Do you wait until the company picnic or holiday season to show your employees how much they mean to your company? Employees need appreciation touches more than twice a year if they stay with your organization in the long haul.
Even when you and your team feel disconnected due to COVID-19.
Research from Florida International University sited the following benefits of showing recognition and rewarding employees:
- More pride in their work
- Feeling appreciated
- Willing to go the extra mile
- Heightened commitment to the organization
- More open to constructive feedback and
- Support and promote a positive work environment.
Below are a few ideas to express thanks to your staff all year long, even if you only see or hear each other through Zoom.
A Year of Appreciation
January: Send everyone a COVID-19 goody box.
Include disposable masks, hand sanitizers, and disposable wipes.
March: Identify online personal development courses and give them the time to complete them.
There are many online certification courses, but they must often spend their own time and money to complete them. Give them 1-2 hours per week to work on it and reimburse their cost after completing the certification. Be sure to blast out congratulations on your social media channels!
May: Send a boxed lunch.
July: Give Everyone a Paid Half-Day Off
August: Host a Socially Distanced Picnic
Meet at a local park and have a variety of boxed lunches available. Consider meeting for a hike beforehand for those that want to participate. Ask everyone to bring their chairs.
October: Write Thank You Notes Enclosed with Gift Cards
Have each manager write a personalized thank you note to each employee that includes a gift card. The more popular cards are from Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s, and Amazon. Be sure all cards are at the same dollar level for each employee.
December: Send Gifts
While you don’t want to bust your budget on gifts, it is essential to recognize that your company could not be where it is today without your team of dedicated employees. Here are a few ideas:
- Buy a hardcover book.
- Donate to a charity your employee cares about.
- Purchase a gift basket that contains local items.
- Give the gift of help. Fancy Hands is a virtual team of U.S.-based assistants who can tackle anything on your clients’ to-do list that takes 20 minutes or less to complete.
- Send a gift of flowers, food, or wine to the employees’ home with a personalized note from your CEO.
