Innovative Employee Rewards Ideas for a Thriving Workplace

Categorised in: Employee Benefits

In today’s competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is a priority for organisations. The cost of living crisis means that traditional bonuses and salary increases are still as important as ever, but employee rewards ideas that go beyond financial incentives are essential for keeping top employees engaged.

Creating a supportive workplace through unique employee rewards encourages staff to thrive. When your team feels valued, they stay loyal to your business, leading to better productivity and a positive attitude towards work.

Personalised Learning Opportunities

Investing in the personal and professional development of your employees not only benefits them but benefits your company, too. One of the best employee rewards ideas is creating a professional development package for your staff that allows them to grow and learn whilst they are a part of your business.

This could include things like:

• Specialised workshops
• Online courses
• Industry conferences
• Ebook or audiobook subscriptions
• Informal mentorship programs with senior employees
• Job rotation programs to experience other parts of the business
• Membership in relevant professional associations

By openly supporting the growth of your staff, you demonstrate a commitment to their success and enhance their sense of value within the business. This is also a massive benefit for your organisation, as you can nurture their development to make them excellent candidates for internal hiring and career progression.

Flexible Work Arrangements

In today’s post-pandemic world, a large portion of the workforce expects some kind of flexible working model. There is a huge range of flexible working employee rewards ideas that you can offer to your staff:

• Remote working: Allowing staff members to work from home, or their favourite coffee shop.
• Flexible hours: Put employees in control of their start and finish times.
• Job sharing: Enabling two or more staff members to share the responsibilities and hours of a single full-time role.
• Four-day workweek: Some employees like to work longer hours for four days in order to have an extra day off in the week.
• Seasonal hours: If your business permits it, you can allow employees to work longer hours during your peak season to have more time off during the quieter months.

Offering flexibility shows that you trust your employees and value their wellbeing, which equals one thing – increased job satisfaction and an all-round better environment to work in.

Wellness Benefits

Employee wellbeing should be a priority for all businesses, as unhappy employees translate to poor productivity and performance. Some employee rewards ideas that can boost your team’s wellbeing could include:

• Gym memberships
• Yoga and meditation workshops
• Guest speakers on topics like nutrition, fitness and stress management
• Mental health first aid training
• Health screening and counselling sessions

Staff Comfort Benefits

It’s basic but often overlooked – staff comfort at work should be crucial to your employee rewards ideas. Some of the ways you can make the office a comfortable and productive place to be include:

• Comfortable work equipment: Ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks and appropriate lighting.
• Healthy food: Fresh fruit, snacks, hot and cold drinks, or even complimentary lunches.
• Flexible dress code: Some employees do their best work in a suit, and others in their jeans. Consider giving your team the choice to wear what is most comfortable.
• Additional work areas: If your office space allows, you could add hot desk lounges, standing desks and dedicated quiet rooms to allow employees to work where they’re most comfortable and productive.

Ensuring your employees are comfortable whilst working is something that your staff will appreciate, paying dividends to the growth and success of your business.

If you’re looking for even more employee reward ideas, our dedicated employee benefits app can help you boost engagement and retention. Take a look at what we can offer your business and staff here.