Appreciation is the act of making someone feel good and value for a work done. Appreciating your employees can boost morale, make them want to do more, and increase workplace productivity.
It is essential to thank your employees for a job well done to cement the relationship between the business and its workers. Although business owners have realized the importance of employee appreciation in building a stronger business in recent times, the process has remained a mystery or avoided altogether.
The belief is that this can be a tedious, tiresome, money, and time-consuming process. On the contrary, you can find fun ways to celebrate your employees without breaking the bank or the company’s schedule.
If you have not appreciated your staff at all or enough, then it’s time to start. Here are simple, fun ways to thank and celebrate employees.
1. Say the Words ‘Thank You’
There is a reason “thank you” is referred to as a magic word. This is because merely saying the words and genuinely meaning it is like giving a person a happy pill, especially if the thank you is coming from the boss.
You can find other pleasant ways of saying thank you even after you’ve verbalized it. Other creative means include writing a thank you card and putting it on their table with a bottle of their favorite wine or gift card for a cup of coffee. In fact you can add a Thank You note with any gifts for employees. This will make your employees feel very appreciated and special.
2. How About “PDA”?
PDA typically means a public display of affection. But, in this case, it will mean a public display of employee appreciation. Celebrating and thanking your employees in private will be deeply appreciated by them. But it’s a whole different level when you decide to celebrate an employee publicly.
A public celebration will not only make such employees happy, but it can also inspire other employees to work harder. You can publicly say your thank you by calling them out on social media or doing it in the office in the presence of other employees. State specifically the work they did that caused the appreciation and how their efforts have increased the company’s output.
3. Give A Day Off
After exhaustive and productive work, one of the best ways to say thank you to your employees is to give them a day off. It will blow their mind, and they would be immensely grateful. They could use the day to treat themselves to a long day of sleep or do one thing they’ve always wanted to do.
They could even go for a short holiday if the one day is close to the weekend off. As easy as this is, when the staff is coming back to work, you can expect to see a rejuvenated, highly motivated, and happy employee back. And what do you have, a more productive company!
4. Order Lunch
You can say a big thank you to your employees by sparing them some lunch money. Ordering lunch in the office will bring instant excitement to the office space. It will also allow them to discuss something else aside from the office work.
It is relaxing, and everyone loves free food. It also provides an opportunity to build a strong team spirit, create bonds, and integrate the family spirit at the workplace. What’s more, your employees will be grateful, and you will probably receive a well-nourished, productive team in return.
5. Plan A Playful Activity Outside Office Hours
So, maybe you don’t like the idea of lunch in the office because you don’t want to disrupt the office atmosphere, there are other ideas you can try. You don’t have to compromise your company’s ethics to say thank you. One of such playful activities that promise a ton of fun is bowling.
Taking your employees out to play games like bowling will be a big way to say thank you. Your staff would have time to freshen up after office hours and look forward to an all-expense paid game evening. It promises as much fun as lunch in the office or even more. And it promises a better working and more productive atmosphere.
6. Ask for Your Employees’ Opinions
One thing is sure; you can never go wrong asking questions. So, sometimes it’s a wiser decision to ask your employee what they would love as a thank you. Of course, you may receive different opinions, but at least, you have an idea of something they would deeply appreciate.
You can ask for this by creating a survey form and asking them to fill it. That way, you get to save their thank you ideas. You may decide to implement those ideas one at a time.
7. Remember The Birthdays
Birthdays are special days for most people. They love to be celebrated and treated in a special way. It is also a good day for you to say a big thank you to that employee. Buying a birthday gift, treating the celebrant to dinner, or ordering flowers for them will mean a lot.
Anniversaries should also not be forgotten. Workplace anniversaries are significant milestones for everyone and deserve to be celebrated too.
8. The Gift Card Magic
Imagine you walked into your office and found a big bouquet and a gift card on your desk from an employee, Fantastic right? That’s exactly what that employee you want to celebrate will feel.
Gifting gift cards is a beautiful, almost magical way of saying Thank you. It’s simple yet very effective. So, you can go right ahead and order that bouquet and a gift card. Remember to write how outstanding the employee has been and how grateful you are.
9. Give a Monetary Bonus
Sometimes, all you need to say your big thank you is a monetary bonus. You can add this bonus to the monthly salary, or you can give it separately. Your employee gets to receive extra cash for being productive, loyal, or honest. This will go a long way to show your appreciation and would also boost morale among team members.
10. Put Up A Gratitude Wall
A gratitude wall is a wall that displays the picture of the employee you are presently celebrating. It also displays a little information about them and the wonderful services and contributions they have made to the company, with a big ‘Thank You’ written at the end.
You can put up the wall for several days or weeks. Every time the employee sees this wall, he/she will feel appreciated. Plus, every time a customer walks in and sees the wall, it shows them that you are a brand that values its staff and, by extension, customers. This can boost employee motivation and increase your brand’s credibility among competitors.
