"I dislike being the center of attention, so I don't find public recognition particularly motivating. My last manager was in the habit of giving employees simple, hand-written notes to express appreciation for going the extra mile or accomplishing a larger goal; sometimes, these notes were accompanied by gift cards. It was a simple gesture, but it meant a lot to hear from my boss that my work was noticed and appreciated."

"At my most recent retail position, our accomplishments as a team were rewarded together, sometimes with one outstanding worker receiving a special acknowledgment. When we achieved something big together, the management team took all of us out for happy hour. I like this approach because we truly were a team. We accomplished more together than we could separately, so it makes sense to be rewarded together as well."