20 ways to recognise when working from home.
We have updated one of our most popular posts to include just the reward and recognition that you can give from your study, your kitchen table or your deck - wherever it is that you are working from. These ideas on how to show meaningful appreciation during this time will help to keep your team positive and connected, celebrating the daily wins that are happening in lounge rooms all over the country. And at a time like this, celebrating the little wins is important.
#1. Fresh delivery
Reward your team for their hard work with a fresh produce delivery from one of the local farm-to-doorstep services. Not only is this a great reward (hello fresh smoothies at home), it helps to keep your team healthy while supporting the local delivery service. Wins all around!
#2. Sign me up
Lots of services are moving online to continue to support people over the next few months as we #flattenthecurve. Recognise the amazing contribution an employee by signing them up to some online content that will stretch them, extend them, engage them or entertain them for a few hours. It will help develop them personally, keep them upbeat and focus them on life beyond the makeshift desk.
#3. A night at the cinema (minus the cinema)
We may not be able to venture out to the movies but you can still reward with some light entertainment. Top-up an employee’s preferred movie account or cover their online subscription for a month. Let’s face it, we are all likely to enjoy the screen a little more than usual in the coming weeks.
#4. Get happy at (solo) happy hour
If you have an employee who likes to celebrate come Friday, send them a bottle (or case, depending on how generous you are feeling) so they can keep their spirits up at home. They may not be able to clink glasses with colleagues but could have a Zoom celebration to chat through the weekly wins.
#5. Send help!
No seriously, send someone to help out around the house once service businesses are back up and running. While some people might spend this time doing a clean-up, others will be busy working, entertaining the family and educating children. While we all like to think we will get through the full list of things to do around the home, the reality is with everyone at home for the foreseeable future, a thorough clean up might be needed when we all get back out again.
#6. Reward great ideas with more great ideas
Give the reward of great discussion and big idea sharing by signing your employees up to a podcast service like Luminary. Filled with podcasts from some of the worlds best thinkers, it will allow your team to ‘cast away the time at home, learn from some of the best and gain incredible new insights and knowledge in to all sorts of topics.
#7. Time off to study
Staying on the knowledge idea, help your employees ace their next exam if they are studying. Most courses have moved to online so students are still having to study course materials, deliver assignments and pass exams. Investing in their education will not only see your employees reach the next level, but their new found skills may be a valuable asset to the company.
#8. Exec exposure
Everyone wants connection with the senior leaders, so reward your employees with scheduled face to face time with senior execs through your preferred collaboration tool. This one gives both ways, with employees valuing time with the boss and the company getting ideas, thoughts and feedback from the front line as you navigate the new way of working together.
#9. Choose the company charity
With so many people in need right now, if you are in a position to donate let your employees choose where company donations go for the month. Reward them by supporting a cause that is close to their heart or let them choose a charity that needs support right now.
#10. Bring the big ideas
Set-up an online group ideation session to solve one or two of leaderships biggest challenges. Your team will feel valued and heard and might just solve some of your most challenging dilemmas. Make it fun and encourage employees to set themselves up with some snacks and a drink of choice, just like you would if you were running a session in the boardroom.
#11. Mindful moments at home
Indulge your employees with 15 mins a day to do some mindfulness activities. While technically they can do this anyway as they are home alone, empower them to take this time to focus and build resilience. Tools like Headspace and Smiling Mind are just two of many resources available to guide your team through the challenging days.
#12. Mentoring at home
Your ‘go-getter’ employee will still be powering ahead regardless of where their desk is today. Reward them with one-on-one mentoring sessions with a leader of their choice. Your exec don’t need to commitment big, 15 mins a week may cover it. This time with a leader will not only continue to extend your top talent while they are on kitchen table duty, it will keep both parties more connected.
#13. Time to help others
This may not work for everyone as WFH is already a big disruption to service as usual. If you have the capacity, continue to allow, or introduce, employee recognition that empowers employees to help others. It might be picking up some groceries for an elderly neighbour, volunteering at a local charity, taking someones dog for a walk. Whatever it is, giving back creates a greater sense of belonging for the employee which is a good thing in times of isolation.
#14. Showcase an expert employee on your blog
Reward your team by publishing a blog post they have written on the company blog. Writing about their area of knowledge helps to build their personal profile, builds their confidence as a product knowledge expert and takes a load off the marketing team who are likely busy with broader business updates.
#15. Hand it over
In recognition of the flexibility and can-do attitude your people are exhibiting at the moment, let them pass off something they really don’t want to do to their manager. They will enjoy knocking something dull off the to do list and their manager will have more insight into the work the team does.
#16. Deliver the snacks
Reward your team with an emergency snack pack delivered to their door. Let’s face it, there is no vending machine in the lounge room but lots of us still get the 3pm munchies.
#17. Double the effort
Many people will be focussing on achieving a personal goal while they are confined. If one of your people wants to quit a vice, stick to a workout routine, practice mindfulness everyday for a streak – support them with a reward. It’s twice as hard to reach these goals under the limiting circumstances so give them double the reward to focus them on hitting their target.
#18. Dinner delivered
Working alone can be tough for employees so make life easier for them with an UberEats voucher for dinner delivered to the door. One less thing to do will lighten the load and allow them to focus on getting through their work.
#19. A massage voucher (for post-WFH times)
There is no doubt that the next few months will be stressful for everyone. Some people will really struggle with the whole work from home thing others will still have the usual work stress - but amplified. Recognise the effort your team are putting in with a voucher for a massage that they can use when we are all back out and about.
#20. Extra reading material
With some extra downtime on our hands, some people will get some extra reading in. Give your bookworm employees a voucher for an online bookstore, or for Audible, iBooks or Kindle - however they like to read or listen. Whether they choose the latest fiction release, something from the self-help shelf or something off-beat, the reward will be well received.
When giving employee reward and recognition through this time, make sure the recognition is social, public and celebrated loudly. Now more than ever it is important to keep the team to connected to the positive things happening in the business. Socialisation of recognition moments allows everyone to celebrate in the moment, be part fo the #recognitionrevolution and see the perks of the job.
All these ideas should be able to be managed through your recognition software. If your software comes up short and leaves you tracking perks on a spreadsheet, talk to us about how we can help with a company-wide, fully-featured recognition program.