Every March, Employee Appreciation Day is a great reminder to show your colleagues how important they are.
It’s a human need to want to feel valued and appreciated in our day-to-day lives, and this often extends to our place of work. Employee recognition has an important role to play in achieving this, and it goes beyond a simple pat on the back or occasional “well done”.
You may choose to recognise your colleagues for showing initiative, demonstrating good leadership, producing exceptional work or challenging your existing processes.
Rewarding your employees can improve job satisfaction, increase productivity and help you to cultivate a people-first culture. In fact, Gallup reported last year that recognition contributes to a safer work environment – encouraging people to form genuine bonds, avoid cutting corners, and take ownership of their colleagues’ wellbeing.
So, what does meaningful recognition look like, and how can you implement it? Here are five ways to show your appreciation:
Experiential rewards
Reward your experience lovers with a day out of their choice. From adrenalin-pumping sports activities to culinary masterclasses, this is special way to elevate your employee experience.
Team trophy
Choose a trophy or mascot that reflects your team. Each month, do a collective vote on who should be awarded based on their behaviours and achievements. This gives everyone the opportunity to be publicly acknowledged for their efforts and commitment to company values.
Wellness days
Rejuvenate your colleagues with a massage, fitness class or yoga session. If your budget doesn’t stretch to off-site activities, bring mobile services to your office. Wellness is linked to better mental health, so you’ll be directly impacting their overall wellbeing.
Social media praise
Go the extra mile and celebrate your colleagues publicly. Use your internal and external social media channels to shout out special achievements, anniversaries, awards and more. Alternatively, create a wall of fame in your office or on your intranet and highlight achievements there.
Host an Employee Appreciation Day
Why not host your own annual event? Involve your colleagues in games, discussions and activities to mark the occasion. Get creative with it and have some fun!
Remember that when people feel appreciated by their colleagues and senior leaders, they’re less likely to seek external opportunities or feel dissatisfied at work. Meaningful recognition is how you retain good people and encourage a sense of belonging.
Need a hand communicating your reward offering? Let us save you some time! Get in touch for a chat.
