Growing a successful organization isn’t possible without the team supporting you. People want to be seen and heard in the workplace, which is why rewarding employees should be something you become very good at. In this blog, I’m going to share some of my favorite ways to reward employees and why these actions can be so good for the workplace.

By the way, if you prefer video over text, I cover this topic on YouTube!

First, Remember Your Role as the CEO

Understandably, a lot of business owners and CEOs get hung up on making money. However, that shouldn’t be your primary goal.

Your biggest goal should be making the jobs of your employees as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Why? Simple. You rely on your staff to make your business money. You cannot do it without them. So, if your main goal is to take care of your people, then they will take care of you — and your business — in return.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that you work for them, and not the other way around.

That’s why it’s so important to reward employees and acknowledge all of the amazing things they’re doing. Let’s talk about how you can do that.

How to Reward Employees

There are many ways to give your employees the attention they need and deserve. Here are a few examples.

1. Be a Mentor

Everybody has something that they could be better at. Maybe you’ve got someone on your team who needs help with soft skills — like improving their communication and interpersonal skills. Or maybe their hard skills — like navigating a certain software — need support.

But we can take this one step further.

One way you can excel at mentoring is to give support in the way that makes the most sense for each individual. For instance, you might have an employee who’s more receptive to very blunt and straightforward feedback. On the flip side, you might have another employee who’s more receptive to the “sandwich method.” You start off with positive feedback, offer constructive feedback, and then end with another positive.

You should also keep people’s communication styles in mind when they’re speaking to you. Some might communicate better when it’s to the point, while others might deliver the details to you using the sandwich method.

And guess what? Learning how to adjust your communication style is something you can teach your team how to do. That’s the magic of mentoring.

2. Be a Role Model

Yes, being a role model is one way to reward employees!

Yes, people want to be properly compensated for their work. But they also care about who they work for. Sometimes, a paycheck won’t make up for a less-than-likeable boss.

So, you need to lead by example. Be a role model! If you want to reward employees, start with your own behavior. Show up with integrity, honesty, compassion, gratitude, and kindness. Not only will they enjoy their job more, but they’ll also be motivated to show up and project the same values that you do. This is so crucial for your overall company culture.

3. Provide Career Counseling

This kind of goes along with being a mentor, but it deserves its own shout-out.

Very often, people who start in more entry-level positions hope to get promoted within the organization. If that’s what they’re striving for, then you should ask yourself how you can support them in these endeavors.

What are their strengths that you can amplify? What are their weaknesses that you can help them improve upon?

Consider their career trajectory — where they want to go, not just where they are right now.

4. Make Their Lives Easier

Even if you don’t have the biggest budget in the world, there are tiny things you can do to make people happier and more comfortable in their jobs.

For instance, what is the workplace setup like? Are their chairs comfortable? Is the kitchen stocked with beverages and snacks? Is the temperature appropriate?

What about special accomodations that some people might need? Maybe an employee is feeling overwhelmed because she can never make it to her son’s soccer games in time. Are you able to adjust her schedule so she can get there?

Of course, you can’t be too lenient because then things can get out of control. However, within reasonable boundaries, it’s great to be thoughtful to your staff.

Keep in mind, too, that they won’t always come to you with these requests. You also need to make an effort to keep an open line of communication and, maybe, even consider approaching them with these ideas.

5. Be Sensitive to People’s Personal Lives

A wonderful way to reward employees is, plain and simple, to be a good human.

Yes, there should be boundaries. Many CEOs understandably stay out of their employees’ personal lives — and for good reasons. However, I want to point out that we’re all still human. Life happens. And sometimes, life isn’t super kind.

It’s good for there to be some separation between work and home. However, if things are really rough at home, then your employees can’t help but bring some of that to work. Again, we’re all human!

Be compassionate and accommodating. Be a good listen. Keep an open mind and heart. If you notice someone struggling, be there for them. If they come to you with their struggles, give them space to share their feelings.

Rewarding Employees Means That You Give and Receive

In business, we have to get out of the mindset of only doing things that directly impact the bottom line. Your company has to be about the people. Genuinely care about the people you work with, and your company will soar as a wonderful byproduct.