Your Cart is Empty
Workplace Incentives and Recognition
Recognizing employees with promotional products
We all want to build positive relationships with our employees, but keeping workers motivated, making them feel like they belong, and letting them know that their hard work is appreciated is a monumental task that requires constant effort and attention. Two of the many ways that organizations nurture those employee relationships and encourage productivity are through the implementation of incentive programs, and acts of recognition for outstanding employees.
Incentives
Incentives, as defined in this PPAI article, are “an offer or a thing that encourages one to do something specific”. For example, a company may encourage their sales team to perform at their best by offering a tangible reward such as a high-quality branded item or a trip when they reach a certain milestone number of sales in a given time period.
Recognition
Incentives are not to be confused with recognition, which is a similar but ultimately separate concept. Recognition is defined as “appreciation or acclaim for a service, achievement or ability” in the Oxford dictionary. A gift or award of recognition for an employee’s hard work, dedication, or other highly valued contributions can be given at any time, and need not be the result of an incentive program. The PPAI notes that recognition is most effective when given publicly in front of peers, such recognition highlights the value of that individual to the organization and also showcases to employees the behaviors, attitudes, or qualities that the company values.
What to Give?
The types of rewards given by companies through incentive programs or acts of recognition vary greatly. Tangible gifts like branded merchandise, big-ticket items like TVs, and trophies/medals/plaques are one option, but some employees may prefer experiential gifts like company-paid trips or dinners. Still, others may benefit most from developmental rewards like receiving more responsibility at work or having the opportunity to go to a conference, and a few may prefer something as simple as a paid day off.
Interestingly, a report by the Incentive Research Foundation suggests against offering cash bonuses as an incentive. The authors note that while cash bonuses are ranked as a highly preferred form of reward, studies show that they are not actually associated with high levels of employee engagement.
Ultimately, the giving of rewards is highly personal, and each individual will have a unique preference of what type of reward would be most meaningful to them. For this reason, it’s a good idea to offer workers a variety of options to choose from.
Promo for Rewards and Incentives
Branded products are almost always a part of the equation when it comes to company gifts, incentives, and rewards. These items can be impactful as rewards in themselves, or as additional, tangible reminders of a non-tangible reward that was received (e.g. for your 25th work anniversary, you receive a company-paid trip along with a logoed certificate and frame). The PPAI notes that the offer of physical rewards like promo products can be highly motivating because individuals can visualize having and using the item in their everyday lives. Physical reminders of achievements and recognition can also help employees to stay motivated in the future! Not to mention, having high-quality, company-branded merchandise fosters an important sense of belonging and identity within the workplace.
If you’re ready to start building a selection of highly motivating rewards for your team to choose from, why not start with promo? You can browse all of our products to find some inspiration to kickstart your rewards program!
promo products made easy.