What are Intangible Rewards in the Workplace?

Intangible rewards refer to non-material awards provided to an employee that do not have inherent financial value. They are used to recognize and show appreciation for an employee’s efforts and performance. Intangible rewards are usually given in response to a particular achievement by an employee.

Examples of intangible rewards include: 

• Public praise from a manager
• Thank you notes
• Praise on social media
• Flexible working hours
• An extra day off
• Letting an employee work a ‘half-day’
• An employee recognition trophy
• A free lunch
• Time for an employee to work on their personal projects
• Personal development opportunities
• Providing employees with an experience they’d like 
• Time-off for volunteering