The term ‘employee bonus’ used to be equivalent with an end of the year raise or holiday bonus, but effective employee bonus programs are more robust than ever before!

In the current job market, it can be challenging attracting and retaining top talent in your industry. Enter: Employee bonus programs. If you’re looking for ways to create a happy workplace and a culture of recognition, employee bonus programs help do that and so much more.

“People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards.” – Dale Carnegie
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Yes, it’s important to pay your employees a competitive base salary, but a paycheck only goes so far in motivating your employees to be passionate and enthusiastic about their jobs.

Employee bonus programs help bolster employee motivation levels to go above and beyond in their roles and achieve the specific goals placed before them. They help with employee engagement & retention levels and also are great ways to recognize and reward your employees.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into what exactly an employee bonus program is and how you can get started today!

What is an employee bonus program?

An employee bonus plan includes any compensation, both monetary and non-monetary, that employees receive in addition to their base salary.

Employee bonus plans are typically tied to achieving individual and/or team goals set forth annually or quarterly.

In addition to bonus programs being an effective way to improve employee satisfaction, they also provide critical channels for employee recognition and rewards which in turn increases employee retention,  performance, and overall well-being.

What are the benefits of creating an employee bonus plan?

Benefits to Employees

Rewards & Recognition

Through rewards & recognition, strong employee bonus plans ensure that your employees feel seen and valued.

Sense of Ownership & Belonging

Providing employees with a robust bonus plan in addition to their base salary instills in your employees a sense of ownership and helps employees see how they fit into the overall success of the business.

Collaboration & Teamwork

Bonus plans that take into account both individual and team performance metrics encourage collaboration and teamwork amongst your employees.

Benefits to the Organization

Retention & Recruitment

Helps not only to retain star performers at your company, but also attract top talent in the industry.

Improves Employee Performance

By providing desirable incentives and bonuses, your employees are motivated to go the extra mile, resulting in stronger individual & team performance levels.

Achieve Overall Business Goals

If you effectively align your employee bonus program with your overall company goals for the year, you’re setting both your employees and your business up for success.

Tips To Start An Effective Employee Bonus Program

1. Create a structured policy

“The clearer the policy, the greater the adoption.”

While policy may not feel like the most fun place to start, it’s a critical step in building out an effective employee bonus program. If your team doesn’t fully understand your bonus program policies, this will only lead to swirl and confusion rather than employees embracing the program you’ve worked so hard to create.

Before launching an employee bonus plan, provide clear, structured, and detailed policy documentation that is kept up to date and easy for your employees to access.

Tip! Work closely with your Human Resources team and leverage existing HR tools to ensure your policy is fair and competitive in the marketplace.

2. Incorporate it into your company culture

“Let your company culture shine through!”

Your employee bonus program should be created to mirror your company culture pillars. If your program doesn’t align with the overall company culture or feels out of sync, your employees will feel that. For example, if rewards and recognition are a staple of your company culture, these should be important areas of focus when building out your employee bonus plan & strategies.

Tip! Explore different employee recognition software in the market to encourage daily recognition as part of your company culture!

Check out a few top-rated recognition tools to help you set up a winning employee bonus plan…

3. Make it your own

“There’s no one size fits all here– craft what works for you!”

While we do see commonalities amongst employee bonus programs in the market, it’s important to make it your own as well. Whether you’re a smaller business just beginning to explore employee bonuses or you’re a large corporation looking to revamp your policy, take a step back and evaluate what works best for your unique company & employees.

Tip! If you want to recognize employees at a set frequency, try implementing an employee of the month program with qualifiers and rewards based on relevant parameters & priorities set forth each month.

Value Victor clock at SnackNation HQ

4. Be specific whenever possible

“Specificity is your friend– embrace it.”

This ties back into your employee bonus program policy documentation, but also applies broadly across your employee bonus program in its entirety. You want to be as specific as possible in any and all communications regarding your bonus program & initiatives. The more specific you are, the less likely your employees will encounter confusion or lack of clarity.

Tip! Keep things simple. You want to be brief and concise in your policies & communications, but you also want to ensure information is clear & detailed enough to avoid confusion or debate. You can keep your bonus plan policy and information in a team-wide collaboration platform like monday.com to make access to it easy and transparent.

Courtesy of monday.com

5. Know your budget

“Know your budget, don’t blow it.”

Prior to implementing any employee bonus plan, it’s crucial to identify what your feasible budget is for that fiscal year or quarter. Once you have this budget set, you can then back into it and select the corresponding mix of employee bonus program offerings that align best.

Without a budget, it’s very easy to end up in a scenario where you’re spending more money than your revenue allows which obviously has a negative effect on your bottom line.

Tip! Depending on your company size, budgets will inevitably vary. Work closely with your finance team and leadership to determine what budget range fits best for your business.

6. Tie bonuses to goals

“You get a bonus! And you get a bonus! …If you meet your goals.”

Bonuses should be connected to achieving key individual and/or team goals that are clearly communicated and measurable. This ensures employees are incentivized to achieve their business goals and know what is expected of them in order to earn a bonus. You don’t have to limit bonuses only to annual goals.

Depending on your budget, try implementing short-term sprint goals or monthly opportunities to earn additional bonus perks.

Tip! There are some awesome employee rewards & recognition programs that tie in rewards with specific achievements or milestones. Shop around and find a platform that works for you!

7. Communicate with employees

“Communication is key.”

Even ahead of officially launching an employee bonus program, you should start generating excitement by publicizing your efforts via company communications like email updates, newsletters, or town halls.  Communicating ahead of launch helps with employee awareness and adoption of the new program.

Once your program launches, it’s important to keep the channels of communication open so employees know the most up to date information and can also share their feedback.

Tip! Like anything new, there may be some growing pains as you launch an employee bonus program. Don’t let this deter you. Continue to clearly communicate with your team to work out any initial kinks.

8. Do not play favorites

“There’s no room for favorites in the workplace.”

One of the best parts of structured employee bonus programs is that they are fair and transparent. Your employees fully understand the bonus structure and what it takes to earn them. It’s important to not play favorites when it comes to rewarding or recognizing your employees.

Tip! Is community outreach a key component of your company culture? Try implementing a non-monetary bonus perk like a company-wide paid volunteer day.

9. Celebrate wins

“Celebrate when your team is winning!”

Whether a big win or a small win, celebrating both individual and team successes are great morale boosters that keep your employees motivated and striving towards their next win. Celebrating your employees’ hard work and their wins also demonstrates how valuable and appreciated your employees are to the company & its’ overall success.

Tip! If you host periodic town halls, consider adding an employee award section where folks are nominated by their colleagues for specific categories of achievement. This ensures no one is overlooked and that unsung heroes have their time to shine. We talked to the award experts at Motivosity who offered some fun ideas to try out:

• Snack Attacker – person who always has the best snacks
• Best Pet Cameo – pet that always shows up on Zoom
• Tiesto Award – The resident DJ who is always playing the hottest tunes

10. Continue to improve on your program as you learn more

“Don’t be afraid to evolve and improve as you go!”

Successfully launching an employee bonus program does not end on launch day. Instead, you want to leave room for improvement as you learn more about how your employees respond and the effects of the program on your overall business. You want to ensure your employee bonus program is competitive in the marketplace & continues to attract and retain top talent in the industry.

Tip! Consider adding a field in company-wide employee surveys centered around how satisfied they are with the current employee bonus program & if they have any suggestions for improvement.

Employee Bonus Program Tools

1. WorkTango

WorkTango is a robust employee engagement software offering that makes employee recognition a breeze!

The platform has three main focuses: employee recognition & rewards, employee surveys & insights, and goals & feedback. Their tri-fold approach allows employees and leadership alike to track performance metrics, goals, and rewards all in one user-friendly location.

  Why we love this employee bonus software program: We love that WorkTango keeps the employee experience at the heart of their offerings. When building or improving your employee bonus program, conduct periodic surveys to see what types of bonuses resonate most with your team.

Learn more about WorkTango!

2. Motivosity

Shopping around for how to motivate your employees? Motivosity may be just the thing you need to give your team the extra boost they need.

In this platform, users can give and receive employee shout outs with redeemable reward points attached to recognize achievements and milestone moments.

  Why we love this employee bonus software program: We love that Motivosity’s platform mirrors a social media-like user view where employees can react and interact with recognition posts in real time. It’s a great way to provide your employees with incentives in a collaborative way.

 Get started with Motivosity today!

3. WeGift

WeGift is an awesome way to engage with remote or hybrid employees. When it comes to employee appreciation gifts and bonuses, it can be hard to find the right options.

WeGift not only offers employee gift cards in bulk, but also offers digital prepaid Visa cards as well. Leadership also has viewability into redemption reporting so they can see what type of gifts are resonating most with their employees.

  Why we love this employee bonus software program: We love that WeGift can be used for companies with a global footprint. They support digital gift card options in over 30 countries and 18 currencies.

Check out more about WeGift!

4. Mo Rewards

Mo Rewards is an awesome collaboration tool that encourages team members to celebrate one another and their wins. Mo is short for Moments and within the Mo Rewards platform, users can share a Moment to celebrate a team win, or shout out a particular individual who went above and beyond to make things happen.

Mo Rewards also has a Nomination functionality in which employees nominate star colleagues who bring company values to life.

  Why we love this employee bonus software program: To encourage employee adoption and utilization of the platform, Mo Rewards Boosts periodically prompt users to share Moments.

Explore more about Mo Rewards!

5. Bucketlist

What better way to reward employees than providing them with a platform that focuses on employee wellbeing and recognition?

Bucketlist does just that and so much more. If you’re looking to automate your bonuses based on anniversaries or milestones, you can easily do so with Buckelist.

  Why we love this employee bonus software program: Thinking of implementing a years of service award or bonus? Try using Bucketlist’s automated anniversary recognition functionality to support it.

Check out Bucketlist for more info!

Types Of Employee Bonus Programs

1. Team Bonuses

Team bonuses, as the name implies, are rewarded based on the team achieving a collective goal. You do want to be cautious about how these team bonuses are structured so that all team members are equally incentivized to do their part & actively contribute. When communicating out the parameters of the team bonus, be sure to clearly communicate the team objective and each member’s role in reaching it.

How this bonus helps employees: This type of bonus encourages teamwork amongst colleagues and motivates the team to win together.

2. Individual Bonuses

Similar to team bonuses, individual bonuses are awarded based on achieving set goals or objectives, but doesn’t depend on the performance of others. Most commonly awarded on an annual basis, individual bonuses are dependent on an employee’s performance results from that year and are typically tied to a revenue or tactical goal. It’s important to be clear and detailed when sharing out the bonus structure and requirements.

How this bonus helps employees: Individual bonuses help motivate your employees to achieve goals set forth that directly impact the health of your company.

3. Employee Recognition Points Programs

With so many types of employee reward systems in the market, it can be challenging finding the right one for your business. One of the most common reward systems are employee recognition points programs. In these programs, employees can give and receive recognition points that can be redeemed for rewards, including bonuses, digital gift cards, experiences, and more!

How this bonus helps employees: This type of bonus helps employees feel valued and appreciated by their management team and peers alike.

Pro-Tip: If you like using digital tools, we recommend exploring the following employee points platforms for your team:

• Mo Work – An easy-to-use peer recognition and rewards platform to keep teams connected.
• Nectar – Send and receive recognition straight from Slack or Teams. No need to login to yet another software.
• Bonusly – Create real meaning for every employee and every celebration with personalized employee rewards that wow.

P.S. Each of these tools offer a free trial which will allow you to test out each type of points program

4. Spot Bonuses

As the name implies, spot bonuses are spontaneous bonuses given on the spot to reward stellar contributions or achievements. Consider it an easy and quick way to say “thank you” to your employees without having to wait for an annual bonus. While spot bonuses are given on the fly, you should have a set budget for these types of bonuses.

How this bonus helps employees: This type of bonus helps to surprise & delight your employees. Spot bonuses don’t have to be a large lump sum– a little can go a long way here.

5. Referral Bonuses

Referral bonuses are bonuses provided to employees who refer job candidates that are hired and complete a set probationary period at the company.  Like any other bonus type, you want to plainly lay out your policy.

For example, will the bonus amount vary based on the role? Will your probationary period be 6 months or 1 year and when will your employee receive their bonus? Be sure you think through the details of your policy before officially launching a referral bonus program.

How this bonus helps employees: Referral bonuses help boost your current employee satisfaction and engagement by providing them with an opportunity to help shape staffing and company culture.

6. End of Year Bonuses

Many companies offer end of the year bonuses which are given to employees at the close of the fiscal year to recognize their achievements. These bonuses are typically given on an individual basis, but can be given to award team performance as well. The amount of the bonus usually varies by role and performance.

How this bonus helps employees: This type of bonus helps employees feel recognized for their efforts and achievements from that year and provides strong momentum heading into the next fiscal year.

7. Holiday Bonuses

Chances are you’ve seen this type of bonus depicted in film and television where the CEO is handing out envelopes at the annual holiday party. While this may be an old school way of distributing a Holiday bonus, the same concept applies.

Holiday bonuses are bonuses given to employees during the holiday season as an added monetary perk to celebrate the close of the business year. The amount is typically tied to the overall business performance that year and can vary based on the employee role.

How this bonus helps employees: Holiday bonuses help boost team morale and end the year on a high note.

Tip! The holiday gifting wizards at Caroo curate one-of-a-kind holiday care packages that are great for employees, clients, and customers.

Take this 60-second quiz to get started building the ultimate holiday gift box!

8. Retention Bonuses

Retention bonuses are one-time payout given to employees as an incentive to remain at the company, usually during a time of adjustment or change such as a company merger or acquisition. Retention bonuses can also be offered to employees who are suspected to be looking elsewhere for employment, but are critical performers on the team that you can’t afford to lose.

Before providing a retention bonus, you should conduct a cost-benefit analysis to ensure it’s the right move for both the employee and your business.

How this bonus helps employees: Retention bonuses show employees that you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is when it comes to retaining highly talented individuals.

9. Project-based Bonuses

Project-based bonuses are awarded based on the successful completion of key projects or business initiatives. This type of bonus is an effective way to motivate either an individual or a team to complete a critical business project in a set period of time and on-budget.

How this bonus helps employees: This type of bonus shows your employees just how important the projects they’re working on are to the larger business.

10. Non-Monetary Rewards

Some of the best employee perks are non-monetary incentives or rewards. Non-monetary rewards are non-cash perks or benefits provided to an employee. Some examples include extra time off, flexible working hours including remote work opportunities, and experiential rewards such as trips or events.

How this bonus helps employees: These types of rewards can be quite meaningful and impactful to your employees and their overall satisfaction levels. They can also help with work-life balance as well!

People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Bonus Programs

Q: What should you include in an employee bonus program?

• A: You should include a variety of bonus types in your employee bonus program. These include team or individual bonuses, referral bonuses, spot bonuses, and employee recognition point programs, to name a few.

Q: Do employee bonus programs work?

• A: The short answer is yes! Recent stats show that well-structured bonus programs can increase employee performance by as much as 44%.

Q: How do I create an effective employee bonus program?

• A: To create an effective employee bonus program, you should create a structured policy inspired by your overall company culture and business goals. Be sure to be specific, set a budget, and communicate with your employees along the way.

The post How to Build a Winning Employee Bonus Program at Your Company in 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

Unfortunately, statements like the above have become more popular than ever in recent years.

While there are many contributing factors to this, a major factor is that many companies have yet to perfect the digital employee experience and keep up with the rise of hybrid work models.

A poor employee experience leads to low levels of employee engagement, decreased productivity, and higher turnover rates which obviously is not great for a company’s bottom line. However, building out a successful employee experience strategy is no small feat! Luckily, there are a plethora of remote work software and employee experience platforms saturating the market today.

Before we dive into those platforms, let’s take a step back to look at the current state of work in 2022.

Gallup’s 2022 “State of the Global Workforce” report found that merely 21% of employees are engaged at work and only 33% of employees are thriving in their overall well-being. Not exactly a recipe for business success, right? In that same study, Gallup found that employees are even more stressed today than they were in 2020 (the previous all-time high).

Whether the stressors are personal or professional, it’s clear that the workforce has gone through massive changes in the past few years, and with that, levels of stress have increased.

Companies that offer a strong employee experience across the employee lifecycle will help counteract that trend by cultivating an employee-first mindset in all that they do.

Which leads us to our pressing topic for exploration: What exactly does a good employee experience look like? And are there tools or software in the market that can help me strengthen it? The answer is a resounding YES! Keep reading to learn more about employee experience software and how it can help you.

What Is Employee Experience Software?

 Let’s first start by defining the employee experience:

The employee experience is the aggregation of all of an employee’s touchpoints throughout their time working at a company. It includes everything from recruitment to offboarding and everything in between. These touchpoints are often referred to as employee experience lifecycle stages and include Recruit, Hire, Onboard/Train, Engage, Perform, Develop, and Separate.

Now that we have a better handle on what the employee experience is, let’s flush out what employee experience software is and how it can help create a positive work environment. Generally speaking, employee experience software provides tools for improving the employee experience through employee feedback, recognition, and appreciation.

Most of these platforms offer core tools to engage remote employees, hybrid, and in-office employees alike. Employee experience platforms seek to improve employee engagement and provide HR and leadership with the insights needed to do just that.

What Features Should Employee Experience Tools Have?

1) Simplify HR processes & people management 

The employee experience begins with recruitment and onboarding. Employee experience platforms help Human Resources kick things off on the right foot by automating as many onboarding steps as possible and standardizing the employee onboarding experience.

2) Provide ways to recognize & reward employees

It can take far too long to acknowledge employee accomplishments and milestones. Or even worse, these moments aren’t recognized at all. Employee experience software helps ensure key milestones and accomplishments are celebrated & rewarded on time.

3) Track performance against KPIs

Whether tracking performance against company goals or individual KPIs, many employee experience platforms offer some way to measure and track employee performance goals & support employee learning and development.

4) Easily facilitate employee feedback 

Throughout every stage in the employee experience lifecycle, it’s important that employees feel heard. Periodic surveys help to gauge employee engagement levels and provide your employees with the opportunity to share their experiences.

5) Deliver valuable & actionable insights

What good are surveys if they don’t provide you with reporting dashboards & actionable metrics and insights? Employee experience software should have some sort of reporting or analytics functionality to provide leadership with focus areas for continual improvement.

10 Employee Experience Software Platforms For Teams 

1) Motivosity 

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Develop

What is Motivosity? 

If you’re wondering how to motivate your employees, look no further. As the name suggests, Motivosity is an awesome employee engagement, recognition, and reward platform that will serve as an everyday morale booster and motivator for your employees.

