Employees are a vital force in any successful business. They should be regarded as an asset. While they affect the bottom line with regards to the costs of doing business, specifically headcount and compensation, they also have an impact on sales and earnings. A company striving for excellence knows the importance of rewarding the people it employs.

There are countless ways to reward employees. One of the most basic methods is to provide a formal Reward and Recognition Program. This allows managers and their employees to own the responsibility of acknowledging teamwork and the individual contributions made. It provides a public forum for acknowledging exceptional work and provides inexpensive tokens which may be given its recipients. Gift certificates tend to be the simplest manner of reward. Recognition programs allow employees to recognize their team members and peers, regardless of their positions within the company. Managers and non-managers can reward one another and recognition can cross functional teams.

In addition, there are creative ways to reward your staff. The timing of these options will vary based on the status of current projects or specific requirements in your business. Most reward systems create an environment where employees feel truly valued, regardless of their relationship to their direct supervisor. These programs can be cost efficient and net in greater performance and longer service.

In the early stages of a large project, you can offer simple things to improve employee morale. It is often at start-up of a project that employees can accomplish more if they can maximum their availability to their employer. Instead of requiring late night or weekend hours, you may want to schedule catered lunches which allow a team to gain an hour during their day. When employees are required to work beyond normal business hours, you should provide a meal allowance or bring in meals. It is my experience that when an employer takes care of our essential personal needs such as providing nutrition, employees are more willing to compromise with their schedule.

Celebrations for milestones and accomplishments are another good means for rewarding employees. In the midst of a driven schedule, it is a nice break to stop for a brief gathering to acknowledge a birthday, anniversary or promotion. People even like to celebrate when someone announces their intention to move on in their career. It gives them an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the

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