Many people believe that work performance is a reflection of how employees feel about themselves and their work. If an employee is proud of the job that he or she does, the work quality will reflect that. Employees who have bad self-images are more likely to exhibit those negative feelings in their work.

So how can you boost employees' self-esteem? There are an infinite number of ways, depending on the employee and the means at your disposal. Some ways are as simple as recognition— a simple thank you or a reward for a job well done. This can be particularly gratifying for an employee with a behind-the-scenes job.

Other ways to help build employee self-esteem are:

• Sponsor employees in weight control or fitness programs.
• Pay for employees to attend public speaking or other professional development classes.
• Pay for employees to learn about personal financial planning, either through classes or literature.
• Ask employees to teach you and other employees a skill or procedure that they do well (this has the added bonus of doubling as cross-training of the staff).
• Recognize successes, both personal and professional, such as an employee completing her graduate degree or an employee earning his black belt in martial arts.