Increased motivation and productivity in a company is encouraged by engagement of employees. If employees are rewarded and appreciated for their contributions, the company benefits as well as they work to see the company become successful—they have a heart for the company. This isn’t the same case with companies whose workers are not appreciated or rewarded. Employees who are appreciated feel a sense of worth, which results into increased happiness and productivity. According to Immaculate Niyonsaba, an IT expert, before you introduce a rewards program, be sure of what it should entail and its purpose, if it’s aimed at increasing the level of employee engagement, improve sales, or to craft and boost better company culture. It should be able to fulfill the objectives of the company. She notes that for the reward program to be implemented, it often has a committee that is responsible for managing it. Niyonsaba explains that the committee should be in charge of noting down important milestones of employees, from birthdays, anniversaries, promotions and so forth so as to ease the rewarding process and making sure that no staff is left behind. She explains that it’s much more exciting when employees are celebrated in a period that is within their achievements but not waiting for long or pushing it in the future. “Both small and big achievements should be awarded as it motivates workers to be better, and once the reward program is implemented, the rewarding process should be continuous, not just once in two years. Some company owners think that the reward policy is a waste of money and resources which isn’t the case as it can be planned for and some money put aside may be every three months or less. It can be as simple as cutting a cake, giving gifts, taking best employees on trips, offering them special packages like massages, dinner, extra time off, tickets for a movie, letters, and so forth,” she says. Niyonsaba states that the reward process should align with the company’s values and shouldn’t just focus on certain employees and leave others out, but everyone who deserves it. She adds that all workers should know the kind of efforts or behaviors that are worth rewards so that they’re not left guessing if they will be rewarded or not. The IT expert carries on that the idea of giving out rewards heartens weak employees to also work towards excellence so as to win rewards just like their colleagues. She notes that rewards or recognition should be given publicly as that’s how they would motivate more workers. Niyonsaba adds that the rewards ought to match the achievement for instance, giving a simple card to someone who has done a great job to the company for about ten years, is too little, it may not motivate the employee that sacrificed their time, energy, skills, and much more for the company. According to Indeed Career Guide, a successful rewards program involves careful planning. You should select rewards that motivate and keep employees while staying within your budget. Ideally, your system should be long term and contain rewards for meeting quotas or milestones. You will also need to consider whether you would like to offer individual or group rewards or a combination of both. “When designing the program, ensure you set attainable goals and that your rewards are appealing enough for employees to remain motivated. Ensure you have an approved budget so you can regularly reward team members when they exceed expectations. After the system has been in place for a specific period, such as a month or after the first quarter, you can ask for feedback to better gauge employee satisfaction. Request constructive feedback on the rewards and the program as it exists so you can make any necessary adjustments.”
