Say No to Pizza As A Part of Your Employee Recognition Toolbox - Forgo The Office Pizza Party, Give Your Employees What They Actually Want
Everyone loves pizza.
Pizza survives in a world of calorie counting, restrictive allergies, trendy diets, and picky pallets. No matter your lifestyle, there’s likely still a pizza out there for you. It’s cheap, quick, doesn’t require extra plates or utensils, is portable, and a little can feed a lot. Hot, gooey, delicious, and convenient. Even bad pizza usually still gets eaten.
For these reasons and more, pizza has become a staple of many leaders in their employee relations toolbox, but should it be?
When used properly, yes. But I’m a firm believer in the right tool for the job. And more often than not, pizza is absolutely not the right tool.
Why Pizza Fails As The Reward Standard
Pizza has become the standard reward or recognition system used by many employers, and that may be doing more harm than good.
First of all, let's discuss inclusion. As an employer, if you’re going to provide recognition, or a reward to your employees, it makes sense that perks should be available to everyone.
As far as pizza is concerned, yes there’s likely a variation of pizza out there for everyone no matter their preference or restrictions. But when you order pizza, are you making sure there’s an option available that everyone can eat?
As a parent, I refuse to cook multiple different meals because one child doesn’t like a topping or vegetable. Getting the one-size-fits-all cheese pizza has the same effect. But your employees aren’t children, and shouldn’t be treated with the same refusal. Especially if doing so fails to acknowledge their individual needs.
Is it gluten or dairy-free? Does the pizza you selected align with everyone’s dietary preferences or restrictions?
Employee Recognition Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Say, hypothetically there aren’t any dietary restrictions within your workplace. It can still be challenging to get people to agree on a place to order from, let alone what toppings to get. Typically, in these instances, the loudest voices will be heard—which excludes the introverted personalities in the office.
There’s a plethora of problems caused by food in the workplace that go far beyond agreeing on toppings. Are you providing pizza for all the shifts? Or only for whoever is lucky enough to make it to the break room before it's gone?
Each employee will perceive the value of food as a reward differently. For example, getting the last cold slice of mushroom because you followed up on an important email related to the project will hit differently than a hot gooey slice of pepperoni.
Rewards in the workplace should be inclusive for all employees they’re intended for. Pizza isn’t it.
Not Everyone Welcomes A Change In Routine
Another reason I don’t recommend pizza as a form of recognition is that sometimes what’s meant as a kind gesture can actually be perceived as an additional inconvenience, or task that’s required. Especially if it causes an employee to alter their daily routine.
Maybe lunchtime is the only free time they have and they’d prefer to use it walking laps around the building. But now they feel pressured—if not obligated—to show up for the pizza because they know management will want to see them wearing a grateful smile.
Or maybe the employee already had prepared a fantastic lunch and now they must choose between the two. Not everyone welcomes a change in routine… even if it comes with pizza.
Pizza Is Not Building Your Workplace Culture
Oftentimes employers believe pizza is helping build their company culture when it may be doing the opposite.
You may see pizza as an easy solve, but that’s often just a cop-out. Ask yourself—what is the reason you’re providing the pizza? (Keep in mind pizza is just an example here. Maybe it’s ice cream, or a buffet, or a taco truck.) What’s the reason you’re providing food as a reward?
If you took an employee survey and asked whether they’d prefer pizza or money as a “thank you” for a job well done, unless the pizza is made of gold, they’re more likely to choose money. When it comes down to it, as a reward or recognition a $5.00 gas card will go a lot further than a lunch.
Be Mindful Of Employee Perception
It isn’t a good look when employees watch their supervisor get a big fat Christmas bonus, and as a thank you, all they get is a box of doughnuts or a slice of pepperoni. It can be downright insulting to thank your employees for their sacrifice and understanding that the company wasn’t in a position to give raises that year—but could somehow spring for a catered lunch.
This can create a fast lane on the way to distrust and disengagement. The assumptions will be all too easy to make and quick to spread.
Employees may be wondering—if you’re wasting money on company lunches while they struggle to pay their bills—what other poor financial decisions are you making behind the scenes that have led the company down the path to its current financial situation?
In cases like these, you can stand to lose a lot more than you gain as an employer.
Gifts Cards Win Where Pizza Fails
Instead of pizza for a job well done, choose something that has a more equal perceived value amongst employees. Gift cards are a great option.
They offer flexibility and choice. Each employee can get what they want. When they want it.
Bill is no longer angry he got one slice and Bobby took four. Instead, both are recognized and rewarded in a way that feels good to them. And that’s a win-win. We are a big fan of Thnks as a gift card platform for employee recognition.
Where There’s Still Room For Pizza In The Workplace
Just because pizza shouldn’t be part of your rewards system, doesn’t mean it should be removed from your toolbox altogether. I suggest taking it out of the rewards drawer and putting it with the total compensation.
Pizza (or food in general) can be a valuable tool to use as a benefit, not a reward.
Food can and does bring people together. There’s value in having a food truck on the first Friday of every month, or coffee and doughnuts on the last Monday of the month.
