Incentives to keep your staff happy…without breaking the bank
2 August 2019 at 5:03 pm
Giving your staff a financial bonus at the end of a good month is nice, but if like most charities your budget is looking a bit tight, here are five ways to make your team feel special that don’t involve money.
Everyone loves annual leave, and even more when it’s free
If your organisation has a shut-down period over Christmas, rewarding your team with a bonus day of leave can be a great way to thank them for their hard work over the year.
“Rather than people using their bank of leave, there’s an additional day of leave that we give to people to thank them,” Jo Stavrou, Guide Dogs Victoria people and culture manager, explains.
Flexibility can be affordable
If you can, offering flexible working hours or the ability to work from home is a great, affordable way to keep your staff onside.
“Being flexible so your staff are able to meet their needs outside of the workplace is really important and something that I know we as an organisation can afford to give our team members,” Jo says.
“A fortunate aspect of running an NFP is that we are often able to offer a greater degree of flexibility than the corporate environment does.”
Marking milestones
We’re not telling you to shut the whole office down, but marking birthdays and service milestones in a small way is thoughtful.
“We usually host a morning tea or lunch depending on the occasion,” she says.
“Our employee engagement survey always shows that it’s one of the reasons people love working at Guide Dogs Victoria so much.”
Recognise good work
Knowing your mission and purpose is one of the most important parts of a successful NFP, so it’s important to recognise and reward staff members who are making a special effort to uphold the organisation’s values.
“We run a rewards program every quarter that recognises staff members exhibiting great behaviour,” Jo explains.
“We share those nominations within the organisation and through our volunteer’s newsletter so their great work is really highlighted and celebrated.”
Bring your pet to work day
While access to a whole lot of Labrador puppies is very unique to Guide Dogs Victoria, letting your staff bring in their friendly pet once in a while is a great way to boost morale.
“Pets are just a lovely addition to the work environment, and being able to bring them into the office with you is a great perk,” she says.
