Handing your top performing employees a catalog in which to choose a variety of useless tchotchkes emblazoned with a company logo isn’t exactly the best way to recognize them for a job well done. That said, as a Houston staffing firm, we know that employee recognition is important to the success of your organization. When you recognize people, you reinforce the behaviors and actions you most want them to repeat. In addition, employee who feel appreciated, produce better results.

So how can you best recognize employees for their work at your Houston company? Here are some ideas:

1. Offer praise.

Praise is probably one of the easiest, most effective – and underutilized – forms of recognition. Be generous with your praise and offer it regularly. And don’t just praise your star performers who deliver on important projects or help you increase sales. Make sure you also praise those employees who are dependable and consistent team players.

2. Write a thank you letter.

Writing a thank you letter that recognizes the specific contribution an employee made will go a long way in making that employee feel appreciated. It may sound overly simply, but a letter will generate a feeling of goodwill and loyalty. Not sure where to get started? Here are some tips:

• In your letter, describe the employee’s behavior or actions, and thank them for the contribution they made.
• Make sure you give your employee the letter near the time the event you’re praising took place.
• A handwritten note is great, but an email is also effective as long as it doesn’t come off like a form letter.

3. Give bonuses.

End of the year bonuses, attendance bonuses, or performance bonuses are great ways to say “thank you.”

4. Give gifts.

Know your employees’ interests enough to give gifts that will mean something to them. So if you know an employee is a foodie, give him or her a gift certificate to a hot new restaurant in Houston. Or, if you know your employee enjoys playing golf, a certificate for a free round will be much appreciated.

5. Present the recognition publicly.

Magnify the value of the recognition by naming the employee publicly, putting the employee’s name in a company newsletter, or sending out an email announcement.

What about you? Do you have an employee recognition program in place? If so, how do you recognize and reward your employees? We want to know!