How to tailor rewards to fit employees and boost motivation

When it comes to motivating employees, one size doesn’t fit all. To truly inspire and engage your team, it’s essential to tailor rewards to fit employees, recognizing their unique preferences and what drives them. As Mary Kay Ash’s story illustrates, a well-intentioned reward can backfire if it misses the mark.  Which makes it all the more critical for leaders to get it right.

Before Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Cosmetics in the early sixties, she worked as a salesperson for Stanley Home Products. She recalls that she won a prize in an internal sales contest. While she appreciated the recognition, she was not entirely thrilled with her prize. “It was a flounder light. Something you’re supposed to pin on your hip boots when you fish at night!” She remembers, “I was devastated. What a terrible thing to give any woman. You can tell it was a man who was awarding those prizes.”

Rewards only work if they fit the employee

Whether or not you agree with her, it is clear that her manager missed the mark. And while this faux pas may have occurred over sixty years ago, its message is still timely to leaders and managers today. Basic motivational theory says that employees do what they see is rewarded, and what motivates one employee may not necessarily be a motivator for the next. Successful leaders and managers know there is no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to recognizing, rewarding, and motivating employees. It is critical to tailor rewards to fit employees. In Mary Kay’s case, not only was the flounder light not a motivator, but it also actually became a de-motivator!

Take the time to understand what drives each of your employees (and in some cases, your coworkers). Some people thrive on public recognition, others value private acknowledgment. If you are going to offer a small token of your appreciation, don’t give tickets for a baseball game to someone who would prefer to attend the opera. Yet others see greater responsibility as a reward, while some need no recognition whatsoever. Remember, the key to effective leadership is to tailor rewards to fit employees, ensuring that what you offer aligns with their unique preferences.

How do you tailor recognition or rewards to fit the diverse preferences of your team? Have you ever experienced a situation where a personalized approach to recognition made a big difference? What strategies have worked for you in understanding what drives your employees or coworkers? Please share your experiences so we can all learn together. Add your comment below.