Each and every day, your employees come in and do their jobs so that your business can run smoothly and effectively. Unfortunately, more often than not, these employees — who pour so much of their time and effort into helping you reach your goals — end up feeling unvalued and unwelcome in their own workspace. This is especially true as time goes by and they are no longer “the shiny new tool” in the office.
Luckily, there is a way to prevent this outcome and cultivate a welcoming and energetic company culture from day one to day one-thousand-and-one.
That’s right, this bleak future of unmotivated and undervalued employees is not set in stone. You can avoid this negative spiral by actively showing your employees that you value and care about them. And one of the best ways to do this is to offer fun and engaging employee incentives, such as company-branded gifts or promotional products, that ensure your employees know you appreciate them and what they do for your company each day.
Benefits of Using Promotional Products as Employee Incentives
So, without further ado, let’s explore exactly why you should be using promotional products as incentives for your employees.
Improve Employee Motivation
Promotional products are a great way to raise employee morale and motivation. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like getting free stuff, and when it comes to the workplace, company-branded free stuff is an absolute treat. Not only does this help make your employees feel welcome into your company culture — because they can represent where they work through apparel or accessories — but it also helps spur a higher level of unity and pride in the workplace.
Drive Productivity
When your employees are more motivated, they are more productive. This is a simple fact that holds true for any type of business. The reality is that anything you can do to improve employee motivation will have positive effects on your company’s overall productivity.
So, one way to steer your company towards a more productive future is to offer your employees things they can use to better facilitate their work. The occasional fun promotional incentive or gift that is relevant to your employees’ daily jobs can help get them excited about work each day, and this enthusiasm can lead to more productivity and higher-quality work.
Boost Engagement
Alongside the increase in motivation and productivity mentioned above, offering your employees promotional products can also help boost engagement. One fun fact about humans is that most of us are much more comfortable with giving than we are receiving. It is human nature to want to “return the favor” when we get something — like a free promotional gift. In a business setting, this often translates into higher levels of employee engagement in daily affairs.
In other words, when employees are given promotional products, it not only helps them feel more connected to their company but also encourages them to be more engaged and invested in their work.
Build Positive Company Culture and Unified Teams
One great way to build a unified and welcoming workplace culture is to help your employees bond through similar company products or merchandise. Stylish company apparel or other branded products can help boost your employee’s pride in your company and be a great way for them to show off where they work to their friends and family as well.
Additionally, you can help create stronger team unity and camaraderie with matching company merch — such as matching shirts for teams with names or “famous sayings” they are known for in your company.
Make Employees Feel Valued
Your employees do so much for your business; without them, you wouldn’t be nearly as successful as you are now. But, more often than not, many employees go through their day-to-day work feeling undervalued and unappreciated. To prevent this from happening, you have to actively make an effort to show your team that you see what they do and you appreciate it.
One great way to do this is to give them company-branded promotional products. This can boost your employees’ moods and motivation and be a great way to ensure that your employees feel appreciated and like a valuable part of your team.
How to Leverage Company Promotional Products Effectively
Now that you know what benefits promotional products can bring for your business (and employees), you may wonder how you can begin using these products.
Pick the Right Products
If you don’t know where to start with promotional products, stick to the ones you know your employees can use. This could be something as small or simple as pens or sticky notes. These products are always useful in an office setting, making them a great first option.
After you’ve experimented a bit, you can think about finding more unique products that your employees will love and that align with your company goals and values.
Create a Welcome Kit for New Hires
Joining a new company can be intimidating, and your new hires will likely be feeling both excited and scared about their first day or week on the job. By offering even a small or simple onboarding or new-hire kit, you can ease some of these nerves and ensure your new employees feel welcome. Some great options to include in one of these kits are a super cool company t-shirt, promotional pen or notepad, and/or company mug to use in the breakroom.
Recognize & Appreciate Your Current Employees
Another great way to leverage promotional products is to show your appreciation for all the hard work your employees do for you each day. Whether you celebrate individual “workiversaries” (work-anniversaries) with a stylish cork base company mug or show your appreciation for an entire team with sleek refillable journals, making a visible effort to show your appreciation can be the key to keeping your employees happy and engaged in their work.
Use Promotional Products as Rewards & Incentives
While you do not need a specific event, occasion, or even reason to begin creating fun and useful promotional products, sometimes it can help to start off with a theme or concept — like a reward or incentive. Whether you have your teams host small weekly or monthly challenges or events to help boost team unity (and productivity), or you simply wish to reward employees for their hard work, promotional products can be an excellent way to offer a small but valuable reward.
Take Care of Your Employees
Offering products that show your employees that you care about their well-being and health can be one of the best ways to get them involved and excited about any events, programs, or special occasions you host.
Some great brand products to include in these cases include water bottles, workout towels, baseball caps, or drawstring bags.
Start Using Promotional Products Today!
Whether you run a small start-up business or a well-established enterprise corporation, you owe much of your success to your employees. So, why not pay some of that back by helping your employees understand just how important they are to your business by gifting them some awesome original company swag?
Maybe you already have something special in mind for the perfect product for your employees. Or perhaps you’re simply thinking about what you may want to give them for an upcoming event or reward. No matter which boat you’re in, if you are ready to start creating some one-of-a-kind promotional products, reach out to Spotlight Strategies today!
Erin Smith is co-owner of Spotlight Strategies, a marketing solutions firm specializing in print, apparel, promotional product and signs. An accomplished health care administrator turned business owner, Erin brings rare behavioral expertise to the world of small business.
With a Master’s degree in social work, and a thriving business she is a sought after advisor, coach and mentor to many of Indiana’s small business owners and support associations. Erin demonstrates unwavering commitment and facilitates profitability to any organization to which she directs her time and talent, and is successful in motivating and empowering people whether supporting a cause or building a company.
