We are currently at an interesting crossroads when it comes to employment.
The recent pandemic showed employees the benefits of working remotely and many prefer to abandon the traditional drive to and from an office. Although many companies have now required employees to return to the office, the benefits of working remotely are undeniable.
Remote work offers a broader reach for employers to find talent and even decreases expenses to an extent. This article is not being written to convince companies to use more remote workers but it has brought up an interesting question:
What are the possible ways to reward remote employees for their job well done? Here are some ideas to consider.
Offer flexible working hours
With the history and benefits of giving gifts, it is evident that physical gifts are not the only ones that count. If a remote employee shows promise, initiative, and skill, you should consider offering them more freedom. Some employers insist on having their employees online at certain times and take advantage of programs to monitor their work. This is not only a draw on the time and resources available to the supervisors; it can also be detrimental to the quality of work. By offering flexible work time with simple deadlines, you show trust and reward their initiative and creativity!
Provide necessary mentorship
No one is an expert from the start. This is why it is essential to keep your newbie employees in mind as well. While it is only natural to provide all of them some kind of beginner training, you should get those who excel or show particular levels of talent from the start a chance to have a better level of support. You can do this by connecting them with older, more experienced employees. You can use the opportunity to reward them, as well, with a mentor status and a slight pay raise for the increase in the number of their obligations.
Stay in touch
It might not seem like much, but every employee enjoys knowing they are appreciated. Staying in touch with them, even if you contact them once in a while, will show your care and consideration. In addition, you can use the chance to ask them for their input and if they have noticed any hiccups in your current mode of conducting business. Unfortunately, remote work is still relatively new, and no one has really ironed out all its problems!
Send a gift of appreciation
This does not need to be some expensive or overly elaborate gift! In fact, that would be one of the common business gift giving mistakes since a costly gift can be more of a burden than a reward coming out of the blue.
All you need to do is, once again, show your appreciation. Something as simple as this You Are Awesome Cookie Gift Box .
Online learning opportunities
This builds on our previous suggestion of mentorship for when your employees have advanced past the stage of novices but still wish to perfect their skills.
There are many seminars, online courses, and various other learning opportunities that you can sign them up for as a reward. They don’t cost much in most cases but are still a great way to show support. Just remember to confirm they would be interested in such a thing beforehand!
Include them in team-building events
Organizing team-building events is one of the more complicated ways to reward remote employees. People are naturally social creatures, so this will likely appeal to most. However, getting them all to one location can be difficult.
Thankfully, there are various exciting games and activities to engage with over the internet, including virtual board games and movie-watching events. This would probably be a good alternative if you cannot organize a physical venue to allow your employees to interact.
Make sure they get a say
This is not just a way to reward excelling employees; it is also an excellent way to increase business profits with bright ideas. If they are eager to engage and excel, chances are that your employees have ideas of their own to suggest.
If you organize meetings to present them, it would serve as a reward and incentive! After all, a heard employee is a happy employee.
Provide better health benefits
Finally, this is something you should reward all your employees with! Of course, you can offer even better health benefits for those who stand out and advance in their career, but your employees will feel secure and happy if they know they have solid health benefits to fall back on in case they get sick.
Final Words
As you have noticed, most of the ways to reward remote employees we have suggested are not really about items or possessions. What your employees truly need from you is to feel your concern and appreciation.
To that end, do not hesitate to reward them, either! Just remember to properly consider their needs, which you can learn through your occasional communication with them. If you offer the wrong gift to someone, it would just be awkward instead.
For some more ideas for showing your appreciation for your employees, see these articles:
Best Work Anniversary Gifts for Employees
Show Your Employees How Much You Appreciate Them
Welcome Gifts for New Employees