Sodexo Engage reveals 3 ways schools can reward and recognise teachers

Recently ranked among the top five most stressful jobs in the UK, there’s no denying teachers are under a great deal of pressure to produce results – not only from their superiors, but parents too.

Over the past 18 months this pressure has been magnified by the pandemic, as teachers had the task of managing a shift to online learning and then a socially distanced classroom. People are often quick to point out teachers have the luxury of half terms and long summer holidays, but much of these breaks are spent planning and preparing for the new term ahead.

As schools start back up again in September employers must ensure their teachers are well supported. With that in mind, employee benefits provider Sodexo Engage has put together three ways to recognise teachers.

  1. Vouchers

There’s a common misconception that cash is always king when it comes employee reward. However, monetary bonuses carry a major pitfall in that they are often swallowed up and lost in an employee’s usual monthly pay cheque.

Instead, reward teachers with vouchers, or eVouchers. Vouchers are a versatile initiative that can be tailored towards specific members of staff, making them a much more personable and valued reward than cash on its own – whether that be a voucher for their favourite restaurant, or an activity for them to look forward to at the weekend.

Vouchers are a great way of ensuring employees have a tangible reward to show for their efforts, something which Incentive Research Foundation found can increase employee performance by 22%.

  1. Peer to peer recognition

Recognition doesn’t have to always come in the form of physical reward, and it doesn’t have to come from the top down either. In fact, being commended by a colleague can be just as rewarding as getting praise from management, and this is echoed by a Harvard Business School study which revealed positive recognition from co-workers can increase an employee’s output by 7%. Fostering a culture of peer-to-peer recognition will go a long way to ensuring teachers feel validated and that their hard work and dedication is not going unnoticed.

  1. “And the winner is…”

Whether it’s an officially accredited special achievement award from the school governors, or something as simple as employee of the month, awards are the perfect way of putting the spotlight on individuals who deserve some recognition.

Publicity of an employee’s achievement will not only boost their individual confidence and give them something to be proud of, but it will also inspire other staff members, set the standard and ultimately reinforce good practice across the board.

Jamie Mackenzie, Director at Sodexo Engage, comments:

“September is right around the corner and parents will be getting ready to send their children back to school. It comes as no surprise that this can be an extremely stressful time of year for teachers, and it is up to their employers to make sure they are well supported through this period and beyond.

“Recognising teachers’ good work and giving praise where it’s due, whether that be through vouchers, a simple ‘well done’ or an award, will go a long way to validating their efforts and making sure they’re aware their dedication to the cause is appreciated and has not gone unnoticed. It is this reassurance which will motivate them to keep working to a high standard and alleviate any risk of burnout.”