When my daughter recently told me she received a bonus at work, I thought back to my days as a teacher.  The rewards of teaching in the schools are many, but they are not monetary. Profit sharing, commissions, bonuses — these terms are foreign to the public education vernacular.

Having said that, there was the time when our new principal, Mr. V,  started the year by giving each of us a $40 gift card. We all felt as though we had won the lottery. We were ecstatic. It was a simple gesture, and yet it went a long way toward building relationships around trust, loyalty and support.

A bonus, especially when it comes as a surprise, is a wonderful thing.  Frequent, intentional perks that let your employees know they are valued are equally important. Are you seen as a company that recognizes and rewards excellence?

Musical interaction can offer an hour of pure fun for your employees. Drumming together will relieve stress, stimulate creativity, build community and celebrate the collective strengths of your team. More importantly, it will garner employee loyalty and establish a positive climate in which everyone wants to contribute their best work. Given the cost of hiring and training new employees (according to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management, the average cost to hire an employee is $4,129, and can run much higher,) an ongoing investment in the well being of your employees should be a top priority.

Just like the $40 gift cards, a music workshop is a simple gesture that will go a long way toward building relationships and showing your workers that you value their contributions.