Small, unexpected gestures of thanks and team recognition given throughout the year go a long way to show employee appreciation and boost engagement. It goes without saying that a pay rise or staff bonus is always welcome – after all, most employees do work for money. However, a surprise word of thanks or a carefully thought through personalised gift or reward throughout the year will make a huge difference to employee positivity and make them feel valued all year long.
An employee who feels appreciated through small, genuine expressions of praise, recognition and rewards will be happier in the workplace, more productive and hit those company targets.
Here are the top five ways to show your employee appreciation:
- Praise something your colleague has done well: Saying ‘well done’ to a colleague goes a long way to making someone feel recognised and appreciated. Employee recognition is an important way of demonstrating your appreciation throughout the year whether this is from a manager or employee to employee recognition. Rather than simply a ‘job well done’ message however, words of praise should ideally specify what your colleague has done so well. Ensure you tie in your employee appreciation with company strategy by identifying special actions that you would like staff and managers to encourage and praise. Helping to identify specific actions will also give your staff clear direction in the workplace and will enable them to work more efficiently and productively towards company goals.
- Say thank you: Ensure you are appreciating your employees at work by saying ‘thank you’ now and again. Social niceties such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are sometimes overlooked in an organisation but make a workplace a pleasanter and more productive place to be. Consider an e-card for its environmentally friendly nature which will also often offer the option to give a reward or e-points for your staff to choose their own treat (the Each Person recognition and rewards scheme offers this function from any mobile device or PC). Saying thank you also has a self-perpetuating nature, the more you say thank you, the more other colleagues will say thank you to each other – improving the workplace atmosphere. The obvious psychological benefits of saying thank you are also proven to increase a feeling of wellbeing and reduce depression at work.
- Give a personalised gift or card: Get to know your staff and colleagues well enough so that you are able to present them with a personalised gift occasionally. A well-chosen present that you have carefully thought about will boost an employee’s wellbeing and sense of belonging to your company. Personalised gifts and cards can celebrate a worker’s special day such as a birthday, work anniversary or offer sympathy when a colleague has been ill.
- Treat staff members: The occasional treat recognises and rewards staff and boosts employee engagement and productivity. Companies such as Each Person offer managers and colleagues the option of rewarding staff with epoints redeemable for treats that they can choose themselves in one of 1000s of online stores and 85,000+ high street retailers.
- Provide opportunities: Encourage a positive workplace environment of employee engagement, contribution and productivity. Provide opportunities for training, cross-training and participating in committees and workshops. Employees will genuinely appreciate the opportunities. Add to this a staff appreciation program with recognition and rewards for employees and this will develop and nurture a positive and productive workplace.
To find out more about the Each Person employee recognition and reward scheme, visit www.eachperson.com, email [email protected] or call 0118 979 6341.