As an employer, if you do not create a great, rewarding place for work, your employees won’t do great work.
Ask yourself, what keeps you going in your professional life? What drives you to stay focused on your ultimate business goals? It could be money, satisfaction, or simply a wish to make yourself and your life better day by day. These motivational aspects are directly linked to your overall performance and productivity. Similarly, everybody else needs the same positive push that may keep them focused, including your hired employees. Any employer can keep their employees stay focused with the help of rewards and appreciation. Rewards become a little more important for you if you are a business owner who has outsourced a team of virtual assistants. It gets tough to emote anything when you are not physically working with your employees. So it is always wise to plan rewards that may keep your Virtual Assistants productive and motivated throughout. With the end of this article you would have 11 ways you can consider rewarding your Virtual Assistants: Show that you are a ‘team’ The very basic reward comes in the form of belongingness. As an employer, make sure you tell your Virtual Assistants that they are a part of the broader mission. Employees perform better when they have a sense of how their work impacts the overall and ultimate goals. Tell your virtual assistants how their work input affects their team and the entire business. For instance, if you hired a link building specialist, let them know how their efforts are improving your SEO rankings. Pay for overwork Work at times demands giving more time than expected and if this is something you want your employees to understand, there are few things you also need to keep in mind being a boss. Working more than the allotted shifts or over the holidays can be inconvenient for your virtual assistants and might take away their personal time and commitments. So be sure that you understand this and are paying them for the extra work, timely. When you incentivize them for the additional tasks, it conditions them to be the same support in a similar situation in the future. Paid leaves Uncertainty is the most stressful feeling in life. There may come times when your Virtual Assistant falls sick, has to take care of a family member, or have a personal issue to deal with. Paid time off can be a considerate gesture in such a crisis. Paying your hired hands while they cannot work, gives out the message that you care. This also gives them an incentive to be sincere towards you and your business in the long-term. 13th Salary The 13th salary or end-of-year bonus is an extra payment given to employees at the end of twelve months. This bonus is based on many factors but as an employer and a business owner, you can customize this whole process as per your requirements. When you do this, you may reduce absenteeism and the sluggish attitude of your employees. You never know what great purpose your given bonus can serve for a virtual assistant. Acknowledge their hard work! Everybody loves when unexpectedly good things happen. Your virtual assistant starts relishing working with you when you offer valuable benefits to them. You gradually establish a long-term working relationship with them. There are times when employees prefer praise and recognition over monetary rewards. Find some ways how you can acknowledge impeccable performances. You can choose to highlight your virtual assistant’s contribution in a blog post or by sharing some triumph words over the group chat. This instills a sense of accomplishment and keeps them going. A soft pat on the back, virtually How do you feel when someone personally tells you something good about you? These praises instantly push you to strive to be better, always. This is what you need to do with your virtual assistants. Tell them about their improvement and the outstanding contribution they bring to the table. If you have hired a web designer, let them know how their design is making a great impact on the business. A simple “thank you” or “kudos” can do a lot of miracles to inspire your virtual assistants to perform their best, every day. Give leadership opportunities One of the major motivational turns is when an employee is given an opportunity to show that they can lead. This builds their confidence and shows them that they can grow with you. For example, you can ask your virtual marketing manager to lead a whole new project rather than you doing it like always. This ensures their growth and overall development. Short training and professional courses An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. Remember, everyone loves to learn. Offering training, study materials, and references related to work can be a great way to strengthen your employees’ engagement. They will appreciate the kind gesture and will also enhance their skills. These skills will eventually help them handle their tasks in a better manner. All this would also make them more experienced as a professional. Healthcare incentives Health is the biggest wealth and so is anything that can offer care for it. It is always kind and considerate to sponsor health care benefits to your virtual assistants. Employers who take care of their employees’ medical needs are highly valued. Employees often feel comforted and supported if they are offered an extensive health insurance plan. This would also generate goodwill for your organization. Birthday Surprises Birthdays or special occasions are also a great way to reward your virtual assistant. You can choose to send gift certificates, vouchers, or an actual gift for a more personal touch. A birthday leave or an overnight staycation booking can also be a great option. These little, out-of-the-blue surprises can make your virtual assistant feel valued which in the long run would increase their loyalty and dedication towards you and your organization. Apart from all the timely rewards, remember... When you are not seeing or meeting your virtual assistants daily, it is quite possible to misunderstand their situation at times. Treating them coldly or assigning endless tasks without thanking them enough may harm their morale. Things can never be perfect but you have to remember that your Virtual Assistants are humans too. A little bit of empathy mixed with guidance can be the ideal solution. Timely acknowledge their work and provide constructive feedback. Through this, they will feel connected and will be more passionate about their work. Author Bio Rangoli Roy works as a Content Specialist for a BPO company based in India named Acelerar Technologies. In her free time, she loves to express her creativity through poetry and art. You can find her spreading positivity through her art on her Instagram Blog called ‘thepoetesswithblackbindi’.
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