“Not only does management acknowledge employees with pats on the back and rewards (e.g., Zingdollars to buy our food products; pizza parties; etc.), we publish a monthly newsletter to which employees contribute names and a line or two about how their colleagues wowed them on the job. Last month we had six pages of thank-yous and bravos. The moment the newsletter is published, everyone reads it to look for their name.”
- Leah Trulik, hr generalist, Zingerman’s, Ann Arbor, MI

“To help ensure that servers are taking home consistent pay, on slow nights we exempt them from sharing tips with the bar and bussers; we cover the tip pool contribution (3-4%). At lunch we guarantee servers $10/hour. Plus, we give them a monthly $50 food credit to spend on their night off (Sundays – Wednesdays). We ask them to dress properly, dine with another person, and not to socialize with working servers.”
- Roy Assad, partner, Leila, West Palm Beach, FL

“Every few months, we give each employee a coupon for one of our products (a pie, a frozen soup, etc.). The number depends on how long they’ve been with us – a veteran receives 10. This is a cost-effective way to thank employees throughout the year and a great way to expose them to products we sell. Most importantly, they tell us they really look forward to using the coupons.”
- Paul Cunningham, owner, Schreiner’s, Fond Du Lac, WI