Employee turnover is one of the largest expenses that employers face. Worse yet, is the difficulty of replacing star employees when they leave. But, according to Gallup, the more talented an employee is, the faster they leave.
One of the biggest contributing factors to employee turnover is a lack of appreciation, according to Gallup. There are some great recognition ideas that cost money, such as paid vacations, bonuses, and fancy gear. But, there are also many free employee recognition ideas.
Recognize your employees with heartfelt, sincere, and genuine appreciation. Here are 60 free, or low budget, ideas for rewarding special employees.
1. Send a Handwritten Note To Their Home
In today’s world of fast-paced, electronic communication, the personal touch of a handwritten note makes an impact. Sending it to your employee’s house allows them to enjoy your message without an audience and serves to create positive feelings about work when they are away.
2. Feature Them In The Company Newsletter
Highlight your employee’s success story in the company newsletter. Whether it’s an external or internal newsletter, featuring them will spotlight the great job they’ve done and provide public praise.
3. Take Over Their Least Favorite Task
Show your star employee how much you appreciate them by taking over their most despised task for a day or a week. Give them extra time to be more effective and work on the projects they feel are the most critical. Star employees can pinpoint the most effective activities and thrive in high performance.
4. Provide More Autonomy
Recognize driven and top-performing employees by giving them more leeway. Let them take the reins on the activities, projects and methods they employ. You may be surprised at the innovations they bring to the office!
5. One-On-One Mentoring
Time is one of the most valuable commodities because it can’t be manufactured. By providing some one-on-one mentoring, you show that you truly value your employee and their growth.
6. The Closest Parking Spot
Say “thank you” by saving your employee time hiking across the parking lot. Give them the closest spot for a week or a month.
7. An Extra-Long Lunch Hour
Let a hard-working employee take off for an extended lunch hour to give them a break for all their hard work.
8. Create a Video
Celebrate a special employee by creating a commemorative video of their time with your company. Use Memories and invite colleagues to submit comments, memories, and praise and Thanks will automatically create a video.
9. Frame Customer Appreciation Quotes
Anytime a customer sends in a “thank you” about one of your employees, frame part of their quote and present it to your employee. Don’t forget to include social media and google reviews of your company that highlight employees!
10. Give a New Job Title
Give your employee a new job title that recognizes their specialties and talents. Ambitious employees often love to have an advanced title they can put on LinkedIn or add to their brag file.
11. Career Development
Show your employee that you appreciate their initiative and drive by providing them with additional development. Allow star employees to expand their skills by learning new skills and rotating into jobs or departments they are interested in as a possible opportunity. This can be scary to lose star employees, even for a few days, by allowing them to train in a new area, but in the long run, it’s worthwhile and can help retain them.
12. Go Casual
After your team goes the extra mile puts in long hours to meet a deadline or goes beyond expectations, reward them. Loosen up. Allow some casual days and flexible hours for a limited time as a “thank you!”
13. Throw a Company Potluck
Add some variety, bonding time, and a change in pace by orchestrating a company potluck. This allows employees to get together, have a casual lunch and enjoy each other in a casual setting.
14. Press Release
If you have a particularly great employee success, write up the story of how they overcame the challenges presented to really come through. Share their success with the local news so their friends and family can celebrate with them.
15. Thank You Meeting
Call a meeting with your employee just to say “Thank You!” Don’t bring up anything else. You can even open a sparkling cider or share a treat.
16. Snack Basket
Make a snack basket of your employee’s favorite snacks and present it to them. Use Quizzes to find out what kinds of snacks each employee prefers, or Polls to find out the most popular snacks across your organization.
17. Pass on Event Tickets
Pass on event tickets to an employee who has recently gone above and beyond.
18. Work From Home
Recognize your employee by letting them work from home. Or, give them a pass they can use anytime to work from home so they have greater flexibility.
