A People-First Approach: How to Reward Your Employees Virtually

We live in a fascinating modern age where companies advertise their office perks the way one would on their Tinder bio. A recent study also reported that 48% of employees would weigh company perks, including availability of snacks, in their decision when finding a new job. What’s different now, however, is that we’ve entered an entirely different world of working virtually. Perks that worked before COVID are now a thing of the past. So what does this mean for businesses to retain employees going forward?

The Key to Success in Anything is Communication

True, taking away free food and weekly yoga classes from your company’s perk list can create some sort of disengagement within your teams. But whether we’re working in the office or from home, the psychology behind employee retention should remain the same. Many of the common success cases we see out there stem from good communication. Even in a remote environment, you can do things to make your employees feel special and appreciated. For example,

• Host a virtual “Employee Appreciation Day” through Zoom to celebrate together the wins and achievements they have made.
• Positive responses give people incentives to work harder. Although giving immediate feedback can be challenging in a virtual work environment, be sure to let your employees know whenever they do a good job.
• Conduct surveys with your employees on what their goals are; what they need to help them succeed; as well as the different motivators that keep them effective at work.
• Based on their survey results, schedule a 1:1 check-in with each employee to discuss how you can help achieve those goals.

There’s So Much You Can Do Online Nowadays

Having a good and healthy relationship with your employees is obviously a powerful element of building loyalty. But communication alone isn’t sufficient to replace the physical perks that were lost during this virtual transition. The good news, though, is that there are plenty of other alternatives to help build loyalty among your teams that work just as well from home as in the office.

• Does your company provide free meals from time to time as an incentive? Food delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash make it much easier for leaders to organize team lunches delivered straight to their homes. Hop on a Zoom call together after and enjoy a virtual catch up with your team!
• Amazon e-gift cards are an easy and convenient way to reward your employees for doing a good job. It also gives them the option to choose what they would like to purchase, based on their own personal needs.
• Unlike cash and gift cards, you can also participate in an employee rewards program and have a third-party concierge handle the planning and logistics. For example, Prevue has partnered up with Blueboard since early this year to give our members meaningful and engaging experiences catered toward their interests.
• Are you planning a remote work holiday celebration for your employees? Check out our blog here for more ideas!

The Theory of ‘Give and Take’

Both emotionally and financially, dealing with turnover will feel extra expensive and exhausting during a global pandemic. So if you’re concerned with whether your employees will stay at an unpredictable time like this, think about how you can provide for the mental and physical needs of your employees. When leaders can show people what’s in it for them, they will more likely return the favour.