When work is solely about the pay, employees only see their jobs as a transaction. If you want a workforce filled with passion, motivation and desire to grow, you have to build supportive team relationships that make everyone feel valued. Showing employee appreciation on a regular basis can spread positivity and loyalty throughout your company culture. Find meaningful ways to say "thank you" starting with these 10 easy recognition ideas.
1. Cater Lunch
Good eats put people in a good mood. Celebrate successful projects or big client acquisitions with a catered lunch or continental breakfast. You can also keep morale high at any time with small gestures, such as stocking the break room with chocolate or healthy snacks.
2. Let Employees Give Rewards
Encourage team unity by empowering your employees to reward their co-workers for a job well done. Employee appreciation apps, such as Give a WOW, Achievers and YouEarnedIt, enable peer-to-peer feedback and kudos, letting workers exchange points for rewards.
3. Shorten the Workday
Offering a few paid half-days each month can relieve stress and boost productivity. Employees value time to pursue personal activities and spend time with family, making them more focused and efficient when they're at work.
4. Host Recreational Events
Create opportunities for employees to build relationships with co-workers in every department. Hosting fun events, such as karaoke, lip-sync battles, trivia nights or scavenger hunts, encourages one-on-one bonding and makes workers feel connected to the company culture.
5. Provide Training Opportunities
Investing in your workforce is one of the most effective ways of showing employee appreciation. Offering training courses or education reimbursement helps you develop and promote future leaders, and employees who eventually leave the company may continue referring top talent.
6. Personalize Praise
Driven workers who are passionate about career growth typically care about personal development more than cash rewards. Instead of giving a vague "good job," tell them exactly what they're doing right and how to show upper management that they're ready for more responsibility.
7. Listen to Feedback
Give your workforce an open forum to share feedback, tips and grievances, and implement those ideas where appropriate. Employees usually know a company's strengths and weaknesses better than managers, so listening to their input can build trust and improve operations.
8. Involve Employees in Decisions
Employees don't like being blindsided by major decisions that affect their roles or environment. Be transparent about big changes or obstacles to show workers you appreciate their opinions. More importantly, employees may suggest solutions you never considered.
9. Support Their Causes
Show interest in employees beyond their jobs by volunteering for or donating to causes they love. Make employee appreciation a team-building experience by inviting workers to share personal stories about why they support specific nonprofits.
10. Run Perk Polls
Oblivious leaders often choose employee appreciation activities that no one enjoys. Make your team feel heard by asking for recognition ideas and using a poll to choose rewards that actually matter to your employees.
Your workforce is your best resource for choosing effective methods of employee appreciation. Invite employees to be open about their needs and interests, so your recognition efforts match up with their priorities. A tight budget is no issue, as long as you show employee appreciation in thoughtful ways customized to each recipient.
Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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