Your employees are the cornerstone of your business. They make sure the company runs smoothly throughout its day-to-day operations and continue to promote growth in sales.
It’s important that you also remember to reward the loyalty of your employees. In turn, they will be more productive and willing to work harder for the betterment of the business.
What constitutes a loyal employee and how do you reward or acknowledge them? Here are several ways in which you can reward your employees for company loyalty.
What Is a Loyal Employee?
It’s easy to say that a loyal employee is someone who sticks around, but it goes far beyond that. Someone who is considered a loyal employee is a person who is dedicated to their job and the success of the business.
They want to see it thrive and are eager to share their innovative ideas or take initiative not only in their responsibilities but in the responsibilities of others as well. Loyal employees are willing and able to help others succeed by being team players; they regularly inform themselves about how the rest of their company is doing.
In some cases, members of the team are contractors who solely work on projects. But making sure they are actively meeting their deadlines and are communicative with their managers when they need extra guidance, help, or extensions can also be a means of showing that they are a loyal employee as well. They never want to see their tasks slip or want to be able to contribute to the larger picture to the best of their ability. This is why communication is a big component of having a loyal employee.
Other ways employees show that they are loyal are by:
- Remaining on the team for several years.
- Willingness to put in the extra hours of work for the betterment of the company and the team.
- Sticking through the difficult times that every business will inevitably go through.
- Showing up when assigned last-minute deadlines for important clients or customers.
How to Reward Loyal Employees
It’s important to acknowledge when employees are loyal to the company because it not only incentivizes them to continue their hard work but also promotes a level of appreciation. When employees feel appreciated, they are more eager and willing to work harder. They will be more inclined to share ideas that could benefit the company in ways other higher-ups may not have thought of prior.
There are several ways to help improve the reward or acknowledgment systems within your company.
Years of Service Awards
As we mentioned, loyal employees are often shown through their years of dedication to the company. They have worked through the ebbs and flows of the company and for that should be acknowledged.
When someone reaches a major milestone such as their five, ten, or even twenty-year anniversary of working with the company, you can reward employees for their years of service with crystal awards. These can be custom designed to honor your employees no matter what type of industry you may be in.
Giving Back to the Community
A great way to acknowledge a loyal employee could be by giving back to the community. Ask the employee you are honoring about a cause or nonprofit that is important to them. Then you can get the entire company involved by doing a day of community service or doing a donation in honor of that specific employee. Nothing quite says loyalty more than being considerate of what causes matter most to them.
Host a Company Rewards Ceremony
Many companies will host an annual awards ceremony to acknowledge their employees’ exemplary work. This is a great time to show your appreciation for the loyalty and dedication to your staff by presenting them with personalized awards. Some employee service award ideas could include:
- Major years of service milestones
- An employee of the year award
- Most sales made throughout the year
- Exceptional leadership award
- Mentor of the year award
- Exemplary teamwork award
Create a Personalized Care Package
If you want to show how much you appreciate your loyal employees, you will want to show how much you know about the person that has been diligently working with you for so long. Creating a personalized care package is a great way to do this. Think about some of your employee’s favorite foods, drinks, hobbies, and interests.
You could include tickets to see a band they really love or for a sporting event to one of their favorite teams. Maybe they love going to the movies and are looking forward to their marriage anniversary. A great package might be a gift card to the movies along with another gift card to a great restaurant for a romantic dinner for two. It’s all about showing that you care about them more than just employees, but as a person who has a life outside of work as well.
Play With Puppies Day at Work
If you are looking for something unique to reward your employees, there is an idea that has been buzzing around that could be well worth the fun. There are various services of local shelters that offer playdates with puppies in the office.
For a few hours, the shelter will bring puppies for employees to play with or snuggle with at their desks while they work. Not only is it a super fun way to make your employees happy, but it also is proven to relieve stress.
Notes From The Team
There is something special about getting the entire team involved when rewarding loyal employees. Instead of passing around a generic card throughout the office for people to sign, ask your other employees to write their own handwritten notes. They can share funny stories of when they first started working together or a heartfelt moment when the awarded employee helped out in a personal or professional way.
When gifts come from the heart, you will find that your employees will feel much more appreciated. Crystal awards, gift baskets, and custom notes are all wonderful ways to show appreciation for your loyal employees.
At the end of the day, it’s about making them see that their years of service won’t go unnoticed.
