The world of remote work has changed virtually everything. Employees expect their bosses to do more in terms of making an effort these days, and rightly so.
As remote work is now so widespread, people are often happy to jump ship and look for something else if they aren’t happy. In this guide, we’re exploring non-monetary ways that help you motivate your employees and keep them happily employed.
According to one survey, people who feel acknowledged at work are:
- 6 times more likely to believe that promotions are fair
- 2 times more likely to say innovative thinking is valued
- People here are 2.0 times more likely to go above and beyond.
Workstation Support
Many employers are unaware that their employees do not have adequate equipment to work from home. Only 52% of employees who work remotely use a computer provided by their employer.
Help your employees set up their workstations. They still need somewhere comfortable to work. Maybe you could ask them if there is anything they need for their home workstation, send out chairs, or even fund their purchase of a desk. A comfortable and happy worker is likely to be more productive.
Depending on your staffs preferences and industry standards, you may choose themed stationery with your company logo, personalized monograms, or a pop-culture theme of the employees choice.
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Send out Personalized Physical Gifts
You can send out personalized gifts to your workforce once in a while to let them know you are thinking about them. Perhaps they can ditch the shirt and tie in favor of more comfortable custom printed t-shirts or even polo shirts? This is a good way to keep everyone ‘on brand’ but also give them some free clothing that they can use to stay comfy at work.
If a job is particularly stressful then a way for employers to show they are thinking about their employees is to send out a ‘stress reduction kit’ which can be a way for them to unwind. This could include things like sweet treats, teas, comfort items such as bath bombs, and even a voucher for spa treatments.
However, the key to using non-monetary rewards like this is that all employees must be able to earn them. The desirable effect may be lost if only limited employees are eligible for the awards.
Coworking Memberships
As the pandemic shutdown of 2020 has shown, noisy and crowded apartments are not always favorable to productive work environments.
Some people still like the routine of leaving their home in the morning and going to work at an office or coworking space. Why not provide a membership for your employees so that if they want to, they can head to a coworking space and shut themselves off there to work happily and remain constructive.
Related: Digital Nomads - Everything you need to know
Virtual Success Celebration
According to one employee survey, half of the respondents feel that being praised by managers both strengthened their connection and established trust with their superiors.
Other studies on non-monetary recognition have shown alike results, demonstrating the importance of acknowledgment in any work setting.
It can be easy to forget about the successes your employees are having during their work-from-home efforts. Why not hold an event once a month to celebrate the successes and let your employees know their efforts are not going ignored?
Flexible Working and Extra Day Off
According to a ManpowerGroup Solutions study, schedule flexibility is one of the top three considerations in career selections for nearly 40% of job candidates worldwide. The same research found that the ability to choose when they begin and finish their shifts and being able to work from where they want are the two flexible workplace policies that employees wish most.
Is this the kind of job that can be done from anywhere and at any time? Be flexible with your employees, and allow them to work whenever they want during the day. Some people are night owls, others would rather get work done early in the day.
When things get quiet, you can always reward your employees for their hard work by providing them with an extra day off. Or perhaps the top performers in the company could be made aware they are eligible for time off. It’s really up to you how you approach this but employees love little perks like this.
Extensive Online Training plans for Professional and Personal Development
Organizations that prioritize learning and development can make significant contributions to both increased employee engagement and company growth.
In one study, for instance, 80 percent of surveyed employees claimed that learning and development opportunities would make them feel more engaged at work.
People want to know that their career is going somewhere. Nobody really wants to stagnate within a job. You can provide training plans for people to help them to develop into the professionals they want to be and even move forward in their role and get a promotion. Everyone wins in this sort of scenario, as you are likely to end up with more motivated employees who are even better at their jobs.
A lot of companies set up an online system to provide access to training whenever employees want. You could even pay them for their time spent accessing this training, allowing them to do it on company time.
Subscription Streaming Services
You may be able to provide subscription streaming services for your whole team. Some companies let you pay for a company membership which may be discounted, and this can allow you to let all of your employees access the same accounts and get their streaming needs fulfilled.
Depending on the company you are working within, some services like Masterclass may even be a great way to get your company to upskill subtly while being entertained.
One-on-One Time Online Meetings
Online meetings are something that you absolutely need to get right when it comes to managing employees. There are some considerations here.
Nobody wants to spend 8 hours a day in online meetings. It can get exhausting. Zoom Fatigue is really a thing. However, there are other ways to approach meetings. On top of this, people do not want to feel like they are not being managed or that they do not have guidance, so regular one-on-one time can be ideal.
Sometimes, it can be worth just having those ‘water cooler moments in your online meetings and checking in just for a chat. We are all still humans, with social needs that it is great to fulfill through work. There is nothing wrong with checking in for a chat.