Don’t worry, my eye twitched just as much when I wrote the title as yours when you read it. Before I’m sacrificed to the grammar gods, let me explain a little further.

At Stone Ward, our leadership is all about encouraging hard work. Going the extra mile is a common thing around here, and people generally do it with (though, sometimes without) a smile. In any case, the job gets done, and it gets done well.

The universal problem in the business world seems to be this: How do you get your employees to work hard to go above and beyond while keeping them happy at the same time?

Stone Ward has the answer: Done Goods.

The idea behind the Done Good is that when someone goes above and beyond in their daily work life, they’re rewarded with a $25 gift card to iTunes, Amazon, or Target. Sounds awesome, right?

You’re completely correct.

Not only is it great to get that email saying you’ve been given a Done Good (because who doesn’t love $25 to Amazon?), but also it’s great to know that the work you’ve been putting in is appreciated and not taken for granted.

If there’s one thing I can say that Stone Ward does better than most, it’s employee appreciation. Our leadership sets the standard of excellence, and they continually push us to reach, and even exceed, the goals they set for us. They are encouragers and coaches, and they go the extra mile to let us know they appreciate everything we do for them.

They’re the type of leadership you want to go the extra mile for, Done Goods or not.

Personally, I think everyone should implement a similar program into their business model. Rewards encourage performance and keep employee morale high. Everyone likes to know that what they’re doing matters and is appreciated, and this accomplishes that and then some.

Nothing beats the feeling of a metaphorical pat on the back and a little encouragement.

What about you? What does your business do to encourage above and beyond performance?