Getting good employees hired can be tough and then hanging onto them can be even harder. Gone are the days where someone would work for the same company for their entire life. Competition in every hiring space has made it possible for most people to find nearly any job they want if they do their homework, which means that it can be tough to keep up with the turnover in your workforce.
If you are tired of losing good employees to other companies, it’s probably time to make a change in your employee-appreciation plans. Employees who feel appreciated are much more likely to stay at a job long-term. If you are looking for some fun ways to make sure your employees feel valued and at home, read on for some great ideas to get you started!
Photo by REVOLT on Unsplash
1. Shout-Outs
Just knowing that you did a good job is not enough for many people. Working day-in and day-out at a desk can get boring and sometimes challenges of dealing with customers can be exhausting. If an employee thinks that their achievements aren’t being appreciated by their boss or their team, they will leave to find a more appreciative place to work.
Shout-outs are a great way to Reward the hard work of your best employees. Best of all, this method of rewarding your team is public, which shows the entire team and the whole company that you appreciate them and all their hard work. You can do this through an email, at a meeting, or even a morning huddle. It’s always nice to hear that you are appreciated and a good boss will remember this.
2. Party-Style Rewards
Sometimes a simple pat on the back isn’t enough of a thank you for a job well done. If you have a team of hard workers that you are trying to thank for their efforts on your behalf, a party-style reward can be the answer to your needs.
Parties where some food is brought in and part of the day is reserved just for fun can be a great reward for your staff. Consider adding party games to the mix, or showing a movie. There are almost endless ways that you can arrange this type of thank you for employee accomplishments, so use your imagination and have a good time!
3. Gift Cards and a Thank You Note
While not as exciting as a party to some people, there are many employees who love a good Gift and it’s even better when it comes with a thank you card. A personalized note with a coffee card or a gift card to a favorite store can be a great way to provide your star employees with a well-deserved thank you that leads to fun
Shopping or getting a yummy treat is always fun, and most employees will appreciate the chance to engage in some break-time or after-work hours enjoyment with your thoughtful gift. This may not fit the needs of all male staff that works for you, but many women will tell you that there is nothing better than a gift card!
4. Peer-to-Peer Recognition
If you like providing a thank you and linking it to team unity, this is a great way for you to accomplish two goals with one action! This can be modeled after the shout-out from earlier in our list, but this time peers are shouting out their fellow co-workers.
All too frequently, people leave jobs because they believe that their team of fellow employees doesn’t support them in their daily work efforts. A sense of team can add some fun to each day spent in the office, and shout-outs that come from peers are sometimes the most fulfilling thanks that an employee can get.
5. Casual Days
If you work in a company that has a strict dress code, you will often find that there is no better thank you than a day to wear casual clothes to the office. Slacks and heels are not that comfortable when worn for eight hours a day, and your team will welcome the chance to take a breather and be comfortable all day at work.
If you really want to have fun with this one, make the day a pajama day or a costume day. This may not work in all kinds of jobs, but if you can kick back and have a fun day with themed clothing choices on the menu, you should really consider it. Anyone who ever did a costume day or a theme day at school will tell you how exciting and fun those days were.
6. Offer to Buy Lunch
Taking your team out for a meal, or bringing in catered food can be a really fun way to say thank you. packing a lunch in the morning is often an annoyance and no one will want to eat their cold sandwich over catered food!
If you can make it work to offer up a meal that the company pays for, this can be a good solution to your desire to say thank you while also allowing your employees to have some fun as a reward for all their hard work. This doesn’t have to be fancy, either. Even a pizza day is typically welcomed by hard-working employees.
Remember to be Genuine
Beyond selecting the right reward for rewarding your employees for their accomplishments, remember to be genuine and vocal about your happiness with your team every day at work. There is no need to use tactics or outreach that feel wrong to you. If you are not comfortable with verbalizing your praise, thank you notes will work just as well as saying the words out loud.
Remember that your team works hard for you because they respect you and care what you think of their efforts each day. Being open with your team about your feelings of pride in their hard work is often the best reward of all.
Photo by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash
This post first appeared on 4Cs Blog: Employee Surveys And More | Insightlink Communications, please read the originial post: here