In this employee experience platform, employees can give and receive shoutouts with redeemable reward points attached. Fellow colleagues can view and react to these posts in real-time, encouraging employee engagement across workstreams and creating a collaborative user experience. Motivosity also seamlessly integrates with many HR tools & platforms, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, and offers a convenient mobile app.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Rather than guessing what gifts or rewards your employees would like, Motivosity places the power of choice directly in your employees’ hands. Through the ThanksMatters card, as employees receive appreciation or milestone rewards, they can immediately spend that reward balance on items they truly want.

 Learn more about their ThanksMatters card here.

2) Kazoo

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Perform, Develop

What is Kazoo?

Kazoo is a one-stop shop when it comes to employee experience platforms. They have a robust tri-fold approach to their offerings: recognition & reward, employee surveys & insights, and goals & feedback so you can utilize each of these levers to create a multi-faceted employee experience.

Through Kazoo’s employee recognition and employee survey functionalities, employee engagement becomes a known priority for overall company success. Kazoo’s goals & feedback functionality helps employees track their performance against core KPIs and continue their professional development journey within a single employee experience platform.

Why is this employee experience software important?

You can tell that Kazoo really cares about the employee experience and places the employee at the forefront of all that its platform offers. If you’re looking to gauge your employee wellbeing levels or trying to identify ways to improve employee satisfaction, Kazoo’s employee survey offering provides you with valuable and actionable insights straight from the source.

 Click here to learn more.

3) Caroo

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Onboard/Train, Engage

What is Caroo?

Caroo is the ultimate corporate gifting platform. Whether you’re looking to surprise and delight during the onboarding process, sourcing gifts for an upcoming corporate training program, or simply looking for a fun employee recognition idea, Caroo has the perfect gift for any occasion and every employee milestone. The platform offers a variety of expertly curated themed gift boxes containing high-quality items that your employees will love.

You can even offer CustomSwaps where your employees can view the box items and swap for preferred items if they chose to do so. Caroo also offers branded swag items so that your new hires and existing employees alike can rock their company pride in style.

Why is this employee experience software important?

With Caroo Milestones, you’ll never miss a key employee milestone such as onboarding, work anniversaries, or birthday again. Their automated gifting feature ensures that employees receive their milestone recognition gift promptly so that your employees feel appreciated during important moments throughout their time at the company.

 Click here for more details on Caroo.

4) Awardco 

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Perform

What is Awardco? 

Awardco is an employee engagement software that offers a multitude of ways to reward your employees. The platform features recognition, rewards, service awards, and incentives all in one user-friendly experience. Through Awardco’s partnership with Amazon Business, your employees can choose from millions of reward options that are delivered quickly via 17 global fulfillment centers & services to over 100 countries.

Employees can also redeem their reward points for experiential rewards, digital gift cards, and so much more. To celebrate service award milestones, Awardco also offers personalized and auto-compiled digital MemoryBooks that feature messages & photos from throughout your employee’s time at the company.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Awardco provides your employees with the incentive to go above and beyond in their roles and helps bolster employee retention. Awardco Pay is a reward compensation program that can be utilized throughout the year to reward your employees on an ongoing basis. Given in addition to regular salary, Awardco Pay can be distributed to employees as a holiday bonus, monthly reward, anniversary pay, or wellness pay.

 Explore more about how you can utilize Awardco Pay to better your employee experience!

5) Nectar

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Recruit, Engage, Perform

What is Nectar?

Looking for employee recognition ideas? Nectar’s intuitive employee experience platform places everything you need to recognize and reward your employees at your fingertips (and theirs!). Through Nectar’s recognition platform, employees can post shoutouts to team members that include Nectar points and even a hashtag showing what company value was brought to life.

Employees can then redeem these points for the reward option they prefer: Amazon integration, digital gift cards, branded company swag, charitable donations, or a custom reward that you create. You can also schedule Nectar points to automatically send in celebration of key employee milestones such as anniversaries and birthdays.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Nectar’s Challenge feature offers a fun and effective way to rally and incentivize your employees around company initiatives. Once an employee completes a posted challenge, they earn Nectar points that they can then redeem for a reward. You can create company-wide challenges around health and wellness, company compliance training, volunteer opportunities, and so much more. Utilize Challenges to help support your recruitment efforts by rewarding your employees with referral bonuses or reposting job openings.

Learn more about rallying your employees around Nectar!

6) Mo Work

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Perform, Develop

What is Mo Work? 

Mo Work is a stellar online collaboration tool that places an emphasis on the employee experience and encourages engagement across workflows. Mo is short for Moments. Within the platform, any user can share a Moment to celebrate a team’s success, recognize a particular team member, communicate key company updates, and much more!

You can also build and launch your customizable rewards & recognition offerings with easily redeemable vouchers from Amazon, ASOS, and many more. Or lean into your unique company culture by creating a unique company award like lunch with the CEO. Mo Work also features a Nomination function in which users can nominate star leaders and colleagues who are embodying company values and make awesome contributions.

Why is this employee experience software important?

It’s far too easy for employees to feel like their wins aren’t recognized or celebrated. With Mo Work’s Boosts feature, users are sent customizable prompts that will boost the sharing of Moments. Consider it a friendly nudge to encourage team members to share and celebrate the everyday wins that are often overlooked.

Check out more details regarding Mo Work here!

7) Kallidus

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Recruit, Hire, Onboard/Train, Engage, Perform, Develop, Separate

What is Kallidus?

Kallidus truly is an all-in-one employee experience platform that touches every stage of the employee experience lifecycle. You can utilize Kallidus to recruit, hire, onboard & train your new hires all from within their platform. Employees can apply for open jobs and HR has visibility into how many candidates are in their queue for open roles, push them forward in the process, and send onboarding & learning instructions once hired.

Kallidus also functions as an LMS (Learning Management System) where employees can complete compliance training, self-led learning modules, and much more! Kallidus can also be used for performance management and development tracking as well.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Who better to tell you about how Kallidus has helped their business than the businesses themselves?

 Check out Kallidus’ collection of case studies to get a better idea of how Kallidus can help improve your employee experience.

8) Bob

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Onboard/Train, Perform, Develop

What is Bob?

Bob is an elevated HRIS platform that is not only helpful for HR, but for managers and employees as well! In addition to core HR functionality such as compensation, time/attendance tracking & payroll, Bob provides an automated onboarding experience that carries over into performance tracking.

Admins can also launch surveys to gain insights and feedback from employees at various stages in their employee lifecycle. Through these surveys and analytics, employees’ voices are not only heard but welcomed and valued.

Why is this employee experience software important?

The more you can automate and streamline your core HR functionalities and processes, the more your HR team can focus on more strategic projects and larger company initiatives. Bob allows for just that by lifting most of the admin work off HR’s plate.

 Request a demo to learn more about Bob and how they can improve your employee experience.

9) Bonusly 

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage

What is Bonusly? 

If you’re shopping around for effective employee engagement ideas, we recommend adding Bonusly to your shopping cart. Bonusly is a stellar employee engagement software centered around employee appreciation, recognition, and rewards.

Every month, your employees are given a balance of reward points to send to their colleagues via public shout-outs in recognition of their hard work and collaboration. Employees can engage with these public shoutouts and then redeem their aggregated award points for actual reward gifts all within the Bonusly platform.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Bonusly Signals is an extremely helpful Bonusly feature that you can utilize for wellness check-ins and employee pulse survey purposes. We all know the importance of work life balance, so it’s critical that you’re checking in with your employees throughout the year to gauge their overall well-being. Bonusly Signals has existing templates you can customize to launch effective employee surveys and view the insights that follow.

Learn more about Bonusly Signals!

10) Leapsome

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Perform, Develop

What is Leapsome? 

Leapsome is a people enablement platform that helps bridge the gap between performance tracking, employee engagement, and learning.

With 5 key features (Perform, Align, Engage, Learn, & Reward), Leapsome creates a streamlined employee experience no matter their physical location and is easily integrated with existing HR technologies and workflow tools such as Slack, Calendar, Jira, and Teams. Some key functions that Leapsome helps to support include performance reviews, goal tracking, engagement surveys, onboarding & learning tools, and compensation & career growth framework.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Leapsome truly cares about the success of its customers. You’ll be provided with a dedicated customer success manager who will be with you to support implementation and beyond. This also includes regular check-ins and periodic business reviews to chat about successes and strategic future goals with the Leapsome platform.

 Learn more about Leapsome’s customer experience and see if it may be the right fit for you!

Bonus: Empuls

Best Suited Employee Experience Lifecycle Stages: Engage, Perform, Develop

What is Empuls?

Empuls is a robust employee experience software that offers 5 major buckets of functionality: Connect & Align, Listen & Act, Recognize & Reinforce, Reward & Applaud, and Save & Delight. Think of it almost like an internal social network for your company.

Employees log in and can engage with recent posts, view celebration moments – such as new hires, anniversaries, and birthdays, – send rewards, and of course, view & redeem their own rewards. Admins also have visibility into cohesive reporting features, can manage their gifting budgets, send gifts, and adjust their organization’s settings all within the platform as well.

Why is this employee experience software important?

Empuls features an AI-driven engagement bot called, Em, that interacts with your employees via friendly nudges encouraging participation within the platform. Em can also help to automate more redundant HR-related tasks too.

 Learn more about Em and the Empuls platform by simply clicking here.

What is the Employee Experience Lifecycle?

Courtesy of Star Me Up

The employee experience lifecycle represents each touchpoint in an employee’s journey at a company.

This lifecycle includes:

Recruit

Hire

Onboard/Train

Engage

Perform

Develop

Separate

People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Experience Software 

Q: How does software improve the employee experience? 

• A: Software helps improve the employee experience by automating HR tasks and providing employee appreciation tools such as rewards & recognition functionality which all bolster overall employee engagement.

Q: Why is it important to use employee experience software? 

• A: It’s important to use employee experience software because they help standardize and automate core HR and performance functionalities. This leads to high levels of employee engagement, retention, and productivity.

Q: What are the different types of employee experience platforms?

• A: There are many different types of employee experience platforms. Some focus on one employee touchpoint such as onboarding and others specialize in multiple facets of the employee experience. In general, employee experience platforms focus on optimizing the HR experience, sourcing employee feedback, providing opportunities for performance check-ins, and offering ways to recognize and reward employees.

Q: Which tools can help to improve the employee experience?

• A: While there are many tools in the market, we recommend using tools that can be easily adopted by your team. Getting buy-in is extremely important when it comes to improving your employee experience.

The post Top 10 Best Employee Experience Software Tools That Keep Teams Engaged In 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

Employee recognition and rewards used to be synonymous with handing out a bonus and a plaque when you hit your 5 year tenure mark. A paycheck bump and a trophy don’t quite cut it anymore.

Effective employee rewards and recognition programs nowadays are much more multifaceted. Rather than an afterthought, employee recognition is now a core pillar for the success of any company. But how exactly should you recognize and reward your employees and how often should you do it?

There’s no one size fits all approach to recognition.

In Gallup and WorkHuman’s recent study, Unleashing the Human Element at Work: Transforming Workplaces Through Recognition, they identified Five Pillars of Recognition that are necessary for successful recognition:

Fulfilling

Authentic

Equitable

Embedded in Culture

Personalized

As you can imagine, in order to achieve all five of these pillars, companies must deploy various types of employee recognition methods. When done successfully though, employees are 4x as likely to be engaged and 5x as likely to see themselves growing at the company.

With so many types of recognition and reward offerings and formats, it can be tough finding the perfect mix for your unique company culture and goals. Don’t worry though, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about employee recognition and rewards including the when, why, and how.

When should you use different types of employee recognition and rewards at work?

We all know why employee recognition is important but with so many ways to reward employees, it can be overwhelming identifying the best moments for employee recognition. Let’s explore some key recognition moments in the workplace that help keep your employees feeling appreciated & motivated.

New Hire and Orientation

You only get one chance to make a good first impression, so don’t waste it! Kick things off on the right foot by introducing the importance of employee recognition during the new hire and orientation process. It can be as simple as a personalized welcome message from leadership or a new hire spotlight post on your company’s social media.

Milestones

Celebrating employee milestones such as work anniversaries or birthdays is another great opportunity to recognize and reward your employees. Create meaningful moments for your employees during these special milestone events by offering customized rewards based on occasion, tenure, and unique interests.

Project Completion

How awesome is it when you complete a massive project after months or sometimes years of hard work? Pretty darn awesome, right? Not being recognized for that major accomplishment – not so awesome. Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate significant employee contributions like project completions, product launches, and successful software integrations.

Daily Praise

Employee recognition doesn’t always have to be a huge show or come with major rewards attached. Providing positive feedback or daily praise to your team members can go a long way in keeping employee morale up and team performance high.

Yearly Review Meeting

One of the most traditional times for recognizing and rewarding employees is during their annual performance reviews. These sessions are important moments to reflect and reward significant employee contributions made that year and discuss personal growth and career objectives for the year ahead.

Why should you use different types of employee recognition?

With so many awesome employee reward systems and methods in the market, why limit yourself and your employees to just one type? It’s important to use a variety of recognition and reward types to keep things exciting and impactful for your employees and to effectively build a culture of recognition in your workplace.

Using just one reward or recognition format can get quite boring and even result in employees feeling blasé about your recognition efforts rather than engaged. You also want to have the flexibility to select the best reward type suited for the moment and person you’re recognizing or rewarding. Some reward & recognition types are more fitting than others depending on those details.

Types of employee recognition & rewards to utilize at your company

1. Spot Bonuses

As the name suggests, spot bonuses are monetary bonuses given on the spot to an employee for reaching a particular milestone, professional achievement, or project completion. This differs from year end or mid-year bonuses in that they can be given at any time of year to a particular employee in recognition of their stellar, individual performance.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: This type of recognition is effective because it is based on a specific employee’s merit and key performance indicators. Many times spot bonuses motivate employees just as much as annual bonuses because they recognize personal milestone achievements.

Learn more: How To Give A Spot Bonus

Pair with this type of employee reward: You can pair this recognition type with all sorts of awards including…

• • Personal thank you messages on WorkTango
  • Digital gift cards
  • Buy them lunch

Tip: Work closely with your HR team to establish some parameters on why and how spot bonuses are earned and distributed.

2. Physical Notes

Who says the art of writing letters and notes is dead? A physical note (or email if remote working) may seem like a small way to recognize your employees, but it can be truly meaningful when done right.

Rather than simply saying ‘thank you,’ explain to your employee how appreciated their effort is and the positive impact it has to the success of the overall business.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: This form of recognition is effective because it shows that leadership truly does value and appreciate the contributions of their employees, no matter how big or small.

Learn more: 10 Ways To Say Thank You To A Team

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair your thank you note with an employee care package or custom team reward to give out at your team call.

Tip: Choose the moments worthy of physical thank you notes. You don’t want to overdo it to the point where your notes of appreciation seem insincere.

3. Verbal Praise

It’s always nice to hear when you’re doing things well, so verbal praise is a core way to show employee appreciation. This has become especially important during the rise of remote & hybrid work environments because we’re not physically together speaking multiple times a day.

Remote employees can sometimes feel like they’re shooting in the dark, so verbal praise is a great way to let them know they’re on the right track.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Verbal praise is an effective recognition type because it encourages and rewards quality work performance.

Learn more: Employee Appreciation Words and Tips For Recognizing Colleagues

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair verbal praise with company-wide shout-outs if your team is having an allhands meeting.

Tip: Provide nuggets of verbal praise during the onboarding and training process. Starting this type of employee recognition early establishes a positive working environment up front.

4. Employee Recognition Software

Whether you’re a smaller business or a large company, there’s employee recognition software out there that will fit your unique business needs and goals. Employee recognition software is a way of formalizing and standardizing your employee recognition and reward efforts.

These platforms typically work off a points system where reward points can be earned, sent and redeemed all in one platform.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Employee recognition software is effective because it encourages colleagues to interact with one another and establishes a formalized way to recognize and reward your employees.

Learn more: The Best Employee Recognition Software Platforms This Year

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair this type of reward with earning spot bonuses or encouraging peer-to-peer recognition. For a clear breakdown of what these kinds of platforms look like, explore the chart below:

Tip: Many employee recognition platforms can integrate with your existing HR and business tools, so ask about integration capabilities when shopping around.

5. Peer to Peer Recognition

Most of us are familiar with top-down recognition models in which leadership and management evaluate performance and issue recognition & rewards to their direct reports. It’s important to layer in peer-to-peer recognition as well so that you have transparency & insight into how well your employees are performing and working with one another. Employee recognition platforms typically have a peer-to-peer recognition feature built in.

If you don’t have a formal recognition platform, you can still encourage peer to peer recognition by having employees nominate star performers on their team.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Peer to peer recognition is effective because it allows those who work with your employees most to provide praise on day-to-day contributions and identify unsung heroes on your team.

Learn more: Best Peer-to-Peer Recognition Ideas, Solutions, and Programs

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair peer to peer recognition with verbal praise and employee recognition software.

Tip: Peer to peer recognition helps to build a culture of appreciation so be sure to make this recognition type a pillar in your employee recognition program. You can use a resource like Motivosity to run the entire program so that you can focus on encouraging peer to peer interaction at your organization.

6. Employee Milestones

Another effective type of employee recognition is celebrating important employee milestones such as onboarding, birthdays, life changes, and work anniversaries.

No matter what milestone moment your employee is experiencing, it’s important to celebrate that moment with them by recognizing and rewarding that milestone accordingly.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: This type of recognition is effective because it shows your employees that you care enough to celebrate their milestone moments with them and by doing so, create memorable moments.

Learn more: Top Ten Employee Milestones To Celebrate With Coworkers

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair employee milestones with a form of public recognition or a non-monetary incentive such as a fun experience or outing!

Tip: Set up an employee milestone program through Caroo, where you can input all your employee birthdays and anniversaries, and ship gifts out all in one easy (and free!) to use platform.

Caroo’s all-in-one gifting platform makes it possible to manage, order, and send employee gifts with just a few clicks.

7. Public Recognition

While some shyer employees may cringe a bit on this one, public recognition is an awesome way to show employee appreciation and encourage employee recognition in the workplace.

Whether it’s a team get-together or your annual company gala, think about implementing a moment of public recognition to honor your star performers and their accomplishments.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Public recognition is an effective type of employee recognition because it shines a spotlight on people who may be flying under the radar but are making massive contributions to company success. Don’t let these rock stars go unnoticed.

Learn more: 39 Best Employee Recognition Ideas For Work

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair this type of employee reward with employee awards that are given in public settings or virtual company-wide town halls.

Tip: Encourage your executive leadership team to spearhead public recognition efforts. A public shout out from a company’s CEO is a major moment in any employee’s career.

