Most people think that employee recognition programs are only for the big companies – that there’s no way they could fit an incentive program into their budget. But the reality is a well-crafted incentive program can augment your employee benefits package without breaking the bank. Programs can be customized exactly to your situation and have the same impact that larger companies have in terms of employee loyalty, satisfaction and morale. Even the smallest of rewards can pay you big dividends.

Set your goals, then reward them: When employees have specific goals – and they know what the reward is going to be – they will work harder to achieve them.  And the reward does not need to be enormous – choose gift certificates, cash cards, smaller merchandise or even your own internal rewards like PTO time. Your employees will be thankful – and you will get a lot of goodwill for not a lot of cash.

Start slow: Don’t overdue it when you start your program – start it off slow and gain momentum. You can add to the program over time, and add larger prizes as your budget allows.

Be consistent: Don’t start and stop. You want your employees to know what they need to do, and what they can get as a result. Stick within the budget you are comfortable with.

Watch your ROI: When your employees are achieving goals for your company, you will see immediate benefits that will far outweigh the cost of the program.

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