The talent pool of the modern workforce is highly competitive and needs to be properly nurtured and appreciated to make them stay for the long haul. Many talented employees leave the organization in the absence of proper employee appreciation programs. However, you don’t need any special occasion to appreciate or recognise your employees. It can be done through small meaningful gestures and not always a show of grandeur needs to be put up. Employee appreciation improves engagement, retention, employee morale and productivity levels in the organization.
Over 91% of HR professionals believe that recognition and reward make employees more likely to stay.
Having a practice of gratitude in the company is not only heartwarming but also boosts business. Employee recognition is not only about creativity but also about the sincerity in your actions. Here are 10 easy methods recommended by us that just can’t go wrong when appreciating your employees:
- Introduce a gamification system
Use a corporate gamification strategy where each member can claim a task that has points related to it. Upon successful completion of the task, these points can be redeemed by the employees at some centralised corporate portal for extra vacation days, cash incentives, restaurant vouchers, shopping vouchers, etc. The gamification method encourages employees to perform better while incentivizing them wisely for their efforts.
- Get vocal on social
Social media platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook provide an excellent medium for appreciating employees publicly. Use your company’s social media channels to wish employees on their birthdays and anniversaries, or simply extend your appreciation towards them. They can further share your company’s updates with their followers and increase reach and engagement.
- Offer food
You can’t go wrong with food! Get your employees together for a hearty lunch or dinner and engage in some fun banter and games once in a while. This system will not only bring your employees together but also strengthen their interpersonal relationships, improve communication skills and help employees bond beyond work. They will appreciate the gesture and make them feel valued and acknowledged at work.
- Offer flexible work schedule
Sometimes it is important to move away from the desk and feels more welcoming if employees are provided with the option of working from home. Offer a flexible schedule to employees to demonstrate that you prioritize their health and are working to improve the work-life balance of your employees. This builds trust and also promotes employees to work better in a relaxed environment.
- Prioritise employee fitness
Give your employees the gift of fitness and boost wellness among your team members. You can gift them vouchers for wellness retreats, physical activity programs, yoga sessions, or reward them for achieving their health goals. This not only shows care but also demonstrates your seriousness towards employee health and overall wellness.
- Give personalized gift
Send personalized gifts to your employees based on their interests. Not only will it light up their day but also they’ll appreciate the beautiful gesture of personalized gifting. This does not have to be something magnanimous but can even be something as small as an occasional greeting card or flowers to appreciate them for a job well done or celebrate their special occasions.
- Provide vacation days
Giving staff members extra time off days is again an excellent method of showing appreciation. They can use these vacation days at their leisure or for relaxation and do something else other than work. Having a time off also allows employees to return to work energized and helps them in charging their batteries.
- Involve the team
Appreciation should not always be from the management to the employees but it can also be from one employee to the other. Co-workers should recognise the hard work of their peers and appreciate them for their effort. Not only does it boost self-confidence but also promotes harmony among colleagues.
- Provide opportunities for advancement
The current workforce hates getting stuck in a rut and is game for challenges. Organize cross-training and skill improvement programs in your organization to help employees improve and advance their knowledge and skill-set. This helps employees in staying abreast with the latest technologies and helps your organization to grow.
- Create employee recognition programs
If your organization is finding it difficult to organize and reward employees on a day-to-day basis, then establish an employee recognition program to formally recognize each staff member throughout the year. You can have staff members recognize the performance of their peers or mark a day in a calendar year to organize events that commemorate staff performance.
Employee recognition builds trust and helps the organization run smoothly. It helps employees to know that the management appreciates their efforts and values them as an individual. Every organization be it small or large should undertake employee recognition activities to boost engagement, productivity and improve employee recognition. Remember that even small, meaningful gestures go a long way in reinforcing faith in the organization.