8. Non-Monetary Incentives

While monetary rewards and incentives are essential for employee retention, non-monetary incentives have become just as important when it comes to recognizing & rewarding your employees. Non-monetary incentives are non-cash perks or benefits that employers provide to their employees.

These can include things like flexible working hours, extra PTO days, and experiential rewards. In a hot labor market, non-monetary incentives can be the deciding factor in employees deciding whether or not to join your company or whether or not to leave your company, so it’s important to offer enticing incentives.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: This type of recognition is effective because it bolsters employee engagement, employee retention, and helps to attract top talent in the industry.

Learn more: Non-Monetary Incentives Guaranteed to Keep Your Employees Motivated

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair your non-monetary incentives with relevant employee milestones and tie in these incentives with your employee recognition software.

Tip: Create unique non-monetary incentives specific to your company culture such as dinner with the CMO or a paid trip to visit company headquarters.

9. Employee Awards

Employee awards, such as Employee of the Month or Top Sales Rep of the Quarter, are another prime way to show employee recognition. You can give out these awards either virtually or in-person as a way to show appreciation for outstanding performers.

Many companies present these awards at a set frequency for example monthly, quarterly or annually so that employees have multiple opportunities throughout the year to earn these various employee awards.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Employee awards are an effective employee recognition type because they incentivize employees to reach their highest potential levels and deliver strong performance results.

Learn more: 16 Amazing Employee Award Ideas For Appreciating Your Staff

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair employee rewards to public praise and personalized thank you messages to create a memorable and personalized moment for that employee.

Tip: Publicize the reward that accompanies these employee awards to serve as an extra motivator for your employees.

10. Company-Wide Shoutouts

A company-wide shoutout is a great recognition method to show employee appreciation at large companies and small companies alike. You can do these shout outs during company town halls, at in-person events, and virtually via company-wide emails, newsletters, or social media.

Why this employee recognition type is effective: Company-wide shoutouts are effective because they recognize the boots on the ground employees who make things happen and are vital to the bottom line. By praising employees on a company-wide level, you’re showing them just how valued and important they are to the business.

Learn more: Employee Shout Outs For Giving Thanks to Your Coworkers

Pair with this type of employee reward: Pair shoutouts with employee awards or milestone moments. For example, feature a star contributor on your company’s LinkedIn to recognize their accomplishments throughout their 10 years at the company.

Tip: Ask those who work closely with the employee you’re recognizing for a few words about how this person has positively contributed to the team. This is a great way to personalize the shout out and include colleague praise as well.

People Also Ask These Questions About The Types Of Employee Recognition

Q: What is the most effective type of employee reward? 

• A: The most effective types of employee rewards are monetary and non-monetary incentives paired with moments of praise and recognition.

Q: How do I choose the best type of reward to motivate employees? 

• A: To choose the best type of reward to motivate employees, you should identify rewards that align best with your unique company values and recognition goals. You can also launch an employee engagement survey to help identify the reward types that most resonate with your staff.

Q: Are there free types of employee recognition? 

• A: Yes, there are free types of employee recognition such as verbal praise, company-wide shout outs, and physical notes.

Q: How do I measure the type of employee recognition chosen for my team? 

• A: To measure the type of employee recognition chosen for your team, partner with an employee recognition platform provider. They can provide robust reporting on employee engagement and reward usage.

Q: What are the differences between the types of formal and informal recognition? 

• A: The main difference between formal and informal recognition is that formal recognition is standardized and planned while informal recognition can be given at any time in a myriad of formats.

The post 10 Effective Types of Employee Recognition to Celebrate Your Team in 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

With the rise in hybrid and remote work, the role of managers is more important to company success than ever before.

Being a good manager is no easy feat, but having the right tools for managers to utilize is a game changer when it comes to team management.

Your managerial staff is not only expected to perform their core job responsibilities, but to manage, train, & develop their direct reports in an effective and meaningful way. Kara Hertzog, President of Innovative Employee Solutions, shared her thoughts with Forbes on supporting managers in a hybrid work environment:

“Rallying a team behind you has become even more crucial for success, yet much harder with a new distributed workforce. Ensuring that your leaders have the proper training and are equipped with tools to help simplify this for the manager and their teams is important.[…] Offload more time-consuming tasks so that they can spend more time fostering relationships among their peers and teams.”

The right organizational tools for managers can help bolster employee engagement, provide employee recognition ideas, and streamline or automate core workflow functions.

Finding the best tools for your managers can be quite overwhelming, so we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tools to support your busy managers and improve the employee experience. Let’s dive in and explore some of these amazing tools, their features, & how to get started!

1) Kazoo

Best manager tool for: Strengthening company culture

Try Kazoo Today

Standout features Kazoo offers:

➤ Setting Goals & OKRs

• • Kazoo’s goal-setting feature allows your team members to enter their own individual goals department goals and overall company goals in one place. This allows for alignment on key objectives and ensures every employee understands how their work ladders up to the company’s success.

➤ Pulse Surveys

• • Pulse surveys are a great way of gauging employee morale and collecting valuable employee feedback throughout the year. Kazoo’s employee survey results are aggregated in a user-friendly dashboard that highlights actionable insights. Managers can even have their own survey dashboards for their teams that include predictive analytics for extra guidance.

➤ Peer-to-Peer Recognition

• • Kazoo’s peer-to-peer recognition feature encourages employee appreciation from every level in the company. Users can engage with posts on their recognition feed and contribute toward a culture of employee recognition.

Why we love this tool for managers: We love that Kazoo is a company culture software that focuses on the employee experience to create and maintain meaningful connections. Company culture can be hard to cultivate remotely, but Kazoo helps managers navigate that challenge with its awesome platform features!

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Goodwill
• Patagonia
• Perform[cb]

“Kazoo’s kept our company’s vibrant, unified culture alive — even through a pandemic — and morale is up.” — Ryan Hill, Vibe Manager, Perform[cb]

 Tip before you get started: Align internally on what the overall company culture goals and priorities are for the year and beyond. This will help in deciding how best to utilize Kazoo’s platform features to effectively manage your business and employees.

Try Kazoo Today!

2) monday.com

Best manager tool for: Project management software & collaboration

Try monday.com Today

Standout features monday.com offers:

➤ Extensive Template Library

• • monday.com has over 200 off-the-shelf templates to support whatever workflow process you’re looking to support. From task management to team brainstorms, to financial roadmaps, there’s a template for everything! Plus, if you can’t find the perfect one, you can build one from scratch instead in a few easy steps.

➤ Robust Project Planning & Management

• • We’ve all heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” monday.com has the project management tools and techniques you need to not only build the perfect project plan, but execute against that plan through seamless integrations with common platforms such as Outlook, Slack, and Gmail.

➤ Customizable Work Dashboard Views

• • This manager tool allows you to customize how you view your workspace dashboard with over 15 unique views for you to utilize. These views include your main table, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and Calendar view to name a few!

Why we love this tool for managers: We love that this tool helps bring together disparate tasks, tools and teams into one, unified and easy-to-use platform to help streamline workflow processes.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Hulu
• NHL
• Coca-Cola

“We use monday.com for a plethora of use cases, the opportunities this platform provides are limitless.” – Jane Tham, VP of Collaboration Technologies, Universal Music Group

 Tip before you get started: Determine if your team has a gap in their project planning and management processes. Chances are that gap exists because your team doesn’t have the best project management tools in their toolbox. Enter: monday.com.

Try monday.com Today!

3) myInterview

Best manager tool for: Recruiting top talent

Try myInterview Today

Standout features myInterview offers:

➤ myInterview Intelligence & Automated Shortlisting

• • myInterview Intelligence places custom-picked, quality candidate videos in your queue based on your specific search parameters and hiring priorities. Simply select the qualities needed for the role and myInterview Intelligence takes it from there and provides automated shortlisting based on your preferences.

➤ Collaborative Review Process

• • Another great myInterview feature is the platform’s collaboration tool that allows your team to review candidate videos together in real time. This is an awesome way to collaborate with your team and get instant feedback or alignment to keep the hiring process moving quickly!

➤ Live Interviews

• • After narrowing your shortlist down to the final round of candidates, you can easily move into the live interview video conferencing stage within this video interview platform. Candidates simply select a time for their video call via a custom calendar link. You can also record these interviews and view them side by side with the initial candidate video.

Why we love this tool for managers: We love that this platform can integrate with your existing HR software and that myInterview Intelligence utilizes bias-free analysis techniques to create a diverse and equitable candidate pool.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• McDonald’s
• Hyatt
• Six Flags

“Agoda recruits from across the world with a unique challenge as we have to schedule across multiple time zones. myInterview has helped solve this by implementing an easy-to-configure video interview platform.” – Matthew Greenburg, Agoda

 Tip before you get started: If you’re on the fence about video screening candidates, request a demo from myInterview to see the platform in action!

Try myInterview Today!

4) Caroo

Best manager tool for: Utilizing corporate gifting

Try Caroo Today

Standout features Caroo offers:

➤ Curated Gift Boxes

• • Caroo offers a wide variety of expertly curated gift boxes that include high-quality products to surprise and delight your employees! With CustomSwaps, your recipients can view what’s arriving in their box and swap items that align with their unique preferences.

➤ Custom Swag

• • Caroo makes creating and sending branded custom swag as easy as a few clicks! Design, order and send your swag all in one platform with the assistance of Caroo’s expert curation & support team.

➤ Automated Gifting

• • With Caroo’s automated gifting feature, you can retire the massive excel tracker & never miss an important employee milestone, anniversary or birthday again. Rather than relying on an external office management tool, take advantage of Caroo’s automated gifting functionality so that your employees receive awesome recognition gifts directly to their doorstep.

Why we love this tool for managers: Whether sending gifts to your employees or clients, we love that Caroo’s curation experts help you find or build the perfect gift sets that align with your needs and budget. Plus for every box sent, Caroo donates to Feeding America! F

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Google
• Nike
• Hulu

“Caroo has been one of the best companies that I’ve worked with! When the process started it was just so smooth. I was very surprised, never a mistake, never a complication, the whole thing was just so easy.” – Maggie, Program Manager at Amazon

 Tip before you get started: Determine what your gifting budget is for the fiscal year and have this in mind as you begin exploring gifting options, volume, and frequency.

Try Caroo Today!

5) Nectar

Best manager tool for: Celebrating employee milestones

Try Nectar Today

Standout features Nectar offers:

➤ Birthdays & Anniversary Milestones on Autopilot

• • Schedule employee milestones such as anniversaries or birthdays by gifting Nectar reward points for them to redeem as they’d like. These milestone moments will automatically be posted in the social feed so that colleagues can get involved and comment or even send more Nectar points to celebrate!

➤ Employee Rewards

• • To celebrate these milestones and more, Nectar offers five types of reward options: Amazon integration, digital gift cards, company swag, charitable donations, and custom rewards. With such a robust reward catalog, your employees can choose the reward that means the most to them.

➤ Employee Recognition Aligned with Company Values

• • Managers and employees can send shout-outs celebrating hard work and team collaboration with Nectar points attached. You can even include hashtags of your core company values as part of these recognition posts so you have insight into how your employees are bringing your culture to life.

Why we love this tool for managers: Some of the best employee retention tools are centered around employee recognition & rewards because it truly does impact metrics like employee engagement & turnover rates. Nectar arms managers with the tools they need to ensure employees feel valued and appreciated.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Heineken
• Redfin
• MLB

“With Nectar we have a culture of encouragement, and we celebrate each other regularly.” – Scott K, Chief Technology Officer

 Tip before you get started: Nectar can integrate with a plethora of HR systems such as Workday, BambooHR, Microsoft, and Namely. Check out if your HR system is on Nectar’s integration list to make setup a breeze.

Try Nectar Today!

6) Bambee

Best manager tool for: Streamlining your HR

Try Bambee Today

Standout features Bambee offers:

➤ In-Depth AR Audit

• • To kick things off, Bambee offers an in-depth audit of your resource management, including timesheets & payroll, along with your current HR business practices & policies to identify any potential risks to your business.

➤ HR Policy Creation & Training

• • Create, launch, and manage your company’s HR policies through Bambee’s platform. Their experts will work with you to craft and then train your staff on HR policies including sick leave, PTO, and non-discrimination.

➤ Dedicated HR Manager

• • Bambee provides you with a dedicated HR Manager who helps you navigate everything from employee relations to HR policies & procedures to onboarding & termination. With remote HR support and coaching available at your fingertips, Bambee sets your small business up for success.

Why we love this tool for managers: Small businesses for the most part don’t have the same HR tools in their toolbox as major, more established companies. We love that Bambee only services businesses with less than 500 employees making them experts in the field.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Hoodz Cleaning
• PartnerStack
• Reviano

“As a small business, Bambee was exactly what we needed for HR. Affordable, professional, and friendly! We absolutely recommend them.” – Bryan Kelly, Owner & VP at Hoodz Cleaning

 Tip before you get started: Explore Bambee’s pricing models to see which may be the best fit for your unique business needs and budget.

Try Bambee Today!

7) Awardco

Best manager tool for: Implementing digital gifts

Try Awardco Today

Standout features Awardco offers:

➤ Employee Rewards Partnership with Amazon Business

• • One of the best features of Awardco is its partnership with Amazon Business. Through Awardco and Amazon Business your employees get the flexibility of millions of reward options that are delivered quickly and with minimal effort on your end.

➤ Awardco Pay

• • Awardco Pay is a Reward Compensation program that can be utilized to recognize and reward your employees on an ongoing basis. Awardco Pay is given on top of a regular salary and can be given for any reason you chose including a holiday bonus, monthly reward, or anniversary pay.

➤ MemoryBooks

• • In the past, employee milestones have typically been recognized with employee awards like a plaque or monogrammed pen. Kick things up a notch with a personalized and auto-compiled digital MemoryBook featuring meaningful messages and photos

Why we love this tool for managers: Awardco has everything you could possibly need to implement a stellar employee incentive program. It makes giving and receiving incentives and rewards a breeze.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Paramount
• Hertz
• Amazon

“Awardco is not only a fantastic recognition solution but a fantastic technology solution that also provides recognition. Awardco has given us a level of confidence we didn’t have before.” – Annasuela Fritz, HR Projects and Recognition Manager at Hertz

 Tip before you get started: Think about what your reward budget is for the fiscal year and how to make the most of it on Awardco’s platform.

Try AwardCo Today!

8) Bucketlist

Best manager tool for: Contributing to employee happiness

Try Bucketlist Today

Standout features Bucketlist offers:

➤ Automated Anniversary & Milestone Recognition

• • Never miss an important employee milestone or anniversary again! With Bucketlist, you can automate recognizing important employee events like anniversaries, birthdays or welcome messaging and even attach a correlated award to that particular milestone.

➤ Customizable Company Rewards

• • Bucketlist’s employee recognition software is super customizable to your company. You can offer custom awards such as Most Innovative or Best Team Player then reward these superstars with their pick from thousands of gift options, including gift cards & experiences, or customized company rewards like an extra day off work or catered lunch.

➤ Built-In Newsletter

• • Make company and team communication easier than ever by utilizing Bucketlist’s newsletter feature where you can provide important company updates or announcements via a post or email to either an individual, your specific team, or the entire company.

Why we love this tool for managers: Employee recognition platforms are only valuable if your employees actually use them. Bucketlist is ranked 1st for ‘Ease of Use’ so your employees will get the hang of cashing in on their rewards in no time!

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Applebee’s
• First Bank
• Storable

 “You don’t always get to hear recognition from a manager so directly, but having it real time, ‘Thank you for what you did, great job, and keep up the good work’ has been amazing for morale all around the company.” – Julianne Silletti, Human Resources, First Bank

 Tip before you get started: Take advantage of Bucketlist’s customizable platform and identify unique rewards that will make your employees happy!

Try Bucketlist Today!

9) Sapling

Best manager tool for: Providing a better onboarding experience

Try Sapling Today

Standout features Sapling offers:

➤ Streamlined Onboarding

• • Sapling helps to build and automate your onboarding workflow to eliminate pain points and create a smooth & scalable onboarding experience. Standardize your onboarding process using Sapling’s platform to introduce your company culture, process onboarding paperwork, and complete onboarding checklists all in one location.

➤ Auto-Assigned Workflows

• • With Sapling’s auto-assigned workflow feature, you can build automated rules based on location, departments, or employment types to trigger action items such as sending emails & task notifications.

➤ Learning & Upskilling

• • Beyond onboarding, Sapling offers learning modules to support the continuous development and professional growth in your employees. With both self-led off-the-shelf eLearning modules and classroom events, Sapling helps empower and upskill your staff.

Why we love this tool for managers: Sapling is the only employee onboarding tool you need to create a seamless & repeatable onboarding process!

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Warby Parker
• Nestle
• Acer

“Sapling was pivotal in supporting our company scale remotely from 100 to over 1,000 people. The onboarding connectivity, data and automation bridged the gap from our recruiting machine to successful employees.” – Clarke Valberg, CEO at Invision

 Tip before you get started: Review your current onboarding process to see where you may be lacking so that Sapling can help improve any areas of challenge.

Try Sapling Today!

10) Empuls

Best manager tool for: Running & Automating Rewards Programs

Try Empuls Today

Standout features Empuls offers:

➤ Gives an idea of employee pulse

• • Comes packed with built-in surveys, employee NPS, and qualitative feedback to know what your employees think and feel from time to time. Further, it helps HR and managers take action in strengthening their people-first culture.

➤ Peer-to-peer recognition

• • Enables your employees to experience moments of praise or appreciation through peer-to-peer and social recognition. This helps the team stay motivated and upbeat every day.

➤ Built-in gamification to drive adoption

• • Helps you leverage milestones, badges, leader boards, goals, and awards to gamify the experience and increase engagement holistically.

Why we love this tool for managers: Empuls is a holistic employee engagement and reward platform that helps managers and leaders reward employees for good performance and hitting personal and professional milestones, to delight employees at every stage of their journey with the organization.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Continental
• TaskUs
• Mindtree

“Empuls has every reward and recognition option, helping us bring complete transparency. The fact that the platform is interactive and interesting leads people to visit and use it often thereby increasing adoption rates.” – Nidhi Verma, HR Manager at HR Information Centre – Asia Pacific

 Tip before you get started: You can book a demo of Empuls. Empuls is a user-friendly platform for HR to get started within a day. Whether it is to use the platform as a standalone tool or in integration with existing tools such as HRIS, Slack, Teams, or G-Suite, Empuls does the job seamlessly and in minutes.

Try Empuls Today!

