question? so you own a bussiness. what would you do for your valued in employees?

first off i would provide insurance for all employees, and also would have a employee of the month whom would get a gift basket filled with stuff,, and during thanksgiving give out certificates for turkeys for all employees,,and during the christmas holiday i would have lavish holiday parties for all employees and there dear families and the children would recieve presents from santa claus...there ya have it from me..
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These are all well and good but cost money. As someone who managed people for a long time there are a few things that employees want besides free turkeys. Trust and Responsibility. When employees do well reward them with your trust and issue them greater responsibilities. Show them you believe in them. When a decision has to be made that will affect them, such as work flows or overtime scheduling, bring them into the decision making process. Ask them for ideas. If it is a good idea use it. Have regular meetings, Ask.. How can we do this better?.. Why do you think this isn't working?.. Tell them that in the meeting there is no boss and to speak freely. They'll work harder to make their idea work than if a decision was forced down upon them. This is how you create "job ownership". The job then becomes more important to them than just a place to earn a paycheck. If you have to cut costs, it is very possible that your staff will know what processes and functions are not necessary or redundant. Create a team atmosphere. People will want to come to work if they feel part of a team, not just on the day you hand out gift baskets. Tell them 'Thank you', not with a gift, but with a handsake, and make it heartfelt. You'd be surprised how far that goes, well beyond some apples in wicker. And a 'cashless' gift that they will truly appreciate is time off. Once in a while just go up to someone who has been working exceptionally hard, and tell them to take the rest of the day off. A couple of hours here and there won't cost your organization much, but it will mean a whole lot to your employees. Money isn't everything when it comes to job satisfaction.
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