Five Ways to Reward Your Team without Spending a Dime

Why do people work for you? If it’s for the money, you won’t have your team for very long. Someone else can always offer a higher salary. Motivating people with money is a short-term solution at best.

Most people choose their work based on other motivations. They want to do what they enjoy, with people they respect, in an environment where they feel appreciated.

Here are six ways to reward the people in your organization that won’t cost a dime.

  1. Praise People for Doing things Right

It’s easily ten times more effective that correcting what they do wrong. A pat on the back is more valuable than a lecture anytime.

  1. Celebrate Victories

What gets rewarded gets repeated. When your team, or an individual, achieves a goal, celebrate together. To be fair, this one might cost a little something. But the few bucks you spend on a team lunch or a box of donuts is negligible compared to the rewards you’ll reap.

  1. Give Time Off

If it is within your personnel guidelines, offer a “comp day” now and then as a reward for a high achiever. This is a win-win because the employee will enjoy the time away—and come back with more energy for the work.

  1. Offer Self-Rewarding Assignments

That’s a psychologist’s way of saying that you can motivate people by giving them work they really enjoy. Who on your team thrives on order? Put them in charge of dealing with inventory. Who loves to shop? Put that person in charge of the Christmas party. You get the idea.

  1. Hand Out Perks

You will occasionally have sporting event tickets you can’t use or a Starbucks gift card that you honestly don’t need. Give them to your high performers or anyone you’d like to motivate. A small gift or perk makes people feel appreciate.

Those are some of the ways I’ve motivated my team over the years. What’s your secret for keeping people focused and engages? I’d love to hear your ideas on Twitter or Facebook!

-Stan Toler