11) WeGift

Best manager tool for: Engaging with remote employees

Try WeGift Today

Standout features WeGift offers:

➤ Bulk Gift Card Ordering

• • WeGift’s intuitive easy-order platform makes buying digital gift cards in bulk a simple & speedy process. With over 1,300 brands in 30 countries, you can send gift cards instantaneously to your remote employees no matter their location in only a matter of seconds!

➤ Digital Prepaid Visa Cards

• • Give your employees the gift of choice with WeGift’s digital prepaid Visa cards. Simply add funds to your account, select your card value & number of cards, and then place your order – easy peasy!

➤ Redemption Reporting

• • Find out which rewards are most popular by department along with how many rewards have been sent and your redemption rate through WeGift’s easy-to-understand and insightful reporting feature.

Why we love this tool for managers: We love that WeGift can support a global workforce by offering digital gift card options in over 30 countries and 18 currencies. Their platform is a great tool to engage your remote employees.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• Samsung
• Uber
• Vodaphone

“WeGift unlocked a world of possibilities for Vodafone and was exactly what we needed. Also, getting started could not have been easier – it was a case of plug and play.” – Cai Mullins, Head of Affiliate partnerships at Vodafone

 Tip before you get started: Get your remote team members excited about the WeGift rollout by mentioning it in town halls or department meetings!

Try WeGift Today!

12) Culture Amp

Best manager tool for: Putting employee experience first

Try Culture Amp Today

Standout features CultureAmp offers:

➤ Continuous Feedback

• • With CultureAmp’s focus on the employee experience, it’s no surprise that employee feedback is a pillar of their platform. CultureAmp offers smart suggestions for feedback nominations based on how people work. This allows employees to receive and provide meaningful feedback from those they interact with most for continual growth.

➤ Meaningful One-on-Ones

• • As a manager, it’s so important to have recurring 1-on-1 meetings with your direct reports. To help drive more meaningful conversations, CultureAmp offers a templated tool for 1-on-1s that includes a meeting agenda, check-in questions, goal alignment, roadblock prompts, and more!

➤ People Development

• • If you don’t offer growth and development opportunities for your employees, don’t be surprised when they look elsewhere for them. CultureAmp encourages professional development with defined growth plans that align with individual employees’ aspirations.

Why we love this tool for managers: CultureAmp is one of our favorite employee engagement software platforms because they truly care about the whole employee experience & bringing out the best in every individual.

Companies that utilize this manager software:

• SoulCycle
• Canva
• Oracle

“Culture Amp is much more than a software tool. I have a knowledgeable partner who can offer me the strategic direction I need to help drive conversations with our board. Together, we’re on a journey of improvement, constantly reassessing what works best for the business.” – Jeranne Koekkoek, Chief People Officer at VanMoof

 Tip before you get started: If you’re looking for employee engagement ideas, CultureAmp has everything you need to bolster engagement & the employee experience. Consider what engagement metrics are most important to your company and keep these in mind as you explore CultureAmp’s platform.

Try CultureAmp Today!

People Also Ask These Questions About Tools For Managers 

Q: What is the most effective management tool?

• A: The most effective management tool depends on your area of focus. Whether you’re looking for the best tool for managing projects, onboarding, or communicating with your employees — it is important to do your research. There are so many tools available to your organization, it can make your head spin. Taking the time to find the right tool can pay off in the long run. That is why we put together a helpful guide to help get you started.

Q: What tools do I need as a manager?

• A: Some tools you need as a manager include employee recognition & reward tools, employee onboarding tools, and employee collaboration & workflow tools.

Q: What are the benefits of using a management tool? 

• A: The benefits of using management tools include streamlining communications & processes, strengthening company culture, and building a cohesive & meaningful employee experience.

Q: How do I choose the best tool for my managers to use?

• A: To choose the best tool for your managers, think about areas in which you’d like to improve the employee/manager relationship, and then identify which tools most align with your goals and budget.

Q: What are the different types of management tools available? 

• A: Some of the management tools available in our guide to manager tools include employee milestone & recognition platforms, employee gifting services, and online collaboration tools.

The post 12 Phenomenal Tools for Managers That Will Bolster Productivity in 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

Finding the best gifts for remote team members is becoming increasingly more difficult and managing the logistics of shipping remote employee gifts is an even taller order.

With the rise in remote work culture, we’ve seen since the pandemic, it’s clear that a hybrid workplace is here to stay.

In Buffer’s 2022 State of Remote Work survey, they found that a whopping 97% of respondents would recommend remote work to others. Additionally, when asked if their company was planning on permanently allowing some amount of remote work, 72% of respondents stated yes compared to only 46% responding yes to that same question in 2021.

With this continued trend, many companies are searching for ways to increase remote employee engagement. Aside from remote work software, a fantastic method of boosting engagement is sending gifts to your employees working from home.

With so many remote employee gifting options in the market, it can be a bit overwhelming to find the best items, so we’ve done the work for you. Check out our list of the top remote employee gift ideas!

List of Gift Ideas For Remote Employees

1) Create your own remote employee care package 

Best for: Work-From-Home Newbies and Aficionados alike.

Creating a customizable remote employee care package for your team is not only an awesome employee appreciation gift, but an effective tool to engage your remote employees. With tons of high-quality items to choose from and gifting experts at your fingertips, building the perfect remote team care package is a breeze with Caroo.

Remote care packages typically include functional office supplies such as notebooks and pens, company branded swag items like coffee mugs, t-shirts, or water bottles, and employee wellness items like healthy snacks and treats.

Why remote employees will love this: Remote employee care packages arm your team with both functional and fun items that will help boost their productivity and build a sense of community & belonging and team building.

Where to find it: Custom remote employee care packages

Pro-Tip: You can either build a set care package to send employees or take advantage of CustomSwaps where employees can swap out items based on their unique preferences and set budget parameters.

Simply set your per-person budget, write a meaningful gift note, and offer each of your recipients the chance to select their own gift. Caroo will seamlessly pack each gift with care, and deliver each recipient their selection straight to their doorsteps.

2) Digital Gift Card

Best for: Anyone & Everyone!

Digital gift cards are tried and true virtual gifts for employees for a reason. They’re easy to send digitally (duh!) and platforms, like Bonusly, offer an expansive variety of digital gift cards to choose from so your employees are guaranteed to find a gift card option they love.

You can either partner with an external company to build out a rewards program for your remote employees where they earn points for digital gift card redemption. Or you can instantly implement this remote employee gift option by sending digital gift cards directly to your employee’s inbox today.

Why remote employees will love this: Your WFH employees will love the ease with which they can receive and redeem their digital gift cards. If you offer a choice of digital gift card options, they’ll also appreciate the flexibility in selecting which gift card is their personal favorite.

Where to find it: Digital Gift Cards

Pro-Tip: Digital gift cards are an easy yet impactful gift for coworkers to show appreciation or thanks to your remote team members.

3) Partners Coffee Gift Set

Best for: Self-Proclaimed Coffeeholics

Our next work-from-home gift is perfect for your caffeine-loving remote employees! This employee gift set includes Partners signature medium roast ground coffee, Brooklyn Blend, and their stainless steel branded camp mug so your remote employees can enjoy their brew anywhere they’re working. This coffee gift set is the perfect way for your remote employees to jump start their workday or put some pep in their afternoon step when the periodic 3 PM slump makes an appearance.

Why remote employees will love this: Remote staff will appreciate the added fuel to energize their day! They not only get a delicious blend to add to their coffee shelf, but also a sleek mug to enjoy their cup of joe in style.

Where to find it: Partners Coffee Gift Set

4) Spa Day Essentials 

Best for: Self-Care Superstars

Gift your remote employees everything they need for a sensational at-home spa day! This employee wellness gift includes a lavender soap bar, body scrub, body oil, shower mist, clay mask, lip balm, soy candle, luffa and a greeting card to share a brief message. Spa Day gift sets encourage your remote employees to practice self-care and prioritize their well-being.

Why remote employees will love this: Work can be stressful at times as can maintaining a healthy work-life balance especially when working remotely. Spa day kits help your remote employees destress, relax and rejuvenate.

Where to find it: Spa Day Essentials

Pro-Tip: This gift set is a great way to celebrate a remote employee’s birthday!

5) Portable Campfire 

Best for: The Boy/Girl Scout at Heart

Tree-Free Fire’s portable campfire makes the perfect eco-friendly gift for your remote employees looking to ignite their campsite memories anywhere and everywhere. This all-natural portable campfire is made of soy wax and peat moss and provides a whopping 4 hours of burn time perfect for roasting up marshmallows. Your remote employees can either enjoy their campfire solo or share the fun with their friends and family.

Why remote employees will love this: Your remote employees will love this unique gift because it’s not only extremely convenient but a fun nod to the inner child in us all. Who didn’t love making s’mores around the campfire and swapping stories under the stars?

Where to find it: Portable Campfire

6) Let them pick something off their Amazon Wishlist

Best for: The Hard-to-Please Shopper

Let’s be honest. We all have a company gift or two sitting in the back of our closet because we just simply didn’t want or need that particular item. Amazon wishlists are a great way of avoiding that and encouraging your remote employees to find the ideal home office gifts that best suit their needs and style.

Why remote employees will love this: They will love the flexibility of selecting items that they truly want off their Amazon wishlist. This takes the guesswork out of finding the perfect personalized gift for your employees and puts the power of choice directly in their hands!

Where to find it: Select from their Amazon wishlist

7) 15 Snack Box

Best for: That Afternoon Hangry Colleague

Snack boxes make a fantastic remote team gift because they provide your employees with some much needed brain food to power their day. When in-office employees are craving a snack, most companies have an office kitchen stocked with complimentary, quick & easy snack options. Give your remote employees that same convenience in their own kitchen with this 15 Snack Box full of delicious and healthy snacks like chips, bars, sweets and more!

Why remote employees will love this: Who doesn’t love having snacks on hand at any given time? Your remote employees will love that you’re providing them with healthy and convenient snack options to satisfy their inner snacker.

Where to find it: 15 Snack Box

2) Gift them an experience

Best for: Adventurous Experience Seekers

Employee recognition gifts don’t always have to be physical gifts. Experiential gifts are an excellent alternative method of rewarding your remote employees uniquely and creatively. Examples of experience-based gifts include travel, extra paid time off, massage certificates, and cooking lessons.

Consider including experiences that involve the whole family like vacation vouchers or tickets to a local amusement park!

Why remote employees will love this: Experiences are a great way to form a more meaningful connection with your remote colleagues. Tangible gifts are awesome, but experiences provide your employees the opportunity to try something new, treat themselves, and explore their interests.

Where to find it: Gift an experience

9) Nimble Lite Portable Charger 

Best for: Digital Nomads

A Nimble Lite Portable Charger makes a stellar corporate tech gift for your remote employees. Don’t let the compact size of this gadget fool you. This charger is small yet mighty with an eco-friendly battery pack that offers up to three full phone charges. Whether they’re at home and can’t find their phone charger or working out of their local café or coworking space and running low on battery, this portable charger provides your remote employees the juice needed to power their workday.

Why remote employees will love this: Remote employees will love the peace of mind of having a backup charge available anywhere and anytime they need it.

Where to find it: Nimble Lite Portable Charger

10) Rugged Outdoor Speaker

Best for: Music Lovers

Give your remote employees the gift of music with this high-quality rugged outdoor speaker. Your remote employees can enjoy their favorite tunes such as focus music while they work or top hits while they play (and everything else in between). This speaker also has a waterproof rating of IPX6 so your employees won’t have to worry about easily damaging their awesome new gift.

Why remote employees will love this: Your employees will love that they can take their favorite music anywhere they go! They can use their speaker on hiking excursions, beach trips, parties, team events, and so much more.

Where to find it: Rugged Outdoor Speaker

11) Corkcicle Commuter Cup

Best for: Commuters & At-Home Offices Alike

Just because your employees are working remotely doesn’t mean they aren’t doing some type of commuting in their lives like picking up the kids from school or driving to appointments. This commuter cup is the perfect companion for those trips because they feature a spill-proof design and the insulated stainless keeps cold beverages chilly for up to 18 hours and hot beverages warm for up to 5.

Additionally, many remote employees tend to spend quite a few hours at a time working in their at-home office space, so having a cup that keeps their drinks at an ideal temperature comes in clutch as well.

Why remote employees will love this: Remote employees will love the sleek yet functional design of the Corkcicle Commuter Cup!

Where to find it: Corkcicle Commuter Cup

12) 10-Piece Belgian Chocolate

Best for: Chocolate Enthusiasts

This 10-piece Belgian chocolate gift box is a delicious treat to surprise and delight your remote employees with. This gift box includes a variety of chocolate flavors that are sure to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth.

Why remote employees will love this: Your remote employees will love this thoughtful treat because it’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up! Although let’s be honest– There’s no wrong time to indulge in some tasty chocolate.

Where to find it: 10-Piece Belgian Chocolate Gift

13) Sport-Tek Endeavor 1/4 Zip Mens

Best for: Hikers & Backpackers

The Sport-Tek Endeavor 1/4 Zip men’s pullover is a wonderful corporate gifting idea for your remote employees. This pullover features moisture-wicking technology and is super lightweight which makes it the perfect fit for physical activities like hiking or running.

It’s a great way to encourage your remote employees to stay active and is a sleek way of showing some company pride with a branded pullover option.

Why remote employees will love this: Your employees will love adding a high-quality performance pullover to their closet inventory. With the branded company logo included, it’s also a fun way for them to rep the company whether on the go or on a Zoom meeting.

Where to find it: Sport-Tek Endeavor 1/4 Zip Mens

14) Logo-Branded Fuzzy Socks

Best for: Comfort-First Appreciators

One of the best remote employee perks is the fact that on video calls, you only see the top half of participants, which means your remote employees can rock their favorite pair of sweats and these ultra-comfortable logo-branded fuzzy socks on the bottom. These branded fuzzy socks are a fun way for your virtual team to rock some company swag in style and comfort in their remote workspace.

Why remote employees will love this: Remote employees will love wearing these comfortable fuzzy socks while either working from their at-home office or binge-watching their favorite Netflix shows in PJs after a productive workday.

Where to find it: Logo-Branded Fuzzy Socks

15) Self-Heating Ceramic Mug

Best for: Coffee & Tea Lovers

Your remote workers are likely spending long hours at their home office desks, so this self-heating ceramic mug makes for the perfect companion as your remote team hops from one virtual meeting to the next. Not only does this self-heating mug keep drinks at an ideal drinking temperature of 130F, but it also doubles as a charging base to wirelessly charge cell phones as well!

Why remote employees will love this: Your remote employees will love that they don’t have to worry about their warm drinks getting cold and can enjoy their drink at the perfect temperature even when it’s been sitting untouched in their workspace.

Where to find it: Self-Heating Ceramic Mug

People Also Ask These Questions About Gifts For Remote Employees 

Q: What are some good gifts for remote workers? 

• A: Some good gifts for remote workers include snack boxes, portable chargers, and digital gift cards.

Q: How do I find an inexpensive gift for remote employees?

• A: To find inexpensive gifts for your remote employees you should first identify your gifting budget. There are tons of remote employee gift options to fit small and large budgets alike. Once your budget is set, shop around to see what products or platforms best align with your needs.

Q: What are the best kinds of gifts for employees who work remotely? 

• A: The best kinds of gifts for employees that work remotely include thoughtful gift sets like a spa day or Belgian chocolate. Remote employee care packages including functional office items and branded company swag also make great gifts for remote employees.

Q: How can I get my remote employee a personalized gift? 

• A: You can get your remote employee a personalized gift by partnering with a gifting platform that specializes in curated gifting options for remote employees. For a complete list of remote employee gifts, check out this article.

The post 15 Best Gifts For Remote Employees That Are Surprisingly Affordable In 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

The first day at a new job can feel a lot like the first day at a new school where you’re the latest transfer student.

You’re unsure where to go, who to talk to, and what to do. It can be quite intimidating and overwhelming to a point where anxiety overshadows excitement. A strong new employee orientation experience helps counter these day-one jitters and sets your new hires up for success in their new role!

According to SHRM, employee turnover can be as high as 50% within the first 18 months of employment.

An effective onboarding process that begins with a robust new hire orientation helps ensure you’re starting things off on the right foot with your new employees and has a direct impact on employee turnover & retention rates.

New hires should leave orientation activities with a strong sense of what your company values, how it operates and where they fit in, and who they can contact for help as they navigate their onboarding experience. With a ton of employee onboarding tools and tips for hiring managers, it can be tough to sift through available resources to find the perfect new hire orientation ideas for your company.

We’re here to make your life a bit easier.

Keep reading to discover our favorite new employee orientation ideas, activities, and icebreakers that will kick your orientation experience into the next gear!

New Hire Orientation Ideas 

1) Employee Welcome Kit Unboxing 

“Unwrap a warm welcome”

Gifting your new hires an employee welcome kit is a fun way to start the orientation experience and make a great first impression! Whether you’re onboarding in-person or doing a virtual orientation, unboxing employee welcome kits together is a great way to kick things off your new hire’s first week. Some items typically found in welcome kits include office supplies, company swag, and snacks. In addition to the kit, be sure you’re sending new employee welcome messages and providing periodic new employee announcements company-wide.

Why we love this new employee orientation idea: Unboxing a welcome gift helps immediately create an emotional connection between your company and your new employees. It’s also a great way to show your new hires that they’re officially part of the squad.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 20+ employees. While you can order or create welcome kits for a smaller group, we recommend ordering welcome kits in bulk for cost efficiencies and savings.

How to get started: Find the perfect employee welcome kit for your company! Caroo offers an awesome selection of curated welcome gifts to get you started.

2) New Employee Orientation Company Trivia 

“Who doesn’t love a good trivia session?”

Company orientation material can be somewhat dry, so try gamifying the experience to create a more dynamic learning session! You can either send your new hires some company information before their orientation session or do a company overview during the orientation, immediately followed by the trivia activity. To provide a bit of extra employee motivation, throw in a gift card or a similar reward to the winning individual or team.

Why we love this new employee orientation idea: Rather than reading out facts and hoping your new hires retain the information, creating a trivia experience encourages your new hires to actively absorb this key information in a fun yet effective way. It also encourages team bonding and friendly competition.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. While you can do this in a larger setting, we recommend 5-20 as the sweet spot to encourage participation without getting too overwhelming.

How to get started: Decide what company material is most relevant for your new hires and naturally lends itself to a gamified trivia experience. Some potential trivia topics include company history, company values, senior leadership names, company policies, and awesome employee perks. You can also set up a weekly email trivia contest to get new hires excited about joining the team!

