider offering the ability to choose the music for the day as a reward for employees.

It costs nothing, can boost morale, and presents the opportunity for members of the team to share a bit about themselves. Who knows, you might even discover your new favorite song.

11. Sock Club subscription 

When you subscribe to Sock Club, you get a new pair of socks every month. Buy a subscription for your company and gift each month’s pair to a different employee who embodies the spirit of your company values. They’ll have warm feet and feel stylish, with the added plus of remembering your token of recognition every time they do laundry.

12. Art 

“Research by Exeter University’s School of Psychology found that employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace are not only happier and healthier — they’re also up to 32 percent more productive,” reports Forbes’ Karen Higginbottom. What’s more, a Cass Business School study found that “54 percent of women acknowledged that art has a moderate to big effect on their creativity at the office (47 percent of men) and 80 percent of the women agreed that art at the office could reduce their stress-levels (66 percent of men).”

Invite your employees to select new artwork for your office space. Give them a budget and designate a wall space, then see what they propose!

13. DIY trophies

Items from the dollar store, a glue gun, and metallic spray paint are all you need to make outrageous custom trophies for your employees. Whether the awards are goofy, like “Best Excuse for Coming in Late,” or sweet, like “Always Willing to Help Out,” the trophies themselves are tokens of appreciation that can be passed around the office as frequently as you’d like.

14. Balloon bouquets

Is one of your employees returning to work after parental leave? Let them know you’re happy to have them back by filling their desk with balloons! Did your sales team just reach a huge milestone? Deliver an Instagram-worthy bouquet of balloons to celebrate. Whatever the occasion, balloon bouquets are a fun and visible way to show your appreciation.

15. Handwritten thank you notes 

Handwritten thank you notes are a classic medium for sharing appreciation. In the five or ten minutes it takes to write a thank you note by hand, you can make a regular habit of reflecting on your employees’ contributions.