There are many options when considering rewards for employees. Oftentimes however, when we think of rewards we consider them only after a large project is completed or a certain time period is reached. What if we rewarded our employees for the gems that they are, our most valuable asset.

We talk often about preventive health-care as vital to our lives and livelihoods. Rewarding your employees for being present, diligent, consistent and loyal (as well as creative, financially savvy etc) can not only improve a company's productivity but also cut out the high cost of recruiting and hiring new labor.

Begin with a pleasing work area. Cramped work spaces with too many employees, too close together not only causes distractions but can be a catalyst for personnel conflicts. Keep all equipment as updated and in working order as possible to cause less frustrations. Create a working place where the employee is not faced with dread because of the environment.

As an employee progresses in attendance and work quality, offer bonuses or even gift cards. One large shipping company offers shopping cards for newer employees who meet a quota. The shopping cards can be as small as $10 for a book store or $50 to a local mall. The element of surprise and thankfulness is a small but excellent reward for new employees to motivate and encourage.

Vacation days are another important reward. Prepare ahead of time for the basic holidays that are celebrated and set those times aside as a given. In addition, many company's give the employee a day of to celebrate her/his birthday. Vacation days are also an excellent way to reward attendance and loyalty. Many companies begin giving a week's vacation for the first year employee but no more after that. Vacation as a reward for attendance can be based upon a half-day for each month of perfect attendance. Loyalty can be rewarded by extra days or weeks added after each years' service.

The best reward of all is to remember to balance healthy criticism with positive feedback. Employees are first and foremost human beings and as a result they will respond better when the feedback on work quality is balanced so that they are both challenged and encouraged to grow in ability and amount of work to be handled.

Learn more about this author, J. Robin Whitley.
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