3) Orientation Lunch

“Lunch with a side of getting to know each other”

This new hire orientation idea is a no-brainer! If you’re doing your orientation in person, carve out time for lunch and try pairing up individuals or creating small lunch pods to help your new hires get to know one another. If you’re hosting a remote orientation, send a digital gift card ahead of time so your new hires can order lunch. Bonus points: try providing a few introductory prompts to help generate conversation and keep it flowing.

Why we love this new employee orientation idea: Chances are your new hire isn’t going to know anyone else on Day 1, so hosting a team lunch is a guaranteed way to make sure your new hire isn’t eating alone in a corner on their very first day at a new job. It also helps create a casual setting where new introductions and connections can begin to form. You can also mix things up and host a new hire orientation happy hour event as well!

Best for staff orientation groups of: 1 – 5 employees. If you have a slightly larger group, that works as well, but it’s generally a good idea to keep lunches a bit smaller or break into small groups so people can truly interact with one another and begin feeling comfortable with their colleagues in this new setting.

How to get started: Plan ahead! Know the size of your orientation group and plan accordingly – Whether that’s booking a reservation, ordering lunch at the office, or sending digital cards.

4) Meet The Team Scavenger Hunt

“Get the team moving and the friendly competitive vibes flowing”

After lunch, get your new hires moving with an interactive yet informational team scavenger hunt experience! You can do a simplified create-your-own version of this by identifying key landmarks in your office and leaving clues or trivia questions in those locations to find a reward at the end. Or you can partner with an external company or application to create the scavenger hunt experience on your behalf. Either way, scavenger hunts are a unique way to introduce your new hires to their new work environment and encourage team bonding along the way.

Why we love this new employee orientation idea: We love that you can go as big or as small with this idea as your imagination and budget allow. We also love that scavenger hunts aren’t limited to a new hire activity but can be a great way for existing employees to bond as well!

Best for staff orientation groups of: 20+ employees. This activity works best if you can break your new hires into small teams of 4 or 5.

How to get started: Research companies or apps that offer a turnkey scavenger solution to find the perfect fit for your new employee orientation program.

5) Good Cause ←→ Good Company 

“Team bonding while giving back to the community: It’s a win-win”

Wrap up the orientation day or begin orientation Day 2 with a group volunteering excursion. Find a cause that resonates with your overall company pillars or mission statements and organize a volunteer portion for your new hire orientation process. Your new hires will not only have the opportunity to bond with one another but also donate their time and effort to a great cause that is near and dear to your company.

Why we love this new employee orientation idea: Volunteering for a good cause not only creates a connection between your employees & your company but also between your employees and the community at large. It also shows that your company truly values and cares about the community in which it exists and encourages your employees to do the same.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. You can obviously go bigger or smaller with this, depending on the organization you partner with.

How to get started: Reach out to local charities or nonprofits that align with your company values & mission. Work with this charitable partner to create an ongoing volunteer opportunity for your new hires and existing employees alike.

New Hire Orientation Activities 

1) Jeopardy-Style Quiz Game On Company Policy & Procedure

“Q: Name a fun way to introduce company policies to your new employees A: What is a Jeopardy game?”

A fun onboarding activity or game is a Jeopardy-style quiz session. Company policies and procedures may not be the most thrilling onboarding topic, but it is an important one. We recommend pulling questions from documents such as your work-from-home policy, employee handbook, and other training materials to create your Jeopardy question board.

Why we love this new employee orientation activity: It puts a fun spin on what can be a dry topic. We’ve all read and acknowledged the receipt of company policy & procedure documents when beginning a new job. This activity brings that document to life in a memorable way.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. While this activity could work in a smaller or larger setting, this mid-size range lends itself well to multiple Jeopardy rounds where you can swap employees in and out for each round.

How to get started: Use your employee handbook to create questions and answers for your Jeopardy game and assign point amounts based on the difficulty level of each question. You can also use this tool to help send out and score your new employees’ quizzes.

2) Survey Says Game 

“Survey Says… that this is a great orientation activity”

Another awesome and interactive new hire orientation activity is a Survey Says game! Recreate this classic game show by creating questions around the company culture, values, mission statements, people, products, and more. You can either create your own format or partner with an external company to host the game on your behalf. Either way, this is a great activity for both virtual and in-person new employee orientations.

Why we love this new employee orientation activity: We love how a Survey Says format gamifies the orientation experience. It’s an entertaining way for your new hires to get to know your company and begin forming a connection with your company culture.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 20+ employees if you’re utilizing a third-party company to host or 5-20 employees if you’re taking the reins.

How to get started: Decide if you’ll be partnering with an external company to host the Survey Says game or if you’ll be creating one internally. This will most likely depend on budget and size or your orientation class. We recently played a game with Weve and had a ton of fun!

3) Speed Dating Q&A Session With HR Or Leadership Team

“Set the timer and open the question flood gates”

Asking questions can be a bit intimidating, especially in a new work environment. Create a safe space for your new employees to ask questions by organizing “speed dating” Q&A sessions with HR and leadership executives. Be sure you lay out the format and ground rules for the Q&A sessions including how long each speaker will be fielding questions, how to submit a question, and if any follow-up will occur.

Why we love this new employee orientation activity: This orientation activity encourages your new hires to ask questions without fear and lets them know that your company values inquisitiveness and an eagerness to learn.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. You want the group to be large enough that questions are submitted yet small enough that people feel comfortable asking the questions.

How to get started: Create and confirm a rotating schedule of HR and department leaders to sit in the hot seat for these Q&A sessions.

4) Mission Statement Mad Libs

“A new spin on a classic game”

Another fantastic new hire orientation activity is mission statement mad libs. For this orientation activity, you would take your company mission statement(s) and remove key nouns, verbs, and adjectives to create a mad lib. Without showing the team the mission statement, ask them for words to fill in the blanks you’ve made. You’ll likely end up with some pretty silly mission statements but will work your way towards one that fits with your company’s after a few rounds.

Why we love this new employee orientation activity: Everyone loves a funny mad lib. This is a fun and interactive way to get your new hires thinking about the company’s mission statements.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 1 – 5 employees. This game can also work with a larger group, but this activity lends itself really well to a small group activity.

How to get started: Decide which mission statements you’d like to use for the game and prep for what words you’ll be removing and which would be the best placements for the mad lib suggestions.

5) “Who Am I?”

““Who Am I?”: Leadership Team Edition”

“Who Am I?” is a popular guessing game in which players ask yes or no questions to guess the name of someone or something. In this new hire orientation version, you’re trying to get your new hires to guess the name of specific leadership team members or important past company leadership names, i.e. who established the company. Questions should be based on the characteristics or facts about the person. This is a fun way for the new hires to get to know a bit more about the key leads at their company.

Why we love this new employee orientation activity: It can be overwhelming learning the leads and organizational structure at a new company. This activity helps your new hires do just that in a no-pressure environment.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. In a mid-size orientation setting like this, it ensures you have enough questions generated from the group but it’s not intimidating to guess either.

How to get started: Decide on what leaders and names will be included in this activity and create some Yes and No questions based on the names identified.

New Hire Orientation Icebreakers 

 1) Five-Minute Quick Trivia 

“And the trivia topic is… you!”

Five Minute Quick Trivia is an entertaining ice breaker where your new hires can answer some fun trivia questions about each other. A simple way of organizing this ice breaker activity is to have some pre-generated trivia prompts for your new hires to create answers for. For example, the trivia question prompt could be “What is my favorite dish to cook?” The new hire would then list out 4 responses with their actual answer included. Participants would then guess which of the 4 options is the correct answer.

Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: Trivia is a super fun and interactive way to break the ice and allow your new hires to get to know each other.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 1 – 5 employees. This icebreaker works well in larger groups too.

How to get started: Identify the trivia question prompts and how you’d like to organize the gameplay. You can also set up a free trial with Water Cooler Trivia to help manage your five-minute trivia contests!

2) Two Truths & a Lie 

“Can you identify the lie?”

For this icebreaker activity, every participant needs to come up with two truthful statements and one lie about themselves. One at a time, each new hire will share their statements and the group must identify which of those 3 statements is a lie. This is a super fun way to not only break the ice but get to know your colleagues in a fun and relaxed way.

Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: This game usually results in some pretty awesome discoveries about people. We love that it encourages your new hires to get out of their shell and share a little bit about themselves.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 1 – 5 employees. You can obviously do this icebreaker activity with a slightly larger group, but if you’re in a time crunch a smaller group setting lends itself perfectly to this activity.

How to get started: Give your new hires a few minutes to craft their 2 truths and a lie statements. It can be tough thinking of something on the spot, so giving your new hires some time to think about their statements helps put them at ease. You can also welcome an onboarding host from Weve to help moderate your game for your new hires.

3) Fun Fact Roundtable

“Fun fact roundtables are… fun!”

Fun fact roundtable is a short and sweet way to break the ice at your new employee orientation. This activity is pretty self-explanatory, but essentially, you ask each new hire to share a fun fact about themselves. Encourage them to be silly about it and not take this activity too seriously. Maybe they have a fun hobby or a secret talent? This is their time to shine!

Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: We love that this icebreaker encourages participants to share a fun aspect of their lives or personality with the group. It gives some great insight into who the person is and what their interests are.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. This could also work for a smaller or larger group since it’s a pretty quick icebreaker exercise.

How to get started: Kick this icebreaker off by having the orientation leaders share their fun fact first. This is a great way to set a positive tone.

4) Get To Know You Questions

“What better way to get to know someone than to ask questions?”

Get to Know You questions are a great way to (you guessed it…) get to know your colleagues! Some example questions include:

• What was your first job?
• What was your first concert?
• What’s your favorite food?
• What’s your favorite vacation destination?

Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: We love this orientation icebreaker because it encourages your new hires to get to know each other on a more personal level and helps people find common ground.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. With a larger group, this can take up quite some time in the agenda, so plan accordingly.

How to get started: Create a set of 3-4 Get to Know You questions for each new hire to answer.

5) Would You Rather

“Would You Rather: Ice Breaker Edition”

We’re all familiar with the classic game Would You Rather. In this game, you ask players if they would rather pick X or pick Y. For this orientation icebreaker edition, create questions about the workplace or work-life. For example, would you rather bike to work or drive? Or, would you rather work in a bustling environment or a quiet work environment? Don’t be afraid to get silly with this activity as well and throw in some non-work-related questions as well!

Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: This is a unique way to learn more about your new hires because it provides a little bit more insight into their preferences and can get pretty humorous too, which adds a lightheartedness to your orientation session.

Best for staff orientation groups of: 5 – 20 employees. This can work in a smaller or larger group as well, but you want to ensure you have enough people playing to both generate and answer enough Would You Rather questions.

How to get started: Get the ball rolling by creating a list of Would You Rather questions to kick things off, then encourage your new hires to come up with some questions of their own for the group.

Benefits Of Planning A New Employee Orientation Activities 

 Benefit #1: Makes new employees feel welcome and comfortable on their very first day, reducing nerves and anxiety.

 Benefit #2: Provides new employees with important company information in a concise and engaging manner.

 Benefit #3: Motivates new employees to dive right in and learn as much as possible about the company they’ve joined and their role.

 Benefit #4: Establishes the foundation for company pride and loyalty amongst your new employees.

 Benefit #5: Contributes to the creation of an effective and productive workplace by arming new hires with the resources needed to succeed.

New Hire Orientation Tips

Craft an agenda for your orientation day.

 Create an agenda and share it with your new hires prior to the session so they know what to expect.

Create time blocks.

 You want to be sure you’re breaking the day up so people don’t lose focus. Switch between activities and speakers and be sure to carve out breaks.

Keep your new hires fueled throughout the day.

 Whether hosting an in-person or virtual onboarding session, you want to keep your new hires energized. Have snacks handy and lunch provided.

Keep it positive.

 It’s only the first day. Don’t expect your new hires to already know everything about the company. It’s more than okay for them to learn along the way. In fact, that’s really the goal of a new hire orientation.

Determine your technical and resource needs.

 Based on your agenda, identify what you may need from a technical or resourcing perspective. For example, do you have A/V or tech needs that IT may need to assist with? Are there activity printouts or slides that you need to prepare? It’s important to identify and pre-plan so that you’re fully prepped and your ordination day runs smoothly.

Continually improve your new hire orientation.

 You want to ensure each new hire orientation is even better than the last. Be sure you’re keeping your new hire activities and content up to date and continue to evolve the process as you learn more about what works well and what does not.

Survey your new hires.

 Provide your new hires with a brief survey before joining to provide your HR team with information on their interests, dietary restrictions, and hobbies so you can utilize these facts during the orientation session. Additionally, after the orientation session, send a follow-up survey asking your new hires if there are any lingering onboarding questions or feedback on areas for improvement as it relates to the orientation experience.

New Hire Orientation Strategies for Before, During & After

Before

Let your new hire come in a little late

Starting a new job isn’t easy. Tell your new hire he can come in by 10 on his first day. This will give him leeway to sort out his commute and get over first-day jitters.

Set up a team lunch

Organizing a team lunch for a new hire to get to know his teammates will not only help him feel comfortable, but also help him get acquainted with the relationships and resources he needs to crush it during his first few weeks at work.

Decorate his/her desk with swag

There’s nothing like a balloon and some free company swag to make a new hire feel special on their first day. Before the new hire arrives, spruce up their desk with a curated welcome kit, welcome letters and all the practical information he/she needs in order for their first day to go smoothly. Newbies will match their co-workers, feel welcomed, and instantly look like “one of the gang.”

Swag.com makes the process of finding and customizing the perfect products a breeze. Use this site to get everything from branded backpacks to office supplies to fitness gear.

Pro-Tip: You can create a custom swag box that gets sent to new hires. This is a great way to kick-off a new employee’s experience at your company and show them that you care!

Ensure the new hire a 1-on-1 with his manager

Managers are busy, we know, but there’s nothing like a face-to-face with a direct manager to get a new hire understanding his priorities, why he’s an important member of the team and what he can do to get the ball rolling. Don’t let managers overlook this—it’s an essential step to a new hire knowing what’s up and feeling welcome. 

Assign an office buddy

When you’re new, it can be hard to socially branch out past your team. An easy way to fix this problem is to assign an office buddy on another team member that can serve as a social ambassador and a useful source of insight into how the rest of the company operates.

Bonus resource: HR Cloud Onboarding Checklist

Get his or her name right before he walks through the door

Nobody feels comfortable when their name is mispronounced. Figure out how his name is pronounced, spelled, his preferred gender pronouns and if he likes to go by a nickname. Try to establish this before his first day and share it with others on his team.

Ask senior leadership for input

Senior leadership are responsible not only for generating revenue and building the business, but also for company culture and human capital. Before you develop your new hire orientation process, ask senior leadership for feedback on what information should be included and how new team members should be welcomed to the company.

During

Give insight into company structure

Share the company’s bigger picture your new hire and detail how their work will help the company grow. Explain how the company is structured, each department’s function and who key company leaders are. This is a great time for the new hire to bring up what’s on his mind. Assure him that you’re happy to answer any question, big or small!

Bring the company to life

Your company is so much more than an org chart and a fancy logo. It’s a hive of innovation, driven by vibrant personalities and big ideas. Not showcasing these to new employees is a wasted opportunity.

Swap your text-heavy company history and floor plans for a video tour of where the company has come from and where it’s headed. Include brief features on key employees, especially your owner or CEO – even if they’re reluctant!

If your new hires are based in remote offices or work in a virtual team, share the tour with them through video alerts so that they aren’t neglected.

At SnapComms, they have personal bios written for every new staff member. New hires have their face and story displayed prominently to alleviate any awkward introductions, while they can read the bios of everyone else online to find ‘buddys’ with whom they can make a connection.

Share company history and core values

Give your new hire context into how the company came to be and what inspires the everyday decision making. By sharing the company’s history and the core values, this will give him social insight into the culture of the company and valuable guidance for how to navigate his role.

Introduce department heads

What better way to showcase company culture and structure than by introducing your new hire or hiring class to department heads. Giving the new hire the opportunity to speak with the leaders of the company not only gives him a chance to understand how the teams work together, but also how each department’s work ladders up to advance the company’s objective. If it’s unrealistic for department heads to meet with each new hire, have them talk to each hiring class. Be sure to include time for a Q&A so no questions go unanswered.

Clue your new hire into key unspoken rules

Every company has unspoken rules that determine the way the company operates and employees behave. Give your new hire a hand and share these up front during the onboarding process. They will be grateful and this small gesture will empower them to have a smooth transition into your company’s culture.

Provide a glossary of company acronyms and buzzwords

Every company has their own professional world and company culture. Along with this comes a highly specific language consisting of specialized acronyms and words. Share these with your new hire so he doesn’t feel left out or confused. If you don’t already have a glossary on-hand, it may be time to create a working document that can be easily accessed and shared.

Set clear expectations

Write a list of the new hire’s responsibilities, who from the company he’ll be collaborating with for each project and upcoming deadlines he’ll be expected to meet. These sorts of details can fall through the cracks during the flurry of the first month on a job, or just seem obvious to the hiring manager and not to the new hire. Make it crystal clear, setting your new hire up for success. Present this list to your new hire and let him ask questions.

Give him a tour of the office

The very first office tour is an exciting activity for any hire since this will be their new working environment and where they’ll spend most of their time. Show him where different teams sit, where the bathrooms are and the kitchen with the best snacks. On an overwhelming first day, this information does wonders in easing the new hire’s feelings of disorientation.

Offer tech help

Nothing sets back a new hire from getting started like a technology roadblock. Provide a cheat sheet with all the wifi, login and software info. If possible, have an IT person on hand to help your new hire set up his computer, troubleshoot tech problems and acquaint himself with the software your company uses.

Run through company benefits

Your new hire will likely have questions regarding your company’s corporate, medical and financial benefits. Take time to explain these in simple terms, and allow time for him to ask questions.

Introduce your new hire to his new friends

Let’s be real, starting a new job, and familiarizing yourself with a new team and company, can be scary and intimidating. One way to make the new kid on the block feel at home is to introduce him to his new office mates. So get out of your desk chair and onto the floor—walk the new hire around the office, introducing him to his team and the other people in the company he’ll be working with closely. This group should also include the go-to IT person, the office manager, the receptionist if they haven’t properly met, and his HR representative.

In addition to physically walking the new hire around the office, have his manager send a company-wide email with a short intro about the new hire (potentially written by the new hire himself) on his professional background, who he is and where he comes from. This small gesture, coming from a manager, will make the new hire feel welcome and like his manager is proud to have him on the team, which is always a great feeling.

Ask his birthday

Companies celebrate employee birthdays in different ways. Whether they do this by giving the employee the day of their birthday off or by sharing some cake in the afternoon, be sure to ask whether he’s comfortable sharing this information with the team and celebrating as a group.