19. Office Kudos
Pass around notecards to the whole office to write something special they appreciate about the employee being recognized. Frame the notes, bind them, or present them in a decorative box.
20. Take Them to Lunch
Take them to lunch at the place of their choosing and talk about anything, except work.
21. Flexible Hours or Days
Allow them to be flexible in their starting and ending hours. Or allow some flexibility on how many hours they work or where they work.
22. Added Responsibility
Give them extra responsibility or create a team for them to manage. Show them you trust them with the added assignment. This provides added leadership experience for them and allows them to grow in their job. For the right employee, this is the best kind of pat on the back.
23. Use of The Manager’s Office For A Day
Let a special employee use the President’s or manager’s office for the day. They get a comfy chair, desk, and beautiful view. Don’t take it over partway through the day for meetings with clients. Make other arrangements to show them you truly appreciate all they do.
24. Free PTO
Reward extra hard work by giving additional PTO they can use anytime and for any reason.
25. Spouse’s Lunch
Recognize all the support your employee’s Significant Other gives by having them invite their spouse in for lunch on the company.
26. Family Portrait
Show how much you value work/life balance by rewarding the extra effort by paying the costs of a family portrait.
27. Formal Letter Of Appreciation
Take the time to write a formal letter of appreciation for your employee to put in their professional file. Make sure to include official stamps and to print it on the company letterhead.
28. Car Wash
Have a mobile car wash come to the office and wash their car for them. You could also provide a certificate for a mobile oil change.
29. Ambassador Event
Show your employee that you trust them and appreciate them by sending them to represent the company at an event they normally wouldn’t get to attend. Don’t forget to take photos of them at the event.
30. Praise On Social Media
Publicly recognize your employee on social media by sharing how they made a huge difference to the organization.
31. Pass Around A Corny Trophy
Buy a large and obnoxious trophy that can be passed to employees who demonstrate a particular skill during a week. Pass it around. When others ask them about the trophy, coworkers or they can explain what they did to earn it.
32. Executive Meeting
Show them that you value their development by including them in an executive meeting. They will get to rub elbows with higher managers and gain a broader perspective of the challenges and initiatives of the company.
33. Relaxation Spot
Provide a special room, a closet, or space where your employee can take some downtime to rest and relax after a particularly rough experience or project. You can include video games, a comfortable couch for reading, or even a dark spot for a quick nap.
34. Special Project
In most offices, there are projects that everyone wants to work on and be a part of. Use those projects as rewards for the employees you want to recognize.
35. Linked In Recommendation
Take the time to write a unique and earnest recommendation for your employee on LinkedIn.
36. High Fives
Something as simple as a high-five can boost morale and energy. Pass out the high-fives whenever you see something great your employees are doing.
37. Company Swag
Build loyalty and promote your company by sharing company swag to recognized employees. Make SWAG available in the Company Store.
38. Public Thanks
Recognize special effort by praising them in front of their entire time or at a company event. Be sure to provide a certificate and take a photo of the event. Add extra gifts that are special to the employee if you’d like.
39. Wall of Fame
Create a wall of fame and highlight employees as they overcome a difficult challenge or have an outstanding success. Watch your wall of fame grow and don’t be afraid to highlight the same employee for different successes when appropriate.
40. Post-Anonymous Notes of Thanks
Post notes of appreciation for employees in their workspaces. Or, make it a game by posting a note and then that employee passes it on to another employee and so on.
41. Company Party
Recognize an entire team by going out to celebrate. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It can include outdoor time, such as a department hike through local woods or nature preserves. Just take some time away from the office to recoup.
Be sure to allow employees to take off and spend time with their family instead if they want. For some employees, that’s the best recognition they could get!
42. Detail Accomplishments in Employee Files
It sounds simple, but taking the time to detail out accomplishments in the employee file makes a big difference. Past events are often quickly forgotten so mentioning successes builds a strong file for your employee.
43. Bring Your Pet to Work
Reward an employee by allowing them to bring their pet to work for a day. Just be aware of any allergies of coworkers and rearrange the space as needed.
