According to numerous surveys, there is a far greater probability that an employee will abandon an ungrateful, abusive or neglectful employer than the actual workplace. Needless to say, the most valuable members of your team are the most likely to the ones to abandon you first, seeing as how they would meet a warm welcome anywhere else within your industry. For this to happen, you don’t have to actively abuse them; the lack of recognition and appreciation can have a similar effect. In order to avoid this, there are a few ways to show how much you value all the hard work they are doing for your company through recognition products and appreciation gifts.
1. Special breakroom snacks. After successfully completing an important project, you might want to consider showing your appreciation by including a special breakroom snack for your team. Sure, some may argue that this is something that can be done all year round, however, doing so isn’t nearly as impactful. First of all, this is all about gesture, which is why your team needs to feel that they’ve earned it. In other words, you are not sucking up to them, you are merely demonstrating just how much difference they’ve made in their previous project. The best thing about this is the fact that it is a low-cost method of providing a massive morale boost for the entire office.
2. Promotional products. Another great idea is to hand out promotional products to your employees. In this way, you are giving them an opportunity to brag to their family and friends about their workplace and even further distribute these promotional materials. So, apart from being great for their morale, this also boosts your reach, seeing as how this gives your company a much wider application of the word-of-mouth recommendation. Furthermore, by giving them something practical like promotional pens, you are ensuring that they remember this thoughtful gesture every time they use it.
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3. Take them out for a lunch. The thing about this particular technique of showing appreciation lies in the fact that it is not exclusively material in nature. You see, both of the above-discussed gift ideas are something impersonal and collective while taking your employee for a lunch might have a bit more individual character. In this way, you can demonstrate to them that you are personally taking an interest in all the good work they’ve done and perhaps even establish a meaningful relationship on a personal level. That said, it is usually a bad idea to fraternize with your employees; however, sharing a moment and learning about what makes them tick has a way of coming in handy in the days to come.
4. Work from home day. Every now and then, even the most hard-working of your employees will feel the need to recharge their batteries. The problem with workaholics, however, is they aren’t likely to admit this even to themselves. Now, instead of forcing them to take a day off, which they might misinterpret as a punishment, you can give them a work-from-home-day coupon, which they can use at their own behest. Needless to say, the office of the 21st century is mostly in the digital environment, which means that their productivity doesn’t have to suffer for these couple of days of telecommuting.
5. Give them an award. To some, this idea might sound a bit cheesy, nonetheless, there are a lot of dedicated employees out there who would appreciate an award, a certificate or even a public recognition far more than any monetary incentive. So, why not make this as official as possible? Simply give out an award for an outstanding work and even follow it up with a gift card for maximum impact. In this way, you will let everyone know that this particular staff member is an invaluable member of your team, which is always a welcome thought.
Apart from these ideas, there are some small signs of appreciation you could do on a regular basis, like giving out mugs full of treats or after-work ice cream; of course, a surprise bonus is always appreciated as well. What you need to keep in mind, though, is that it usually is not just about what you decide to give them but how you do it. Keep in mind that in this particular situation, it is the gesture itself that counts the most, which is why your demeanor during this event might be in the spotlight. On the other hand, those who do manage to pull this off are bound to do wonders for their company’s talent recruitment and retention efforts.
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