Celebrate with a happy hour!

Most people wouldn’t object to chatting with their new teammates over a beer and some bar snacks. This is also a great way for the new hire to familiarize himself with the team’s culture and learn about the work he’ll be doing in a low-pressure environment.

After

Give your new hire a roadmap for the next month

This should include a calendar of upcoming company events, along with key things he should learn in his first month to enhance his productivity and success.

Reinforce Orientation Ideas

Everyone know that the first days of a new job can be a whirlwind. To make sure all this information and introduction is solidified, you can easily roll out a comprehensive program that includes various elements of these orientation ideas with OrgLynx. OrgLynx’s mobile app and software allow new hires to learn more about your organization, connect with colleagues, quiz them on the essentials and more to create an overall culture and organization introduction.

New hires will be prompted to complete different types of challenges and tasks like snapping photos, taking videos, answering questions, providing feedback, scanning QR codes and more. The team at OrgLynx will help you get your program setup for you so implementation is a breeze, and the program can run completely automatically to give a personalized feel to each new hire you bring on. Program duration is flexible but best results see a program targeting the new hire’s first 90 days. OrgLynx performs equally well with a remote onboarding program. Best for companies over 100 employees.

Ask for feedback

After your orientation, ask your new hire for feedback. Does he have any remaining questions? Was there any information not included that he’d hoped to receive as a new employee? Did he feel the information he received was useful? Some companies like to provide a new hire orientation feedback survey, others have the HR professional leading the orientation ask casually. It’s up to you, but don’t skip the step. It’s crucial to improving the process over time.

After all is said and done, new hire orientations take a lot of work. But it pays off–with increased employee retention, loyalty and productivity, new hire orientations increase the success of the company overall.

Conclusion

Don’t overlook the importance of a thorough new hire orientation. A Bersin by Deloitte study calculates that “4 percent of employees leave after a disastrous first day and 22 percent of staff turnover happens in the first 45 days of employment.” First impressions matter, for the employee as much as for the employer.

Research also shows that new hire orientations play a critical role in helping new employees understand their responsibilities, grasp the role they play in their company’s broader mission and integrate into company culture. Capitalize on this opportunity to position your incoming employees for long-term success at your organization.

You have the power to help new hires start the job on the right foot and increase employee retention. Your effort here will certainly pay off.

People Also Ask These Questions About New Hire Orientation Ideas 

Q: How long should a new hire orientation activity last? 

• A: A new hire activity should last between 20 – 60 minutes depending on the activity and the number of new hires in your orientation. An effective new hire orientation should warmly welcome your new employees while providing them with a meaningful introduction to your company’s culture, people, and policies.

Q: What are some unique employee orientation activities to play? 

• A: Some unique employee orientation activities include Survey Says, Mission Statement Mad Libs, and ‘Who Am I’. While working your way through your in-office or remote employee onboarding checklist, be sure you have orientation activities towards the top of that list as they’re a critical piece of any strong onboarding program.

Q: What documents should I have for a new employee during new hire orientation? 

• A: You should have your employee policy handbook and any new hire resource materials handy. Additionally, if there are supporting documents for any of the planned activities, have these ready to go too. Lastly, make sure your new hires have brought in the necessary HR new hire paperwork as well.

The post 23 Best New Hire Orientation Ideas For Onboarding New Employees In 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

Phrases that include the word “tax” don’t typically stir up overly enthusiastic responses, but they also don’t always have to carry a negative connotation either. In 2020 and 2021, almost every business was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Employee Retention Tax Credit was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Act (the CARES Act) to help counter these negative impacts and support businesses in their employee retention efforts during such a tumultuous time.

With so many business owners struggling with how to retain their employees, we saw many companies exploring the expansion of their employee perks or launching employee incentive programs. Think of the ERTC as the government’s way of supplementing these employee retention tools and help businesses recover from the pandemic’s immense impact.

The Employee Retention Tax Credit is essentially a refundable payroll tax credit that businesses could claim on qualified employee wages, including qualified health plan expenses, paid to their employees.

See If You Qualify

The program start date was March 12, 2020 and the end date was retroactively updated to September 30, 2021 for most businesses and even further until December 31, 2021 for recovery startup business.

If you still haven’t checked out if your business qualifies for this tax credit, don’t fret! You have three years after the program end date to retroactively file using form 941-X. But what exactly are the qualification parameters for the Employee Retention Tax Credit?

And what are some examples of businesses that typically qualify for the ERTC? In this article, we’ll answer those questions and provide Employee Retention Tax Credit business examples.

Let’s dive right in to see if your business potentially qualifies!

Why should you apply for the employee retention tax credit in 2022?

If you haven’t looked into whether or not your business qualifies for the Employee Retention Tax Credit, it’s not too late!

Before applying, you’ll want to ensure your company does indeed meet the necessary qualifications for this refundable tax credit to avoid ERC fraud. In this article, we’ll explore some common industry examples that qualify to give you a better sense of the qualification parameters. In addition to these examples, you can easily see if you qualify with ERC Assistant.

For 2020, you could receive a tax credit amount of up to 50% of qualified wages paid to employees in a calendar quarter with a maximum credit of $5,000 per employee.

For 2021, you could receive a tax credit of 70% of qualified wages with a maximum credit of $7,000 per employee per quarter. Your business may qualify for some quarters and not others depending on if qualifications are met within those quarterly windows.

Tip: Take this 60 second quiz to see if you qualify for the ERTC today!

The Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in December 2020 further expanded ERC qualifications by allowing businesses that received a PPP loan under the Paycheck Protection Program to potentially qualify.

There are two main buckets of eligibility requirements for the ERTC:

➤ A government entity enforced a partial suspension or full shutdown of your business during the 2020 or 2021 tax year which negatively impacted your business in some capacity.

➤ Your 2020 and/or 2021 gross receipts for a specific quarter had a significant decline when compared to that same quarter’s revenue figures in 2019. There are different revenue reduction thresholds for 2020 and 2021 so be sure to review the latest IRS policies when determining if your revenue drop is significant enough to qualify for ERTC.

Now that we know the benefits of the Employee Retention Tax Credit and the high-level qualification parameters, let’s look at some ERTC examples.

Employee Retention Credit Examples

1) Companies with 5 – 100 employees

A few common examples of small employer companies with 5-100 employees include law offices, dentist & optometrist offices, and smaller nonprofit firms. The ERTC was created to help small and mid-size businesses recover from the massive financial and staffing effects of Covid-19, so it’s no surprise that many of these small businesses qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit service. If your company of this size is still struggling with employee retention, check out our HR for small businesses guide for some helpful tips!

Why companies in this employee size commonly qualify for ERC:

• Government-mandated shutdowns.
• Significant revenue reduction compared to 2019.
• Reduced operational hours and ability to service customers.

Examples of companies with 5 – 100 employees:

• Business Services → 6 employees = $42,827.62
• Healthcare → 26 employees = $182,171.92
• Non-Profit → 43 employees  = $301,729.46

See If You Qualify

2) Companies with 100 – 500 

A few common examples of companies with 100-500 employees include gyms & fitness centers, transportation service companies, and restaurants – to name a few. These types of businesses were obviously and significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and qualify for the ERTC for quite a few reasons. At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, we saw the closure of many businesses, particularly businesses that had high traffic and elevated levels of person-to-person interaction.

Why companies in this employee size commonly qualify for ERC:

• Government-mandated shutdowns & reduction in operational hours.
• Significant revenue reduction compared to 2019.
• Limited capacity or service offerings due to social distancing policies.

Examples of companies with 100 – 500 employees:

• Gym → 117 employees = $819,042.68
• Transportation → 266 employees = $1,862,419.57
• Foodservice → 414 employees = $2,898,461.37

3) Companies with 500+ 

A few common examples of companies with 500+ employees include distribution companies, hotels, and tech companies. While the Employee Retention Tax Credit was created to support small and midsize businesses, larger companies can still apply for the ERTC but it is a longer process and payroll costs cannot be included. The per employee tax credit is also smaller than the amount available to small businesses.

Why companies in this employee size commonly qualify for ERC:

• Significant revenue reduction compared to 2019.
• Suppliers are unable to deliver critical goods, services, or materials.
• Tasks or work that could not be done remotely or experienced a challenging remote transitional period.

Examples of companies with 500+ employees:

• Distribution → 581 employees = $4,067,349.10
• Hospitality → 922 employees = $64,540,16
• Technology → 2,146 employees = $15,022,253.94

These are some ranges of ERC awards being granted by the IRS:

See If You Qualify

*Important Note: This table serves as a broad estimate. This is not a guarantee. Every business is different. Speak to an ERC Expert to fully understand your qualification status and to estimate how much your award might be.

Employee Retention Credit – Notable Industry Examples 

1) Foodservice 

It’s no surprise that the foodservice industry is one of the top industries eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Between government shutdowns in 2020 and business operations restrictions implemented in 2021, the restaurant industry took a major hit in its financials and its ability to retain their full-time employees.

As a result, we saw many foodservice businesses either shut down or look into how to sell their business to recover their losses. The Employee Retention Tax Credit helps to reward and support businesses that were able to remain open and help keep their employees on the payroll.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: The annual gross receipts test is one of the most common reasons for ERTC qualification in the foodservice industry. Obviously, most of these businesses experienced a significant decrease in gross receipts during 2020 and 2021 when compared to that previous time period in 2019. Another common qualification reason is if the business was subject to either a complete or partial shutdown due to government-issued mandates.

Once closure mandates were lifted, throughout 2021, there were still operational restrictions in place including limited business hours, limited customer capacity due to social distancing, and alcohol sales restrictions, all of which contribute to a business’s ERTC eligibility.

Tip: Take this 60 second quiz to see if you qualify for the ERTC today!

2) Hospitality 

Like the foodservice industry, the hospitality industry & its employees were massively affected by the pandemic and as a result, is another top industry eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. During 2020, there were periods where travel was restricted and into 2021 as these restrictions eased a bit, there still were limitations and a general hesitancy when it came to travel.

Most people avoided non-essential travel and opted to stay home or stay local in lieu of destination getaways. With this dramatic decrease in travel, the hospitality industry struggled immensely to keep their businesses afloat and their employees on the payroll.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: The simplest reason that most hospitality businesses qualify for ERTC is that they were either fully or partially suspended from doing business due to government shutdowns. Additionally, once shutdowns were rescinded, there were still social distancing policies enforced which limited customer capacity.

Many hotels & motels also have a restaurant or bar offering onsite and therefore can qualify for the ERTC due to restrictions on hours, limitations on alcohol sales, and vendor supplier issues related to government orders. Hospitality businesses also experienced a decrease in gross revenue compared to 2019 which also qualifies them for the ERTC.

3) Franchises 

Many franchises are restaurants so they experienced a similar impact as the general foodservice industry described above. Another common franchise impacted are gyms and fitness centers.

Whether a restaurant or gym business, many franchise locations were directly impacted by government shutdowns, closures, and restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and challenged with retaining their employees despite these obstacles.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: Most franchises experienced partial or full operational shutdown directly as a result of government mandates. Additionally, if that franchise location experienced a significant revenue loss compared to 2019, that would qualify them for the Employee Tax Retention Credit as well.

4) Nonprofits

While nonprofits may not be the first industry that comes to mind when we think about companies who qualify for the ERC, many nonprofit organizations do indeed qualify for the credit.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: Like so many other companies, many nonprofit organizations were affected by government shutdown mandates throughout the pandemic and were forced to explore work from home policies in order to continue operations.

Once reopened, restrictions around capacity and operational hours continued to limit nonprofit operations & revenue, therefore, qualifying these organizations for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. In some instances, if a nonprofit experienced issues with their vendor suppliers as a result of government policies, that could be another reason for an ERTC qualification.

See If You Qualify

5) Recreation Facilities

Recreation facilities such as parks or rec centers are another common industry eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Throughout the pandemic, particularly during shutdown mandates, most of the public stayed at home rather than venturing out to recreation facilities resulting in a drastic decrease in foot traffic at these locations.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: Similar to nonprofits, many recreational facilities were impacted by government pandemic policies restricting business hours and their ability to serve the public, qualifying them for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Many recreational centers were also completely shut down for a time period as a result of the government shutdowns.

Even once restrictions and shutdowns were eased, people were still hesitant to return to these facilities which negatively impacted revenue.

6) Gyms 

Unsurprisingly, gyms and fitness facilities are one of the top industries that qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. While we saw a massive increase in at-home gym equipment sales during the pandemic, we saw an equally massive decrease in gym memberships. Gyms struggled to remain open and retain their staff during this tumultuous time period.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: The most obvious reason that gyms qualify for the ERTC is because most gyms experienced either a complete or partial government-mandated shut down during 2020. Once allowed to reopen, gyms were still subject to restrictions such as limited hours of operation and limited capacity due to social distancing guidelines.

Between the government shutdowns, operational restrictions, and reduction in gym-goers, many gyms qualify for the ERTC due to a substantial decrease in gross receipts when compared to 2019.

7) Preschools & Daycare Centers

Preschools and daycare centers are another top industry that was strongly impacted by the pandemic and therefore commonly qualify for the ERTC. With school closures during 2020 and many parents working from home, children weren’t attending preschool or daycare centers and as result, the daycare staff was unable to work.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: As mentioned, most daycares and preschools experienced complete or partial shutdowns during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Once reopened, there were still government policies in place reducing classroom size and an overall hesitation amongst parents to send their children back into a public setting, like daycares, due to Covid-19 health concerns.

Naturally, this had a negative impact on their revenue figures for 2020 and 2021, which qualify these facilities for the ERTC.

Lastly, many daycares and preschools struggled to hire and retain staff which directly impacted the number of children they can support and the overall business revenue.

8) Transportation Companies

Transportation companies are yet another top qualifying industry for ERTCs since they were significantly impacted throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

During 2020 and much of 2021, there was a dramatic decrease in the need for transportation companies as many people were staying home, businesses were closed, and popular public events were canceled.

Why they qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit: As with many of the industries mentioned above, transportation companies also were either partially or fully shut down as a result of the pandemic and government mandates, particularly at the start of the pandemic in 2020.

After shutdowns were rescinded, there still was a negative impact on revenue because of the reduction in client capacity due to social distancing guidelines. Between these shutdowns and restrictions, and the mass cancellations of events where their transportation services were no longer needed, most transportation companies experienced a significant loss in revenue in 2020 and 2021 when compared to 2019, which qualifies them for the ERTC.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better idea of what the Employee Retention Tax Credit is, what it takes to qualify, and some examples of businesses that meet those qualifications, we recommend digging deeper to see if the ERTC is something your company can potentially benefit from! While it can be quite challenging to navigate government tax programs & initiatives, don’t let that intimidate or overwhelm you.

See If You Qualify

People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Retention Credit Examples 

Q: What are some examples of companies receiving the employee retention tax credit? 

• A: Some examples of companies receiving the employee tax retention credit include restaurants, daycares, gyms, hotels, and nonprofits.

Q: How do you calculate an employee retention credit example?

• A: For 2020, the tax credit calculation is 50% of qualified wages that eligible employers pay their employees in a quarter with a maximum credit of $5,000 per employee. For 2021, the tax credit is 70% of qualified wages that eligible employers pay their employees with a maximum credit of $7,000 per employee per quarter.

Q: Are there ERC examples of companies under 100 employees? 

• A: Yes, some common companies with under 100 employees that can qualify for the ERC include dental and law offices, restaurants, and recreation centers.

The post Your Guide to Employee Retention Tax Credit Examples for 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.

There’s no shortage of depictions of Executive Assistants and Administrative Assistants in the mainstream media. From movies (Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada; Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal) to television (Jenna Fischer on The Office; Elisabeth Moss on Mad Men), we’ve seen a myriad of Hollywood portrayals of what it’s like to be an Assistant.

But how accurate are these media representations of an Executive Assistant and what exactly does an EA do?

What is an Executive Assistant?

In its simplest form, an Executive Assistant is an organizational professional who provides administrative support to an Executive-level position within a company.

Pro-Tip: The most important thing an Executive Assistant does is provide leverage to the CEO and the organization. An effective way to provide leverage is to increase cash flows, and one of the easiest ways to do this is by checking to see if your organization qualifies for the Employee Retention Credit. It’s a simple 60-second online qualification process, and some businesses are reaping 7-figure awards. It’s an overlooked way for EAs to swoop in and be the company hero.

But what exactly does that ‘support’ entail and what are the main Executive Assistant duties? An EA is an Executive’s go-to person for all their business (and sometimes personal) needs.

According to The Assist, a popular newsletter among Assistants, while most EAs do hold a bachelor’s degree, many of them say you don’t need one to do the job well. Hands-on job experience can go a long way during the hiring process.

Chances are you found this article because you may be interested in how to be an Executive Assistant or curious about what duties and skills are associated with this role.

In this article we take an in-depth real talk look at a few key Executive Assistant responsibilities and offer some valuable tips and tools for success in an EA role.

Let’s get started!

Executive Assistant Responsibility #1: Scheduling & Calendar Management

Scheduling & calendar management is one of the most important skills for an Executive Assistant to perfect. With only so many hours in a day, it’s crucial that EAs strategically organize meetings, events, and tasks to optimize their Executive’s time and keep productivity on track. Strong time management skills and organizational skills are vital to successful scheduling and calendar management.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Act as an all-around gatekeeper and strategically manage the CEO’s time with respect to priorities, goals, and objectives.

What it really means: You will field all meeting requests and play calendar Tetris to create the ideal working calendar for your Executive. Aside from maintaining an efficient calendar, you must also layer in your Executive’s day-to-day priorities and be sure time management is always top of mind.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Meet each morning if possible to review calendars, goals and priorities and remember this golden rule: Never change an existing meeting just to accommodate one person…unless that person is your Exec. Consider adding breaks before and after meetings so your Exec can have time to prepare and debrief.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #2: Email Management

It’s hard enough managing your own inbox, let alone your Executive’s inbox. While this can seem a bit overwhelming, maintaining an organized inbox will benefit you and your Exec in the long run. An e-mail filing system is a great way to maintain an organized and productive inbox.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Monitor inbox, draft email correspondence, and respond on behalf of CEO.

What it really means: It’s your responsibility to ensure your Executive is reading and responding to high priority e-mails and not being bombarded by spam or quick e-mails that you can handle. You’re also expected to streamline e-mail communications and keep your Exec’s inbox organized in a way that works best for their productivity.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Set up retention rules/policies. This is one easy way to automate inbox management. Many EAs find it helpful to automatically direct CCs to a secondary inbox.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #3: Sending Gifts

From an employee appreciation gift to a large swag order, many times it’s an Executive Assistant’s responsibility to find the perfect gift for any scenario. This may sound a little nerve-racking, but we have a few suggestions below that will make you look like the gift genie.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Assist with miscellaneous special projects or duties as needed.

