Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies have transferred their teams to work remotely. Many brands have seen how productive their remote teams are when working from home, but some people miss the in-office vibe of seeing coworkers daily.
After a long year and half, you may want to show your employees appreciation for a job well done, even if they’ve had to adapt to working remotely. Here are some ideas for rewarding and recognizing WFH and hybrid workers:
Send Holiday Gifts
The holidays are always a great time to celebrate your team members. It’s the end of the year and it’s a good time to take stock of all the progress made in your company. While you may give out bonuses at the end of the year, it could be a good idea to send out special holiday gifts, whether these are cookie baskets or other sweet treats, as a more personable gesture for this time of the year.
Send Out Gift Cards
A quick and easy way to show your team how much you appreciate them is to send out thank you cards with a gift card. It doesn’t have to be a lot of cash, but enough to allow them a “treat yourself” day.
Whether it’s a Starbucks gift card for a week of free coffee or a gift certificate for a meal out at a great restaurant, you can be sure this gesture would make anyone’s day.
Throw A Virtual Happy Hour
If your team is missing the time spent together at the office, but you’re making sure to practice social distancing during the pandemic, a virtual happy hour could be helpful for keeping everyone connected despite the distance. Whether you play a card game over Zoom or you host a virtual costume party over some cocktails, it can help to keep your team feeling connected during these unique times we’re living in.
Give Them Some Extra Time Off
If your team has been putting in overtime these last few months, they could be deserving of some extra paid time off. While this may not always be feasible, it can be a fantastic way to reward your employees for a job well done if you can wing it.
Many people feared that employees would have a more difficult time being productive while working from home. The reality was that many brands saw that their remote employees produced more during the pandemic, thanks to the elimination of long commutes and the ease of working from home. If your team has gone above and beyond during these months of the pandemic, they could deserve a special break. After all, relaxed employees are some of the most productive employees.
Reward Hard Work
If you have some important projects in the works, you may want to consider offering an incentive for your team members. There are some great online programs that track progress in projects, so that you can easily see how things are advancing, with a prize at the end of the project for the employee who accomplished the most.
Another alternative for rewarding hard work is to surprise your team with bonuses at the end of the next quarter.
In Conclusion
Even though you can’t have the usual co-working environment when your team works remotely, there are plenty of ways to make sure that your employees stay motivated despite the distance. From virtual happy hours to rewarding your team members with bonuses, it’s important to find ways to show your remote employees how much you appreciate what they do for the team, even if you can’t all work at the office together.
