Well it is – especially when you have the electric bill to pay and it’s time for the cars MOT then you discover the dog needs to go to the vets… Most people consider the only reward suitable for their hard work in the office to be a pay rise. But… sometimes it’s the little rewards that can be worth more to people – an extra days holiday every year or how about being given the option of working flexible hours or even a half day off to go out as a team.

Most employers offer their people benefits which can range from the usual suspects of an increase in holiday entitlement the longer you work there up to duvet days where you get one a day a year that is not part of your holiday entitlement to just call in and take a free day off to spend time in bed!! But if you don’t offer or get offered these or other sought after perks then what about getting them as an added bonus when you have achieved something worth recognizing?

So what could some of those tokens of thanks or recognition for a job well done be? How about;

• A vacation day
• Taken out to lunch by the boss
• Use of the bosses’ office for the day
• Purchase them something to do with their hobby
• Flexible working hours
• Team night out to at an exciting event

Or it could be something as simple as a written note of thanks… If you search for a new job most roles advertised will mentioned that benefits are on offer and they could be the difference between taking your dream job and dismissing it – Particularly if it is not offering quite the level of remuneration you were originally seeking. It is widely encouraged that you ask questions when attending an interview and this could be an excellent area to discuss with the interviewer, particularly if it is a role where you will always been contactable even on your weekends and holiday, and if you do fall into this trap make sure you are compensated for the intrusion and it does not simple become and expected, unrewarded part of your role.

We can’t demand rewards and recognition for doing our job but it can make the difference between enjoying your job and feeling valued by your employer and that nagging thought that perhaps you should look for a new position elsewhere…