What it really means: The broad net description of ‘special projects and duties’ very likely includes sending gifts on behalf of your Executive or finding swag for your team. Maybe you’re tasked with finding the perfect gift for a fellow executive assistant. Or tasked with finding a gift for a coworkers’ milestone work anniversary. Be sure you have a few options for every gifting scenario available at your fingertips.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Create an EA toolbox that includes the essentials. For example: multi-purpose greeting cards, batteries, device chargers, energy bars, and spare gifts/swag in case of a gifting emergency.

Pro-tip: Make your life easier by partnering with a company who specializes in employee gifting like Caroo. Or if you’re looking for some premium swag options, SwagUp is a great one stop shop.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #4: Planning & Executing Meetings

One of the core responsibilities of an Executive Assistant is planning and executing meetings. Be ready to organize all types of meetings, including executive team meetings, board meetings, c-level meetings, and client meetings.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Setting virtual and in-person meetings for Executive and department.

What it really means: It’s up to you to plan all meeting details including finding a time that works for all parties, prepping your Exec for the meeting, and sending out recaps and next step action items to attendees. You’ll likely be tasked with taking meeting minutes as well so be sure you’re prepped with a meeting minute template and ready to go!

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Consider utilizing an AI resource like Otter to transcribe a meeting and distribute a recording of the meeting for those who could not attend.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #5: Travel Coordination

With the world slowly opening back up since the Covid-19 pandemic, booking and coordinating travel arrangements is once again another main Executive Assistant responsibility. It’s an EA’s responsibility to ensure a smooth travel experience for their Executive and this is accomplished by planning out all travel details, no matter how small.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Arrange and organize travel for Executive.

What it really means: Yes, you’re obviously expected to book travel for your Executive, including flights, transportation, and lodging. But your job doesn’t end there. Arm your Exec with a detailed travel itinerary so they know where and when to be at any given time during their trip. Provide your Exec with a few options to fill any down time during their business trip as well. And of course, be ready for problem-solving if any travel issues arise.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Create a detailed checklist for travel planning that includes time zone information, layovers, incidental travel time, and time blocks for presentation preparation.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #6: Event Planning

Event planning, whether on a large or small scale, is a crucial responsibility of an Executive Assistant. While most events were virtual this past year, in-person events are slowly but surely coming back. Be ready to plan a myriad of event types including team building events, company-wide conferences, internal employee parties, client events, etc.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Work cross-functionally internally and with external vendors to host Organization’s upcoming events.

What it really means: You’re tasked with planning and executing company events and making sure every event detail is accounted for. From finding the perfect event venue, to creating an event agenda, to planning out meals or catering—you want to be sure to plan out every event element and be ready to think on your toes when issues or event emergencies arise.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: In-person events? Yes, those are a thing again. Make the check-in process seamless by utilizing a platform like Eventbrite or Splash.

Pro-tip: Use Outback Team Building to help coordinate and execute fun team building events.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #7: Project Management

At any given time, there are bound to be a handful of projects that an Executive Assistant is expected to efficiently manage. These projects often involve various stakeholders in different departments throughout a company. As a project manager, it’s your job to ensure everyone is delivering on their contribution to the project and that you’re pacing well against project deadlines.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Be an integral part to help execute on a varying range of projects.

What it really means: It’s your job to create well-organized project timelines that keep crucial company projects on track for completion by the target deadline date. Think of this as your opportunity to truly own a project from start to finish and highlight your impeccable project management skills.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Use project management software like monday.com, or an app like Office Otter that automatically turns your conversations into tasks, to stay organized and get more sh*t done.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #8: Office Management

For those companies that do not have a designated Office Manager role, Executive Assistants may take on office management related responsibilities (either completely or partially). The main goal of efficient office management is ensuring that logistics within an office support high employee satisfaction and productivity.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Help with various administrative and office duties as assigned.

What it really means: You’re expected to provide assistance, or in some cases take the lead, on all things related to office management. This could range from helping human resources on-board a new hire, to updating office floor plans, to making sure office snacks are fully stocked. Find the best office management tools that work for you and your team.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: As people return to offices after the pandemic-induced remote marathon, the idea of employees having spaces of their own is flying out the window. Stay ahead of this trend and be knowledgeable about hot desking schematics and hybrid work plans.

Pro-tip: As offices begin to reopen, consider utilizing SwipedOn to streamline employee and visitor check-in. SwipedOn offers contactless easy check-in for office employees and visitors, along with a screening and health check feature.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #9: Creating Expense Reports

Expense reports may not be the most exciting administrative task, but it is a crucial process to hone. That pile of receipts that your CEO just plopped on your desk is your responsibility to review and match against the associated corporate expense charges.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Prepare expense reports, process invoices, and track payments.

What it really means: It’s your responsibility to compile and process your Executive’s expense reports and ensure those expense reports meet company expense policies and submittal deadlines. Work with your Executive to streamline the expense process and find the steps that work best for both of you. For example, many expense systems offer a mobile application where your Exec can quickly and easily snap a photo of a receipt and have that receipt automatically saved in the expense platform for report creation later.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Create an expense cheat sheet for your Executive and the broader team. Rather than fielding a ton of questions about the expense report process, take a few minutes to draft a how-to reference guide.

Executive Assistant Responsibility #10: Handling Communications

Whether a brief memo or a detailed company announcement, Executive Assistants are expected to possess the communication skills to draft and send various types of communications (both internal and external). An example internal communication scenario would be sending out a company-wide update introducing a new staff member to the business. Externally, you may be responding to or reaching out to a client on behalf of your Executive.

What the Executive Assistant job description says: Prepare, draft, proofread and execute accurate business correspondence using excellent communication skills.

What it really means: You must have strong written and verbal communication skills and be able to adjust your communication style depending on the audience you’re addressing. If this is a weaker skill set of yours, don’t shy away from it. The best way to gain this experience is diving in and learning how best to foster your interpersonal skills and communication skills with your team and clients alike.

Tips & Tricks from The Assist: Consider taking a course to help you become an expert-level communicator. Some of our faves include Social Psychology, Crisis Communication, and The Science of Happiness at Work.

Pro-tip: If you’re handling communication highlighting employee milestones or successes, consider utilizing Blueboard to add on the perfect experiential reward to celebrate that employee. Nectar is also a great employee engagement software for employee shoutouts and so much more!

People Also Ask These Questions About Key Responsibilities of an Executive Assistant

Q: What are the typical responsibilities of executive assistant in 2022?

A: The typical responsibilities of an Executive Assistant in 2022 include calendar and scheduling management, along with coordinating travel arrangements and event planning.

Q: How has the role of an executive assistant evolved?

A: An Executive Assistant role is so much more than just setting up meetings and answering phone calls. EAs have become an Executive’s trusted advisor who they can depend on to get the job done no matter what.

Q: What does it mean to be an executive assistant?

A: Being an Executive Assistant means wearing many hats, including event planner, communications expert, travel coordinator, office manager, scheduling guru — the list goes on and on. Executive Assistant blogs will give you deeper insight into what it means to be an EA and how that translates into the day to day.

Q: What is the role of an Executive Assistant to a CEO?

A: There are various types of EAs who support different levels of Executives within companies. The EA to a CEO provides comprehensive support to the CEO including all the key responsibilities we walked through above. They’re also the main point of contact for anyone attempting to reach or collaborate with the CEO.

Q: What is the most important function of an executive assistant?

A: The most important function of an Executive Assistant is their ability to keep their Exec organized, informed, and prepared for anything that comes their way.

Q: What’s the typical salary for an Executive Assistant?

A: The average range of an Executive Assistant salary is between $42,000 – $72,000 with top earners reaching above $80,000. Salary will range depending on the location of the role and years of experience. Consider taking Executive Assistant training courses or attending EA conferences to sharpen your Assistant skills.

Q: What’s the difference between an Executive Assistant and a Chief of Staff?

A: While an Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff do share some role responsibilities, a CoS’s approach typically revolves around people, i.e. managing staff. While an Executive Assistant’s approach usually revolves around tactics, i.e. managing tasks and prioritizing time.

Q: What’s the next step after becoming an Executive Assistant?

A: After tackling the demands of an Executive Assistant role and reaping some of the benefits, there are quite a few career paths you can confidentially explore! You may love being an EA and want to climb the EA ladder to provide high level senior management support to a CEO or CMO. Executive Assistants liaison with a ton of departments internally, so consider learning more about open roles within a department or field that has piqued your interest.

The post Decoding Common Executive Assistant Job Descriptions: Key Responsibilities, Duties And Everything In Between appeared first on SnackNation.

Whether you’re a veteran HR professional or just beginning your HR career, finding the right HR or Business newsletter helps keep you informed, engaged, and active in the HR community.

We’ve done you a solid and saved you hours of research by scouring the internet to find the best HR Newsletters currently in circulation.

Read on to see our round-up of the top 15 HR newsletters to keep busy human resources professionals like you up to date on all things people related!

List of 15 of the Best HR Newsletters

1) The Assist

“Your Shortcut to Success”

The Assist is one of our favorite HR newsletters for so many reasons. Whether you’re just starting your career or you’ve reached veteran status, the Assist has relevant tips and information for you. Looking for ways to reduce stress at work? Or how to be a highly effective professional? The Assist sends the latest HR trends and tools directly to your inbox in a casual and digestible newsletter format.

Why we love this HR newsletter: The Assist delivers valuable information in a fun way! Some HR newsletters may feel a bit dry or overly prescriptive, but the Assist does a great job of keeping things light while still arming their readers with tools for success. The Assist kills it at keeping their newsletter relevant, engaging, and most importantly, useful.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Professional Development, Job Postings & Culture.

When to expect it? Weekly newsletter straight to your inbox.

Where to sign up: Enter your email here and click Subscribe.

2) Bonusly

“A Deep Dive into All Things HR”

Bonusly, at its core, is an HR tool focused on helping companies reward and recognize their employees so that they continue to be motivated & engaged. In addition to their employee recognition software, Bonusly also offers a ton of other valuable resources including a bi-weekly newsletter containing fresh insights on company culture, HR best practices, and keeping your team energized.

Why we love this HR newsletter: From articles focused on how crucial the onboarding process is to employee success to how best to celebrate important work anniversaries, Bonusly has an extensive resource library right at your fingertips. Bonusly’s HR newsletter delivers helpful articles, tips, and tricks all centered around building a strong company culture and keeping employees happy, engaged, and productive.

These are some of our favorite free guides and downloadables from Bonusly to check out:

• 2022 Annual HR Leader Report
• 11 Diversity & Inclusion Statistics That Will Change How You Do Business
• The Guide to Modern Employee Recognition
• The Ultimate Retention Checklist for Managers
• The Essential Guide to Employee Engagement

What this HR newsletter is best at: Culture, Employee Engagement & Retention Tips.

When to expect it? Bi-weekly newsletter. They also have an extensive blog page as well so you can browse helpful articles at your leisure.

Where to sign up: Enter your email into the Subscribe section on this page.

3) Granted

“The Psychology Behind Motivated Professionals”

Adam Grant, a psychologist, professor and New York Times bestselling author, offers a unique newsletter that provides monthly insights on how to find meaning and motivation not only in the workplace, but in your personal life as well. With over 100,000 readers, Adam Grant’s newsletter contains impactful takeaways that encourage self-reflection and growth.

Why we love this HR newsletter: This newsletter reads less like a traditional HR newsletter and more like exchanging emails with your super smart friend. His newsletter topics range from pop culture references to existential questions. You never know what kind of work and psychology ideas or topics the next newsletter will cover, which keeps your inbox fresh!

What this HR newsletter is best at: Culture, Leadership & Professional Development.

When to expect it? Monthly newsletter.

Where to sign up: Click here and enter your email address in the Subscribe box at the top.

4) People First

“Emphasizing the Human in Human Resources”

People First by Compt offers a curated monthly HR newsletter that highlights the most important HR products, people, and innovations. They truly do put People First when constructing their newsletter content. They offer book recommendations, virtual event recommendations, and more to help you become the best professional possible while also still prioritizing your overall well-being.

Why we love this HR newsletter: People First tackles relevant and timely people-focused topics including employee burnout, how to set up remote employees for success, how to prevent employee burnout and the importance of mental health support in the workplace. Their newsletter covers not only emerging HR trends, but also helpful stats, articles and people leaders for inspiration.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Trending HR News, Retention Tips, & Professional Development.

When to expect it?: Highly curated monthly newsletter.

Where to sign up: Enter your email here and click Subscribe.

5) SelectSoftware Reviews

“HR Software Experts”

SelectSoftware Reviews does a ton of the hard work on your behalf by scouting the best existing and emerging HR & recruiting software platforms. Whether you’re looking to outsource some HR functionality or sharpen your internal HR skills & competencies, SelectSoftware has vetted the best platform to meet your particular business needs.

Why we love this HR newsletter: This newsletter is the perfect fit for the HR data/tech nerds out there (using nerds as a term of endearment, of course). They offer insights into the latest trends and highlight the software that will provide the most value based on your specific needs or priorities. Some HR software category examples include Talent Sourcing, Employee Engagement Software, and Talent Acquisition Software.

What this HR newsletter is best at: HR Tools & Software recommendations,  Recruiting Tips, & Trending HR News.

When to expect it? Weekly newsletter containing HR insights.

Where to sign up: Scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address.

6) Workology

“HR One Stop Shop”

Workology is the brainchild of Jessica Miller-Marrell, who has been featured in Vogue and Forbes, for her work. Workology seeks to disrupt the status-quo as it relates to workplace, leadership, and HR.  Their site helps empower industry leaders with the tools needed to usher the workplace into a more innovative and productive era, with a core focus on the people.

Why we love this HR newsletter: Workology’s newsletter provides readers with special access to case studies, webcasts, educational/training courses, and valuable articles on making the most of your HR and Recruitment teams. Their main focus is around recruitment, so keep them in mind when strategizing on how to recruit the best talent and welcome them to the team.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Trending HR News, Leadership & Recruiting Tips.

When to expect it?  3 times or less per month.

Where to sign up: Easily subscribe here.

7) I <3 Humans

“Resources for Humans”

Lattice is an HR software platform that offers quite a few different product solutions including Performance, Engagement, and Analytic offerings. Their newsletter’s backbone is their community of people leaders who share meaningful stories, helpful HR resources, and encourage conversation.

Why we love this HR newsletter: We love their people-focused approach! Company success is achieved through its people. In their weekly newsletter, you get inspirational HR stories delivered straight to your inbox, along with other amazing resources and content. Looking for more support beyond their newsletter? Their community also offers a magazine with curated HR articles, a free Slack channel to exchange ideas with other HR professionals, and even a Job Board to find the next big step in your HR career.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Upcoming Events/Conferences, Job Postings & Trending HR News.

When to expect it?  Weekly newsletter.

Where to sign up: Sign up here to read this weekly newsletter for human resources news!

8) TLNT Daily

“HR News & Trends”

TLNT is a leading HR resource website that houses an extensive HR article archive that’s continually kept refreshed and relevant. They take a business approach to HR and ensure their readers are well versed in HR news and insights by disseminating information from top leaders in HR and People Management.

Why we love this HR newsletter: TLNT’s newsletter covers a wide variety of HR categories, keeping you up to date on emerging trends in topics such as HR technology/software, professional development training, and HR management. One of their goals is to keep you up to date on HR news, trends, & insights all from the convenience of 1 newsletter delivered to your inbox each weekday.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Employee Engagement, Trending HR News, & Culture.

When to expect it? As the name suggests, this is a daily newsletter (weekdays only).

Where to sign up: Enter your info to subscribe.

9) SHRM

“Industry Leader in HR”

SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, strives to create better workplaces by encouraging alignment between companies and their employees. They do this by elevating the HR profession and empowering HR leaders with the data, trends, and analytics to continually improve how they do their jobs.

Why we love this HR newsletter: We love the flexibility and choices that SHRM’s newsletter subscription settings offer. Whether you’re looking only to receive daily updates on HR news, trends and data, or you prefer a weekly recap format HR News plus HR technology, or you want a monthly Global HR update about workplace law– There is a topic and a frequency that will work for everyone.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Trending HR News, Leadership, & Professional Development.

When to expect it?  You can pick the frequency! Receive newsletter updates every weekday or once a week.

Where to sign up: Browse their newsletter options and pick the best fit for you.

10) HR Dive

“Deep Dive into HR”

HR Dive is a comprehensive HR website that functions as a database for a wide range of HR topics including Compliance, Talent, Comp & Benefits, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Management. Their site and newsletter offerings are great resources for both new and veteran HR professionals alike.

Why we love this HR newsletter: HR Dive offers a variety of newsletter options, so you can select the frequency and the HR topic that best suits your particular needs. They offer the Daily Dive, which is a Monday-Friday daily newsletter highlighting the latest HR news & trends. Or if your focus is geared towards welcoming new employees and announcing new hires to the team, you may be more interested in their Talent Daily newsletter focused on talent recruitment and retention.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Recruiting Tips, Retention Tips & Culture.

When to expect it?  Both daily and weekly options are available depending on the topic.

Where to sign up: Click here, enter your email address, and subscription preferences to sign up.

11) Recruiting Brainfood

“Feeding your Recruitment Brain”

Snacking isn’t just for those office breaks. Your brain needs (metaphorical) food too! Recruitment Brainfood strives to ensure they’re keeping recruiter and HR professional’s brains full with helpful recruitment, talent management, and industry insights each week!

Why we love this HR newsletter: This newsletter is geared specifically towards recruiters. The weekly newsletters contain valuable recruiting tips and HR content to help recruiters find and secure top talent hires. In addition to their newsletter, Brainfood also hosts Brainfood Live every Friday and releases the Recruiting Brainfood Podcast where they chat weekly with top recruiters.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Recruiting Tips, Job Postings, & Upcoming Events/Conferences.

When to expect it?: Weekly curated newsletter delivered every Sunday.

Where to sign up: Enter your information under the ‘Join the Community’ header to subscribe.

12) Onrec

“Ultimate Online Recruitment Resource”

Onrec is an online recruitment resource site for HR professionals and recruiters to stay up to date on recruitment industry news, trends, and events. Their newsletter provides daily HR news and recruitment updates, a contact directory, and listings for upcoming recruitment events.

Why we love this HR newsletter: Onrec’s newsletter isn’t only for recruiters. Yes, its focus is recruitment, but it also covers hot HR topics such as remote working, employee mental health, and the rise in freelance careers amongst young adults.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Recruiting Tips, Job Postings, & Trending HR News.

