None of your employees like to feel like they’re there to only serve your needs and get a paycheck. While a paycheck is what brings an employee to a job, the fact that they feel appreciated for their hard work and dedication is what keeps them there.
Letting your employees know you value them boosts office morale, employee engagement, productivity, and retention rates. Even though business owners and managers are busy, they should still make time to show appreciation towards their teams.
Expressing Team Appreciation
There are several ways you can express to your team you’re appreciative of the work they do and let them know they’re valued. Instead of throwing a pizza party and calling it a day, you should frequently incorporate different methods of employee appreciation. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Improve Internal Communication
Internal communication is extremely beneficial when it comes to building relationships within the company. Employees will feel much more included and understood by management and will feel comfortable sharing new ideas to help better the company.
This will help improve morale, productivity, knowledge sharing, and a sense of belonging to the team.
There are many ways to increase internal communication within a company such as:
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Creating an internal company blog: This will allow different departments to communicate, share news and knowledge, engage in discussion, and generate new ideas in a structured and organized manner.
Create open dialogue: Keep employees up to date on news, future plans, and company changes in meetings.
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This will encourage questions and comments that will show the team that all of their thoughts and ideas are welcome.
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Weekly 1 on 1’s: Have management meet with each employee every week or so to check in on them and make sure they’re not struggling with anything.
2. Offer Perks
Office perks show your employees you’re not only appreciative of their hard work but you care about their health and wellness. Here are a few perks to consider:
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Offering Snacks: snacks will help keep employees energized throughout the day, which will make them happier when they’re at work. Nobody wants to sit at their desk hungry. And offering healthier foods for people with dietary restrictions.
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Maintaining a Clean Office: Don’t leave papers and boxes lying around. A clean workspace can improve productivity and keep stress levels low.
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Providing Quality Office Supplies: Without the right supplies, your employees won’t feel like you care about the work they do. Or, they will be struggling with day-to-day tasks because they don’t have adequate office supplies on hand.
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Paying for {arking or Transportation: Instead of letting your employees’ paychecks go right to parking, take care of it for them.
3. Directly Express Appreciation
Sometimes all an employee needs to hear is they did a good job on a project they have worked hard on. You should always be giving your employees feedback, especially when they’ve done a good job. Consider these ways to express gratitude directly:
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Send them a Thank You Card: Cards are a simple way to make an employee feel appreciated, particularly after finishing a stressful project.
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Thank Them In-Person: When you begin thanking your employees in person, they’re more likely to return to their desks feeling like they belong in the company.
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Incorporate Positive Feedback: In any employee review process, instead of pointing out what an employee could do better, point out what they have done well.
4. Build Appreciation Into Your Company Culture
Employee appreciation should become part of your company culture. You can do this by offering opportunities for advancement or employee services, such as:
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Regular Training: Provide training that builds their skill set and sets them up for success in your company.
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Employee Services: Teach employees valuable skills, like how to file their taxes and what goes into calculating taxes.
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Employee Recognition Programs: Set up programs that recognize employees for numerous reasons, from reaching productivity goals to completing milestones.
5. Have Fun In The Office
During your slower season or at the end of a big project, take some time to offer your team some fun activities instead of more work. Fun things you can do with your employees are:
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Give Company Swag: To make your employees feel more than just a cog in your machine, give them company swag that makes them feel like valuable members of the team.
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Throw a Party: After a big project, successful launch, or hitting goal, throw a party with your employees to celebrate their success and all of their hard work.
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Take Everyone to Lunch: The most simple thing you can do is take your employees out to lunch to thank them for their dedication.
6. Give Financial Rewards
Employees are motivated by financial rewards more than anything else, so make sure to factor this into your budget. Well-paid employees typically stay longer, which can reduce your costs when it comes to turnover. Some ideas for financial rewards are:
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Offer Bonuses: While you may provide bonuses during the holiday season, offering bonuses throughout the year can show your employees you appreciate them. You can set a guide for how bonuses will be handled and what criteria you will base them on.
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More Paid Time Off: Stress can lead to an unhappy, unmotivated employee. Instead of letting stress take over, reward your hard-working employees with more paid time off to help them unwind.
7. Offer Unique Benefits
Unique employee benefits are a great way to make your business stand out from other employers. While everyone else is offering simple health insurance benefits, you can do something that provides your employees with even more value. You should, of course, not replace health insurance with unique benefits, but if you have additional room in your budget, consider these employee benefits:
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Pet Insurance: At least some of your employees have pets they leave every day to go to work. Show them you appreciate their efforts by giving them an incentive to stay with your company, like pet insurance. This shows you care about their personal lives instead of just their work.
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Child Care Credit: Working as a parent is difficult. Show appreciation for the parents who make the sacrifice of leaving their children in the care of another by helping them pay for daycare.
Student Loan Repayment: If you hire employees right out of college, remember they are under financial strain from student loan debt. By offering them help to repay those loans, you’ll not only find top talent but retain them.
Conclusion
Showing appreciation for your employees is key to making them want to stick around longer. Without investing in your employees and providing them with high-quality benefits, you will continue to lose top talent to other companies. The more you focus on employee appreciation, the better chances you’ll be able to retain your workforce.
Don’t choose to do one of these options. Instead, incorporate a mixture of them so you can demonstrate appreciation frequently, primarily during and after large projects.