44. Onboard Existing Employees
You probably have quite a few perks and benefits that your long-term employees may not be aware of or be taking advantage of. Onboard experienced employees and show them all the great benefits they can access.45. Start a Mentoring Program
Allow experienced and executive employees to fine-tune their coaching skills through a mentoring program. It adds to their skill set and is a great line for their professional resumes. Plus, it can help to motivate new and inexperienced employees by teaming them up with mentors.46. New Chair or Desk
Recognize a valuable employee by purchasing a new chair, desk or other piece of equipment for them that will make their day more comfortable. Or, allow them to keep one of the board room chairs!47. Family Day
Recognize your employees by creating a family day where their families can come and see what your employees do all day. It will give them a chance to show off their space and share what they do.48. Birthday Celebrations
Don’t forget to celebrate their birthday. This can be as simple as decorating their desk or leaving their favorite dessert for them to find after lunch. Don’t forget the card. Have coworkers pass around the card a few days before so anyone missing one day still has time to sign it.
49. Recognition from the CEO
Take the time to get a letter or card of recognition signed by the CEO. For many employees, this is an important level of appreciation.
50. Let Them Volunteer for Their Favorite Non-Profit
Give your employee a paid day to volunteer for a non-profit they are passionate about. Use Polls so your employees can vote on which organization or project they’d prefer to serve.
51. Side Projects
Encourage your employee’s innovation by letting your employee choose and design their own side project.
52. Make A Donation In Their Name
Recognize an employee by donating to a non-profit of their choice in their name. You could also sponsor a fundraiser for their favorite non-profit and provide matching to any voluntary contributions for the whole office.
53. A Potted Plant
Plants can help to reduce stress so consider gifting an employee with a potted plant the next time you recognize them.
54. Dibs
Recognize employees by allowing them to call “dibs” on coveted office items, PTO, or other activities. Set up items for “dibs” in the company store and let recognized employees choose them!
55. Wisdom Wall
Show that you value your employee’s ideas by creating a wisdom wall and filling it with quotes from your employees that are inspiring, creative, and motivating. Or, use Ideas and encourage employees to brainstorm ideas, projects, and office changes.
56. Celebrate Personal Successes
Don’t be afraid to celebrate personal accomplishments as a team. If your employee completed a marathon, adopted or had a baby, bought a house, volunteered, or achieved another personal goal, celebrate it as a team! This also shows your employees that you care enough to know them as more than just a number or their most recent work performance.
57. Share Company Benefits
Your company offers services and benefits to clients. Consider how existing services can be shared with employees. Do you offer memberships to clients that could be shared with employees? Consider perks that managers, clients, or partners already receive and how they could be shared with star employees for little additional cost.
58. A Photo Is Worth 1,000 Words
Present them with a photo of a memorable event, award, or accomplishment. This reminds them of the fun, excitement, and of their accomplishment. It brings back the feelings associated with the event. Plus, it shows that you cared enough to capture the moment.
59. Jumbo Check
Write them a check for “a million thanks” and have it enlarged. Present it to them to hang at their desk or working space.
60. Make a Phone Call
Take the time to simply call them and give them a heartfelt “Thank You!”
About Thanks
Thanks is a leading provider of a recognition-based platform that increases communication, builds teamwork, and makes recognition a part of company culture. Fast, easy and simple Thanks makes it easy to bring data-driven employee recognition to your entire organization. O.C. Tanner purchased the Thanks platform in 2019 to fulfill the recognition needs of smaller businesses.
Thanks customers benefit from the same decades of research in employee motivation and company culture that O.C. Tanner enterprise clients enjoy, but in a product that is geared for fast, easy and simple deployment. Whether you’re starting a recognition program or improving and expanding on what you already have, Thanks has everything you need to engage your people with effective, scalable recognition. Thanks is a subsidiary of OC Tanner.