How Can You Show Appreciation To Your Employees?
In honor of Employee Appreciation Day this year, we thought that we would share our favorite employee appreciation ideas. It is always a good idea to show employees how much they are appreciated and how much they mean to the company. After all, without hard-working employees, there would be no successful business. We hope you can implement some of these ideas and show all employees just how much they mean.
Why is it important to show employee appreciation?
Showing appreciation for employees can add many benefits to your work environment. Employees work harder and want to stay at your company when shown that they are appreciated. In a study done by SHRM when HR representatives were asked about employee recognition, about 68% of them said that their employee recognition program positively impacted retention. 56% of these HR representatives also said that a good employee recognition program positively affects the recruitment process.
Practices to keep in mind…
It is important to remember that employee appreciation is always better when applied on a regular basis. Do not wait until a performance review to recognize an employee’s hard work and dedication. The best way to keep employees motivated and engaged in the workplace is by recognizing them on a regular basis.
Keeping employee recognition specific and relevant is also important to think about. When recognizing a star employee for their successes, be sure that you let them know why they are being recognized. Just saying “thank you” is not enough to let them know that you appreciate their dedication. Try to also mention how much their hard work has impacted the company, the more specific you are about how positively their actions affect everyone around them the better!
By being specific, relevant, and timely you encourage repeat good behavior. These things will also help you to promote company values and be very clear about what you expect from employees. Mix up your employee recognition tactics to help keep things fresh and to reach every group of employees. Some employees may not like a public shoutout and would much rather prefer a card or a private thank you. Utilizing different tactics will ensure that every type of employee feels appreciated.
Employee Appreciation Ideas:
1.) Celebrate birthdays and anniversaries
While this may seem like a very simple method of employee appreciation, it makes all the difference. Recognizing your appreciation for an employee on their birthday shows that you actually care to remember and the same goes for work anniversaries.
A good way to celebrate an employee’s birthday is by allowing them to have the day off from work and enjoy it however they want. If this is not a possibility, there are still so many ways you can celebrate! Decorating an employee’s desk or leaving a themed decoration on their desk is a fun way to celebrate. Buy them lunch, pick up their favorite dessert, or buy them a treat they really enjoy. Even if your company is virtual, sending a card, personalized gift, or recording a message from everyone wishing them a happy birthday is a great way to show appreciation.
Do not let an employee’s work anniversary go unnoticed. There are some very simple ways to show appreciation for your employee’s commitment to the company. Reward them with lunch that day or have everyone wish them a happy work anniversary to let them know that you have taken notice of their dedication. Even something as simple as having the whole office sign a card for them is a great and easy way to let employees know that you care.
2.) Have an off-site day
Sometimes, employees just need a change of scenery and a break from the everyday monotony. Changing up your surroundings is a good way to boost engagement and motivate people to be more productive. Planning an off-site day at a cafe is a fun way to celebrate the everyday hard work of the team and grab a little pick-me-up at the same time. Another off-site day option would be to find a coworking space near the business. Coworking spaces are a great way to get employees out of the normal office and change things up a little bit. You could book out an office space for employees or just make use of the coworking spaces available. While out, buying lunch for everyone is an additional way to thank everybody for their hard work.
One thing to keep in mind is to be clear about why you are having an off-site day. Is it to welcome new team members? Are employees in the middle of a difficult project?
3.) Send employee care packages
If you are looking for a great employee appreciation idea with personalization and a hint of sweetness, then look no further. An employee care package is an awesome way to show that you care and you are thinking of your employees. The best part is, there are companies that will help you with the personalization so you are not left stressed trying to figure out what to fill a care package with.
SnackMagic is a great company that lets employees customize the packages themselves. All you do is go to the SnackMagic website and enter your selected budget. Then employees get a chance to customize their boxes to their satisfaction and enter their addresses. SnackMagic will ship care packages anywhere in the world so any employee can enjoy a box.
4.) Zoom parties
One of our favorite things to do as a team here at Click Control Marketing is virtual parties. Virtual parties via Zoom or Microsoft Teams are an easy and cheap way to get to know employees more even if they are virtual. A virtual happy hour with games is a fun way for employees to get to know each other better without having to worry about the stress of making reservations or finding a place that all employees can get to.
For the holidays, the Click Control Marketing team likes to get together on Zoom and do holiday activities together. A few fun ideas we recommend are secret Santa exchanges, Christmas cookie decorating, or gingerbread house building.
Shared activities are always better and will help make it feel more like a connected party. Even phone games like Psych! or GeoGuessr are a great way to get everyone connected and have a good time.
5.) Celebrate employee appreciation day
Employee Appreciation Day is March 4th! This holiday is the perfect time to show employees just how much you appreciate and care for them. If possible, a good way to celebrate is by extending the event to the whole work week.
Celebrate with food, team-building activities, contests, or wellness activities that the whole team can participate in. Or celebrate by designating a theme for every day of the week, similar to a homecoming week celebration. Consider themes like twin day, company color day, or luau day. Food trucks are also a great employee appreciation day celebration.
6.) Ask your employees what they would like
As simple of a suggestion as this is, it can help you to decide what kinds of recognition will have the most impact. By simply asking employees what kinds of recognition or appreciation methods they would most enjoy you can tailor methods to specific employees. Have a suggestion box, whether physical or virtual, available for employees to utilize. Employees can then fill out a paper or form that details what exactly they would like. Have employees sign their names to the suggestions in the box so that when it comes time for their birthday or work anniversary you can plan something that they will really enjoy.
Celebrating Employees Is What We Love!
When it comes to employee appreciation there are no bad ideas. Any way that you are able to recognize and appreciate those dedicated employees is a great idea. Here at Click Control Marketing, our employees mean just as much to us as our team members. For a digital marketing agency that shows dedication and care to its clients and employees, look no further. Contact us today to get your own digital marketing strategy started and experience just how much we love appreciating our clients! Let us know which appreciation idea(s) you are going to employ.
