Keeping Staff Motivated
Being the first in and last out, being accountable, having a strong work ethic and being innovative are all marks of a great employee. To keep up behaviors like this and maintain high levels of performance, staff members need motivation. Some new hires start out strong in the beginning and gradually tire over time. Their productivity begins to wane. The same is true for long-term employees who have weathered the storms and held fast with a company.Showing gratitude for their efforts is the perfect place to start when it comes to motivating staff. People who feel invested and accepted within a group are more inspired to perform. So how can you show your staff that they are appreciated? What are the best strategies for making sure they feel their influence and value within a team, and not like just another cog in the industrial machine?
Employee Engagement and the Science of Gift Giving
If your employees are not engaged, then they will not perform. Kevin Krus, the author of Employee Engagement 2.0, said that employee engagement is not necessarily employee happiness. There is a difference. Engagement is an employee’s emotional connection to the company they are working for and for that company’s goals. It means that an employee is not just working for a paycheck, but rather because of an emotional commitment.You definitely want high engagement in all of your employees, but it can be hard to maintain. Psychologically speaking, appreciation and gratitude can go a long way. A study conducted in 2010 by Adam M. Grant from the University of Pennsylvania and Francesca Gino from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill dove into the effects of gratitude among university fundraisers.
What they found was that a fundraising group who received an in-person message of gratitude from the school’s director of annual giving made 50% more fundraising calls than the control group. Grant and Gino go on to conclude their research by saying, “Small expressions of gratitude can motivate prosocial behaviors by leading helpers to feel socially valued.” What this means is, as the title of their article says, a little thanks goes a long way.Gift giving is a proven way of showing appreciation and giving thanks. Gifts can be used as small bonuses for hard work, dedication, longevity or a number of other reasons. But what qualifies as a good gift can change from person to person. A quick google search on gift ideas for employees yields list upon list of gimmicks and trinkets that could go either way for many people.
Some people might really enjoy a small orchid to brighten up their workspace. But what about the individuals with bad allergies? Maybe a desk organizing kit or something like that would be a better option.
What you are really trying to do is show them gratitude, and most of these ideas fall short of that. Some of them sound okay on their own, but you don’t want to risk looking insincere or uninterested. You need something simple and meaningful that not only says thank you but also imparts a feeling of social gratitude and appreciation. This is where corporate coins come into play.
What are Corporate Coins?
Corporate coins symbolize unity and team spirit. Just as the military challenge coins from where the tradition began, corporate coins are an emblem of distinction. They can be used for anniversaries, milestones in company progress, or simply as a boost in team morale for the completion of large and pivotal projects. They promote a feeling of inclusion and, even more importantly, belonging.To really understand what corporate coins are all about, it’s a good idea to take a look at the military challenge coins that have been popular in the US Armed Forces since as early as World War I. Superior officers commission challenge coins that depict the colors, emblems and mottos of their unit for the soldiers and sailors in their command. They are handed out personally to each person by the officer in charge after successful missions, after completing training or during award ceremonies.
Challenge coins are a personal gift that represents the shared experience of an entire unit, including successes, failures and everything in between. Each one is earned through those experiences. They are never just given away. The same is true for corporate coins. Designs feature company logos and colors, and they can be awarded by a superior as a sign of good faith and appreciation.
Creating a Gift With Substance To Motivate Your Staff
Generic things like gift cards, desk ornaments and other simple things for around the office don't have the same positive effect as a custom coin. The psychology behind gift giving shows that people appreciate a gift with substance, so a thoughtful gift like a personalized challenge coin will have a better impact by showing real gratitude. Designing corporate coins with Signature Coins is a simple process. Just send us your ideas and our art team will get started on a free proof for you to look over. Designs will often incorporate references to work functions and gatherings that celebrate anniversaries, business milestones and team achievements. Just like Grant and Gino’s research shows, leaders who give their staff a personal message of gratitude will have a higher performing workforce. Challenge coins embody that message of appreciation and are kept as a reminder of an employee’s value to the team and influence in the business.
