The unprecedented COVID-19 has forced employees and organizations all over the world to get used to the habit of working remotely. While everyone is getting used to the new normal, some employees might not still have the same level of energy and enthusiasm while working from home, whereas others enjoy the ability to put in their work when it best fits their schedule.

Even though this is the case, employees face distractions at home every day and this makes it easy to disengage from their job which impacts employee productivity. A great way to keep remote employees engaged, motivated and productive is through an employee rewards programme which enables employees to follow a specific path with the ultimate goal of getting the reward.

You might say, ‘all employees are motivated by a decent paycheck‘- that’s right but that is NOT the only proverbial reward that drives people to work hard and do well. In fact, Maslow’s Hierarchy of self-esteem states that people have a desire to accomplish things and then have their efforts recognized.

Recognition and rewards will vary from organization to organization, and how you appreciate employees will depend on your unique company needs. Your team could be motivated by a company-sponsored outing, a thoughtful email, or a gift card to their favorite store. It’s up to you to understand how to most meaningfully appreciate your team members and with what rewards.

According to one blog, 79 percent of employees say that recognition makes them work harder, and 78 percent are more productive after being rewarded. When used effectively, a reward and recognition programme can drive employee engagement in several ways, even during a global pandemic. Here’s how: