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How do you reward your employees?

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Marnie Ashcroft, founder of Glow Juicery (glowjuicery.ca), says that she rewards her team for daily activities with small bonuses, but also reinforces qualities she likes to see in her staff. “Employees who support local charities and community events are rewarded with internal recognition and financial support for these projects … Through continued mentorship, social media exposure and bonus offers, our teams are active and engaged with non-profit organizations and the parts of our community that need volunteer support to be successful.” Ashcroft is one of AWE’s 2015 Celebration of Achievement nominees.

PHOTO BY LINDA PATTERSON/TIMELESS EDGE PHOTOGRAPHY (TIMELESSEDGE.COM)

“Our business model is unique in that our students are consumers and employees! We reward them by providing them with an opportunity to become entrepreneurs. At Bolly-D, we provide the motivation, inspiration and all the right team-building tools they need to get self-employed.”— Deepti Sami, founder of Bolly-D Dance Fitness — bolly-d.com

“Our team is rewarded with performance-based success and recognition that each member of our team contributes to the company goals. Personal leadership, passion and drive to achieve our goals together enable our success. Our success as a team is what will reward us into the future as our company grows. Hard work is what our team knows and looks for as a reward towards success.”— Kristen Mackie, owner and creative director at eLiasz and eLLa — eliaszandella.com

“I reward my employees by paying attention to what is important to them; each one has unique hobbies and interests outside of work. Taking the time to verbally check in with my employees welcomes an open approach to communication and allows me to build rapport. Rewards can come in all shapes and sizes; a gift certificate to their favourite yoga studio or restaurant, a paid day off to spend with family, or covering the expenses for a continuing education conference.”— Keltie Brisson, owner of Rehab and Retreat Day Program — rehabandretreat.com

“The age-old reward of course is financial, but I have found over the past few years that my employees have responded very well to out-of-the-box methods, such as added responsibility, opportunities to share in decision making, opportunities to mentor junior employees, off-site fun events, dedicated time for review and kudos. Everyone likes appreciation and an indication that they are contributing to the big picture.”— Faith Grant, president of Rejuvenation Health Services Inc. — rejuvenationhealth.ca

“I believe in hard work, but I believe in vacation more, so I reward employees with time off. A relaxed, rejuvenated employee is far more valuable than one that has burnt out. I insist on daily breaks and vacation time, and when that is not enough, I ensure to praise them. Recognition for a job well done makes everyone feel better. It can be a simple email or a gift card to their favourite restaurant; it’s the little things that count.”— Pardee Badyal, CEO and founder of Art Trends — arttrends.ca

“The most lasting satisfaction comes from being part of a team that accomplishes great things. We strive to recruit and retain people who fit our culture and share our objectives, and we communicate through platforms like all-staff meetings, one-on-one meetings and our Intranet. We make sure our employees understand our organization’s goals and how they contribute to them. Developing skills, expanding personal networks and making a difference are the most important rewards our people want.”— Derek Hudson, chief operating officer at Edmonton Economic Development Corporation — eedc.ca

“One of my employees has been going way above and beyond with his performance this year. So I sent him to a huge content marketing conference and to a yoyo contest in Japan. I like to reward people with personal development opportunities and exciting trips. He’s pretty happy.”— Chris Mikulin, owner of CLYW — clyw.ca

“Generally I skip the standard short-term motivator — money. Yes, we give bonuses and raises, but I have found that rewarding employees with trust and sincere gratitude or praise goes a long way in terms of motivation. It’s helped us successfully run remote employees and get great work out of them.”— Nathaniel Schick, founder of B2B Data Marketing — boost2business.ca

These answers are in response to a question posed by Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business. Here’s his take: “How to reward employees might be seen as a trick question, because it isn’t nearly as simple as one might think. That is because human beings are not simple at all. For some people, financial rewards mean everything. For others, it is all about recognition and praise. For most of us, it is a lot of things that are not nearly as simple as those two items alone. For many millennials, the opportunity to explore and try new things is the reward they have been looking for. Often it is an opportunity to be empowered to use one’s own idea in something. For other generations, other factors will be at play that will speak to what they value and strive to achieve. Personally — and this is just part of my own DNA — I believe the most fundamental reward that we can offer others is the opportunity to feel important and be recognized for making a difference. That is the reward I am seeking every day.”

“I reward employees based on their loyalty, professionalism and performance. Most often it is through gifts or bonuses, which would be of most benefit to the particular employee … I also believe that employees should receive a regular pay increase, and that any employee worth keeping is worth giving a raise to. If they are not deserving of this, why would I keep them on my staff?”— Anita Johnston, owner and operator of Tundra 1st Aid Services Ltd.

“The work we do supporting individuals with special needs is not easy, which is why recognizing our staff is important. We want them to know we appreciate their efforts. We have a referral program, we host FUN special events, and we acknowledge birthdays, years of service and internal promotions. We have a limited budget, but we are creative and find ways to recognize great staff.”— Michelle Hordal, founder and executive director of Alberta AdaptAbilities Association — adaptabilities.ca

“February is our busiest month, so at the beginning of March, I sent my staff to the spa for pedicures to thank them for their hard work. It gave them time together outside of work to relax, get pampered, socialize and forget about winter for a while. It was a reward that had a lasting effect, as they remembered it when they went home and removed their socks each night.”— Debbie Engel, owner of Debbie L Engel Professional Corporation — depc.ca

“I listen to what is important to my staff, and customize rewards to each employee. This may be challenging as we grow bigger, but right now it is a great fit for our team. We have done travel vouchers, gift cards, technology gadgets, etc.”—Catherine Vu, chief uptime officer of Pro-Active IT Management Inc. — proactiveit.ca

“I watch for what their goals are and try to reward them accordingly. Some work to visit their families, so we sent some workers to the Philippines, and on another occasion, to Halifax for a newborn grandchild. Some work to travel. In that case, we gave them gift cards for hotels they usually visit. Every year, we have a Christmas party where we recognize staff achievements with gifts. Everybody is different and brings unique skills to the company that need to be recognized!”— Mariana Konsolos, owner of Princess Florence Handbags & More — princessflorence.ca

“Annually, employees who achieve productivity targets are provided with education credits to use as they please. In the middle of any large job, we will call a ‘pizza day’ and take a meal break to unwind as a team before we roll up our sleeves to finish. We also celebrate small daily achievements with words of encouragement.”— Shelly Anderson, CEO of Naoka Inc. — naokainc.com

“We’re in the bootstrapping startup phase, and while I want to be able to shower my amazing employees with cash, reality dictates that I be creative with compensation. My first hire surprised me when she said she’d love a Costco card as an employee benefit — it saves her hundreds and only cost the business $50. Done!”— Claire Theaker-Brown, Flatter:Me Belts — flattermebelts.com

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Entrepreneurs explain how they show their appreciation to staff

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These answers were collected from this year’s nominees for the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Celebration of Achievement award. For more on

the nominees and the events to honour them, visit aweinspiringentrepreneurs.com.

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