When to expect it? Daily newsletter updates to your inbox.

Where to sign up: Click here, scroll down to the blue box, and enter your email address to subscribe.

13) Wavelength 

“Get Your Team on the Same Wavelength”

Wavelength is a periodical publication by Asana focused on keeping teams who aspire for greatness inspired to do so. Their focus is on reducing workplace chaos by bringing clarity and alignment to teams in turmoil. They pull insights from industry leaders to curate their publication and provide helpful articles and a resource database for HR professionals and leaders alike.

Why we love this HR newsletter: While this publication is obviously helpful for HR leaders, it can also be a fantastic resource for really anybody in a leadership or management position. Some recent Wavelength issues include: 10 Ways to Build an Inclusive Onboarding Experience, Mastering Productivity, Managing & Leading Teams, and the Work-Rest Fractal.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Productivity, Employee Engagement & Leadership.

When to expect it? Periodical publication with new posts delivered to your inbox.

Where to sign up: Check out their latest newsletter here and enter your email in the top right corner to subscribe.

14) Evil HR Lady

“Demystifying HR”

Suzanne Lucas is the author behind the Evil HR Lady blog and she has a lot to say about the underbelly of HR. The goal of her blog is to demystify the HR department and provide some clarity on tough HR topics such as payroll, discrimination, and hostile work environments. She candidly pulls back the curtain and shares HR process information that not everyone is typically privy to.

Why we love this HR newsletter:  Evil HR Lady is like having a BFF who works in HR and can give you the inside scoop on why HR makes the decisions they do. The blog also provides insightful articles on workplace culture, productivity and professional development. We also love the Submit a Question feature on her site where you can submit any burning questions via email.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Culture, Employee Engagement & Professional Development.

When to expect it? Periodic blog post format. Subscribe to get blog post notifications via email.

Where to sign up: Click here and sign up under the Subscribe to Blog by Email section on the right.

15) SmartBrief Daily on Workforce

“Essential Reading for HR Professionals”

Rather than spending hours scouring the internet for the best HR articles and news updates, let SmartBrief do that work on your behalf. SmartBrief Daily on Workforce provides daily updates on essential reading for HR professionals pulled from leading industry sources such as Bloomberg Businessweek.

Why we love this HR newsletter: We love that SmartBrief sends only the best and most reliable HR news articles your way, saving you time and keeping you informed. Topics include employee online learning, how to talk compensation, and strategic risk-taking.

What this HR newsletter is best at: Trending HR News, HR Tools & Software, and Culture.

When to expect it?: HR daily news summary.

Where to sign up: Enter your email address on this site to subscribe.

People Also Ask These Questions About HR Newsletters

Q: What makes an HR newsletter good?

• A: A good HR newsletter provides relevant and useful HR content directly to your inbox. A good HR newsletter should contain relevant news and HR insights specific to your interests and professional focus.

Q: What are the benefits of signing up for an HR newsletter?

• A: One of the main benefits of signing up for an HR newsletter is that is saves you time and energy. Rather than searching the internet for helpful HR news articles, you can have the most relevant HR news delivered straight to your inbox by selecting the best newsletters that work for you.

Q: What kind of content goes into an HR newsletter?

• A: Common HR newsletter content includes trending HR news, emerging HR software, and workplace culture articles.

Q: What are the best newsletters for human resource professionals?

• A: Some of the best newsletters for human resource professionals include Bonusly, People First, and HR Dive. Check out the rest of this article for details on these newsletters and many more.

The post Top 15 Best HR Newsletters For Busy Human Resource Professionals In 2022 [Upgrade Your Inbox] appeared first on SnackNation.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Most employees may not remember the exact amount on their Holiday cash bonus check. But ask them about the group trip the team took last summer or the gift they received for their good work, and odds are they can go on and on about these topics because they have an emotion embedded in those experiences. Non-monetary incentives are a fantastic way to reward and motivate your employees.

In a hurry? These are some of our favorite non-monetary incentive rewards & platforms:

WorkTango	Rewarding your team’s priorities, culture, and performance with premium incentives	Visit WorkTango
Bonusly	Sending redeemable points with social recognition	Visit Bonusly
Awardco	Getting something off their wishlist	Visit Awardco
Bucketlist	Gifting them an experience of a lifetime	Visit Bucketlist
Mo Work	Recognizing them via a company-wide shoutout	Visit Mo Work

Let’s go ahead and learn more about what non-monetary incentives are and how they can help your business.

What are non-monetary incentives?

Non-Monetary incentives are non-cash perks or benefits provided by an employer to an employee. Examples of non-monetary incentives include extra time off, work flexibility, and experiential rewards.

Employees are looking to companies to provide them with an exceptional work environment and culture that encourages them to grow personally and professionally. Non-monetary rewards allow your company to do just that and more.

Non-monetary incentives benefit companies and employees in several ways, including the following:

• Boosts employee engagement.
• Improves employee retention.
• Attracts top talent in the market.
• Provides growth opportunities for internal talent.
• Increases job satisfaction and employee wellness.

Now that you have a solid idea of exactly what non-monetary incentives are and their benefits, let’s dive into 12 incentive ideas you can implement for happy, motivated employees!

1) Non-Monetary Incentive: Public Recognition and Praise

Public recognition and praise are key to employee well-being, employee motivation and employee retention. This vital non-monetary incentive ensures that your employees feel recognized for their accomplishments and appreciated for their crucial contributions to your company.

For many remote employees, the line between work hours and personal time has blurred as kitchens and bedrooms became office space. Many employees may be working additional hours or have taken on increased responsibilities, so it’s more important than ever to ensure these extra efforts are recognized.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Public Recognition with Kazoo

According to Kazoo, 2 out of 3 employees feel under-appreciated. Kazoo is an amazing employee recognition software that is looking to change that stat and help companies ensure their employees feel valued. Kazoo’s 360 recognition and reward platform allows for feedback from not only an employee’s manager or senior leaders, but also, from their peers which encourages every employee to participate.

Team Rose & Thorn Sessions

Another employee recognition idea is hosting a monthly Rose & Thorn session with your team. This provides your team with an opportunity to take a step back from their daily grind and reflect on their past month. During the session, ask each employee to share both a positive work experience or interaction from that month (their Rose) and a negative experience or hurdle that they’d like to improve (their Thorn). This forum offers your employees a chance to have their voice heard and can also help identify if your team may be experiencing commonalities with their Rose and Thorn topics.

Award a Trophy

Think back to when you were in grade school and your team took home the giant championship trophy. How cool was that? Even as an adult, there’s just something about a trophy that immediately fills you with a sense of pride. Whether it’s to recognize a specific accomplishment or to celebrate a significant work anniversary, a trophy is a great way to reward and recognize your employees.

2) Non-Monetary Incentive: Physical/Tangible Gifts

Which do you remember opening on Christmas morning — A $20 bill from Grandma? Or the bike you’ve been begging your parents for? Tangible gifts for employees are a unique opportunity for personalized and meaningful engagement to incentivize and reward employees. Unlike monetary compensation, a tangible gift is something your employee can physically touch and interact with.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Caroo Happy Hour Box

With the large-scale shift to remote work due to Covid, many companies have been forced to think outside-the-box to come up with engaging virtual office party ideas. But, why not look inside the box as well? Caroo’s Happy Hour Box has just what your team needs to curate the ultimate remote happy hour experience, including a cocktail kit, a wine tumbler and even a party horn!

Company Swag From SwagUp

Who doesn’t love receiving some company swag?

SwagUp offers a ton of product branding options for your company. From notebooks and shirts to water bottles, they can help curate the perfect swag for your team. You even have access to a personalized dashboard to track your swag and easily reorder any popular items. Branded swag is a great way to boost employee morale. Go ahead and encourage your employees to rock those company t-shirts during that next VC call.

Gift for their office

Whether your employee’s workspace is in the company office, or located in their bedroom while working from home, having a dedicated and functional workspace is crucial for employee productivity. In addition to functionality, it’s nice to personalize the workspace as well with a high-quality office gift. You know your employee best, so why not send them the perfect add-on for their office space? Some ideas include:

• a quirky paperweight
• funny calendars
• sleek business card holder

3) Non-Monetary Incentive: Experiential Rewards

Experiential gifts are another fantastic non-cash reward to offer your employees. Experiential rewards provide employees with an experience in lieu of a monetary or physical gift. For example, did your team finish a project ahead of schedule? Reward them with a virtual game night which bolsters team bonding and provides a memorable experience.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Find The Perfect Experiential Reward With Blueboard

Blueboard offers an array of experiential rewards but here are some of our faves:

• Send employees to experience a relaxing and rejuvenating personal massage. What better way to recognize hard work or top performers than to treat them to an afternoon of relaxation and pampering?

• Have them journey through a local foodie tour where they have the opportunity to taste their way through the city. Your employees are sure to feel appreciated as they bite into a decadent dessert or sip on a delicious craft cocktail.

• Surprise them with an unforgettable trip. After over a year of living in a Covid-restricted world, everyone is certainly more than ready for a long overdue getaway. Blueboard can help you find the perfect trip package to reward your employees.

4) Non-Monetary Incentive: Flexibility at Work

Flexible working is a non-monetary incentive that has been on the rise as companies have adopted remote work this past year. One of the many remote employee perks includes a shift in company mindset to allow employees more flexibility than a strict 9 to 5 framework has historically provided. Providing your employees with this flexibility shows a high level of trust and faith in your employees’ capability to get the job done without micromanagement.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Work From Home Days

As many companies will likely transition back to in-office work from remote work during the latter half of this year, it’s important to not forget that employees can in fact be productive when working from home. Offering your employees some flex days where they can work from home instead of commuting into the office is a great intangible, non-monetary incentive that will bolster employee job satisfaction.

Half-day Fridays

Half-day Fridays are a great non-monetary incentive to offer your employees as it allows them the flexibility to check some items off their to-do list in the AM yet still enjoy the rest of the afternoon off the clock. This can also be a fun way to reward team members for a job well done or team members who have been burning the midnight oil that week.

Schedule Autonomy

Instead of setting strict time blocks or daily outlines for your employees, allow them to arrange their workday on their own and prioritize their projects as they see fit. Of course, it’s important to keep the chain of communication open and be sure that your employees understand their overall weekly objectives.

However, it’s just as important to ensure your employee feels empowered to set their own daily schedules and manage their workload accordingly. Encourage the team to keep their calendars up to date for visibility and scheduling purposes.

5) Non-Monetary Incentive: Additional Time Off

Additional time off is another awesome employee perk that can keep your team feeling rejuvenated and appreciated. Additional time off is any time off you offer to your employees aside from their accrued vacation days or sick days.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Summer Fridays

The sun is shining. The beach is beckoning. Why not give your employees just what they want on a beautiful summer afternoon? Implementing Summer Fridays is an easy, yet impactful, non-monetary incentive to offer your team. They’ll be sure to thank you for this work life balance perk when they’re digging their toes in the sand with a drink in hand.

Birthday Day Off

If you ask someone what they’re looking forward to on their birthday or how they want to celebrate, chances are going into the office doesn’t rank very high on that list. Show your employee that you appreciate the important moments in their lives and that taking a day off to celebrate themselves is both encouraged and supported.

6) Non-Monetary Incentive: Words of Appreciation

“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word.” – Emily Dickinson. Our words carry weight and impact the feeling of those around us, especially in the workplace. A simple thank you can go a long way in boosting your employees’ happiness. Expressing words of appreciation for your top talent employees is a way to highlight individuals who excel in their role and can help increase long-term employee retention.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Hand-written Note

We live in a world where almost everything is done electronically. Kick it old school and write your employee a hand-written note expressing your appreciation and your gratitude. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare—one or two sentences will do. The personalization of writing a note shows your employee that you’re willing to take time out of your day to thank them and makes them feel like a valued and respected member of your team.

Team Email Shout Out

Providing words of appreciation to your employee in a 1:1 setting is important. However, acknowledging their accomplishments in a more public manner is another prime example of an effective non-monetary incentive. Rather than sending them a thank you email directly or another kind of spot bonus, consider sending out an email to the full team highlighting that individual’s hard work or accomplishment. This not only makes that employee feel appreciated but can push other team members to put more effort into their work in hopes of being the topic of that next team shout out.

7) Non-Monetary Incentive: Opportunities to Volunteer

We’re all aware of the importance of employee engagement and that high levels of engagement can lead to spikes in employee happiness and retention. 2020 has been a year full of challenges and turmoil, but it has also been a year of reflection as well. Social, racial, political and justice issues have all come to the forefront of both personal and professional dialogue.

Providing your employees with an opportunity to volunteer and give back to the communities in which they live is a meaningful non-monetary incentive that increases employee engagement and pride.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Partner with Outback Team Building

Outback Team Building offers a range of services including team building, training courses, and coaching programs. A subset of their team building offering includes some wonderful volunteer opportunities. Working together towards a common, charitable cause is a great way to encourage team bonding and to empower your team to make a difference.

Charity Bike Build-a-thon

One example of an amazing volunteer opportunity is participating in a Charity Bike Build-a-thon. This is a great hands-on volunteer event in which your team will build and decorate bikes for a local children’s charity in your area. Your team members are supplied with everything they need for a successful and smooth event.

8) Non-Monetary Incentive: Professional & Personal Development Training

Providing employees with access to professional and personal development training opportunities is a vital branch of any employee incentive program. Whether the courses are in-person or virtual, you’re investing in a people-first culture at your company through these types of development offerings.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Training Courses

Have you noticed your employees asking a bunch of questions about PowerPoint or Excel? Investing in offering training courses helps arm your team with the tools they need to succeed and to further grow in their roles. Aside from software training, consider offering Human Resource training courses, such as Managerial or Objective setting seminars.

Personal Development Training Day

Remember that slightly overwhelming yet excited feeling you’d get from high school career days? Personal development days are kind of like the adult version of that. Personal development days are a great way to show your employees that you believe in developing and nurturing their unique interests and skill sets.

9) Non-Monetary Incentive: One-on-One Time

Fun group office activities are great, right? But sometimes a one-on-one experience can be much more significant and meaningful to an employee. Investing in one-on-one time keeps an open dialogue between you and your employees, which helps to build trust amongst your team and ensures no one feels out of the loop.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Schedule a 1-on-1

If you lead a smaller team, consider adding weekly or bi-weeky one-on-one meetings between you and each member on your team. This provides your employees with a set time and forum to discuss hot button items, while also providing you with a chance to provide feedback on job performance or upcoming projects in the queue.

Fun Activity Outside The Office

The past year has been all about virtual team building opportunities, but at this point everyone is eager to step out from behind the glow of their computer screen. Take your employee out to enjoy a delicious dinner or lunch. Or try a creative activity like a pottery class, mixology lesson, or paint night.

10) Non-Monetary Incentive: Mentorship Program

There are a ton of team building activities and programs to choose from, but having a mentorship program has profound benefits. Senior employees get to nurture budding talent in the company and junior employees benefit from the learning opportunity — who doesn’t love a win-win?

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

1:1 Mentoring Plan

A great way to begin implementing a mentorship program at your company is to start small with 1:1 mentor matches. Try pairing up junior and senior team members, or pairing up employees from different departments who share common interests or career goals.

Job Shadowing

Allow employees to peek behind the curtain into various roles at your company. Job shadowing is an effective way to expose your employees to the responsibilities and day to day tasks that come with specific job positions. Perhaps your employee is interested in taking the next step in their career at your company.

Partnering them with someone who has experience in that next-step role shows that you’re encouraging their professional development and may keep that employee at your company as opposed to searching externally.

Mentoring Circles

Developing mentoring circles creates a welcoming space for like-minded employees to encourage and educate each other. A great place to start is implementing a women’s leadership mentoring circle where senior female executives can mentor women in more junior roles so they can share their experiences and knowledge to empower the next generation of company leaders.

11) Non-Monetary Incentive: Give Them More Autonomy

No one loves a helicopter boss micromanaging every move. Showing your employees that you trust them and their capabilities is a crucial non-monetary incentive that will keep your employees accountable and productive.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Create a Culture of Accountability

Every employee should feel empowered to excel in their job function in an autonomous fashion. Be sure to provide your employees with the tools and training they need to succeed and then allow them to use those tools. Accountability in a work environment motivates employees to feel true ownership of their projects and tasks. Allow your employees to fail forward and grow from their missteps.

Ask For Employee Opinions

Having a forum for your employees to voice their opinions and be truly heard is another way to increase overall employee engagement and job satisfaction levels. Some employees may be a bit more timid than others, so creating designated opportunities for your employees to vocalize their ideas can lead to company creativity and a better work culture.

Utilize monday.com

monday.com is an innovative project software management system that can help provide your team with the tools and structure needed for success. With a user-friendly platform, this workplace software creates a space for your employees to connect and collaborate to meet project goals.

12) Non-Monetary Incentive: Fringe Benefits

Fringe benefits are another prime example of non-monetary incentives that serve as a team motivator to incentivize your employees. Fringe benefits are essentially additional perks provided to your employees outside of financial compensation. For example, offering an employee wellness program at your company. There are a myriad of fringe benefits you could offer your employees, so let’s check out a few options below.

How to Implement This Non-Monetary Employee Incentive

Gym Membership

Offering a wellness program that includes a reduced price or no cost gym membership keeps your employees both happy and healthy. It also shows your employees that you care about their overall well-being, and not just their output at work.

Commuter Incentives

Everyone hates being stuck in traffic during those peak commuter hours. Incentivize your employees to take public transportation options or start a co-worker carpool and reward them with perks for doing so. Not only does this help your company’s carbon footprint, but it’s the perfect fringe benefit for employees looking for alternate means of commuting.

Free Meals at Work

You can only eat so many turkey sandwiches in one week. Help your employees mix it up and incentivize them with free breakfast and/or lunch in the office. This is a simple perk that’s easy to offer your employees, but can go a long way in enhancing team morale.

People Also Ask These Questions About Non-Monetary incentives

Q: What is the difference between monetary and non-monetary incentives?

• A: Monetary incentives are cash or financial compensation provided by an employer to an employee, typically in addition to their salary. Non-Monetary incentives are non-cash perks or benefits provided by an employer to an employee.

Q: What is an example of a non-monetary incentive?

• A: Flexible working hours and experiential rewards are just a couple example of non-monetary incentives. Check out our article to deep dive into these non-monetary incentives and many more.

Q: Are monetary incentives better than non-monetary incentives?

• A: While monetary incentives may initially help recruit talent, non-monetary incentives help to improve company culture, employee job satisfaction and in effect, long-term employee retention.

The post 12 Non-Monetary Incentives Guaranteed to Keep Your Employees Motivated and Happy In 2022 appeared first on SnackNation.