They work hard for you day in and day out. Some of them even come in early and stay late to get the job done. And when you aren’t in the office, you don’t have to worry. Why? Because you have a great team of people that work for you. But you can’t just take them for granted! You definitely need to show them that they are appreciated and here are 5 ways to do just that.
- Employee Appreciation Day
Hosting an Employee Appreciation Day is easy. Just pick a day when you know most people will be in the office. Take note—Fridays during the summer could be difficult. Have a local restaurant come in and cater the event and host it outside if possible. People love to get outside, stretch their legs and socialize with co-workers whenever they can. Set up some picnic tables and lawn chairs outside and let the fun begin! A nice touch would be an imprinted giveaway, maybe some fun sunglasses or a nice company t-shirt.
- Team Building Event
There is no better way to get the team together for a day (or afternoon) full of competitive fun. This event can be held anywhere even in back of the office. Some fun activities include water balloon tosses, egg tosses, hula hooping, potato sack races, 3 legged races, or relay races. The options are truly endless, just be creative! It will be fun to watch the competitive spirit come out in your staff! You may even be surprised at how competitive some of your quietest employees can be!
- Rewards Program
There are so many times that your employees go above and beyond! Whether someone is covering for a team member on maternity leave or maybe even just helping a co-worker with a big project. Recognize those efforts with a small treat. It can be as simple as a Kudos program. Keep a station where you keep some sweet treats and certificates with a marker to write in the employee’s name. When someone goes above and beyond, they receive a sweet treat and certificate to thank them for their help.
- Celebrate Service Anniversaries
Loyal employees are hard to find. In fact, the average person stays in their job for 4.4 years, according to the Department of Labor. So celebrate that loyalty, it’s truly hard to come by! Determine those terms that you want to celebrate, every 5 years is usually a good number. Plan to have a cake or special dessert to celebrate the employee celebrating their 5, 10, 15, 20+ anniversary with the company. As an added special touch, have their boss stand up and say a few words about the employee. And if you really want to go over the top, offer a monetary gift or plaque.
- Birthday LuncheonsWho doesn’t love birthday cake? We certainly do and in our office we make it a point to celebrate everyone’s birthday with a special treat. At the end of each month, invite everyone with a birthday in that month to bring their lunches down to a private room in the cafeteria or meeting room if that works better. Invite the president of the company to attend as well. And end the birthday lunch with a birthday cake. The employees will love the quaint group setting and chatting with company leadership and the birthday cake will satisfy everybody’s sweet tooth.
It is the small things that make a BIG difference. When you take time with your employees and show appreciation for the work they do, they will work even harder!
How do you show your employees your appreciation? Share in the comments below.
