Operating a business remotely is amazing for so many reasons. But when it comes to rewarding people for their hard work, many companies and bosses struggle to figure out what to do. In-office culture used to provide opportunities for impromptu team lunches or shout-outs at team meetings, but when everyone works from home in their pajamas, this can be a little more challenging. If you’re wanting to reward your teams for a job well done, here are 8 ways to do it:
Send a Care Package
Getting a care package in the mail that contains your favorite snacks, a bottle of wine, or even a mug with some coffee is a great gesture. There are even care packages that have a variety of soups in them that make the perfect gift for the soup lover on your team. These gifts are fantastic and there are countless companies that ship them directly to your staff members’ homes.
Give Them a Monetary Bonus
Do you know what people love more than snacks? Cold, hard cash. If your remote team did something that increased revenue, give them a percentage of the pot. It’s nice to be recognized, but it’s even nicer to be recognized with money. A bonus can help people with big purchases they might’ve needed to wait longer for if they didn’t get it. Plus, it makes people feel good knowing that their hard work gets noticed where it matters, and when you’re talking business, that’s in the wallet.
Pay for a Lunch Out to Their Favorite Restaurant
While you may not be able to take the whole team out to lunch all at once, you can send a gift card for them and a guest to go to lunch at a favorite restaurant in their city. Lunch out is always a nice perk for in-office staff, so sending a gift card instead to your remote teams can help them feel appreciated and rewarded for their contributions.
Buy a Trip
Did your sales team exceed revenue goals? Why not reward them with a trip? People love to relax and going somewhere with warm sandy beaches, or a cozy cabin in the woods to take a ski trip can be just the reward that your team wants. Buying a trip for your team to reward their hard work is an excellent choice, especially for remote teams.
Send an Email
As soon as someone hits your radar as being fantastic, tell them. People appreciate a simple message from their bosses and their company when they’ve done a great job. Some people are also introverted and don’t like a lot of attention, so an email can give them the recognition they need without making them feel embarrassed in front of a group.
Create a Congratulations Board in Your Slack
On that note, you should have a board or a thread in your Slack account or other employee communication tools to share congrats with hardworking team members. If someone hits a goal or exceeds expectations use this thread to congratulate them. When you’re working remotely, this encouragement can be hard to come by.
Offer Benefits That Work For Remote Teams
When you want to reward hard work, you need to think through how your benefits help meet the wants and needs of your teams. Maybe you offer a wellness benefit for a fitness or spa membership. Perhaps you offer people the opportunity to buy new books for themselves whether it’s for personal development or just for fun. Offering benefits for teams who work remotely can ensure that everyone feels appreciated.
Offer an Extra Paid Day Off
Another great option for rewarding hard work on your remote teams is to offer an extra paid day off. People love working hard, but they also love to rest and relax. Offering an extra day of PTO tells your team that you appreciate not only how hard they work, but how much they need rest after pushing to reach big goals.
Conclusion
Rewarding remote teams for hard work might take a little more extra thought, but it’s worth it in the end. Studies show that people who feel valued are more likely to be loyal and hard-working employees. Feed them snacks to keep them energized, give them money or days off, and tell them how much you value them. All of these go a long way when you have a remote team.
