Celebrate better at your employee appreciation event

Employee appreciation is a term used in the workplace to describe the ways employers recognize and show gratitude for their employees. It encompasses everything a company does to let its employees know their efforts, contributions, and achievements do not go unnoticed. Employee appreciation can take many forms, such as compliments, praise, awards, bonuses, events, treats, etc. 

Employee appreciation is crucial for creating a strong work culture and an overall positive employee experience. Not only will appreciation boost morale, but it will also increase motivation and employee engagement. Employees who feel valued are more likely to go the extra mile and feel satisfied in their work. Appreciated staff are more productive, respectful, cooperative, and loyal to their teams. In an environment where companies are struggling to attract and retain talented employees, ensuring they have employee recognition software is essential to raise retention rates and reduce turnover. Prioritizing staff appreciation will have a positive impact on employees, teams, and the success of the company.

There are countless ways to show employee appreciation in the workplace. Choosing which method is best will vary based on the field of work, the culture of the company, and the interests of the employees. Regardless of which method you choose, remaining consistent and genuine with your employee recognition will have a significant impact on the company. Here are some common ways to show your staff that you appreciate them:

• Personally thank employees for specific efforts and contributions
• Give public recognition or shoutouts – both in the office or with remote teams
• Provide rewards that celebrate certain levels of performance 
• Celebrate important milestones or special days such as birthdays or work anniversaries
• Improve compensation and strive to give raises and seasonal bonuses
• Express gratitude through cards or a Kudoboard
• Implement practices and policies that allow for better work-life balance and overall wellbeing

There are several days throughout the year that provide a chance to show your staff how much you appreciate them. Workplace appreciation needs to be regular and ongoing (plus a piece of your employee engagement strategy), not just done on one specific holiday. However, these widely-celebrated holidays are a great place to start when designing a schedule for staff appreciation. Here are some examples of staff appreciation days you can celebrate in your workplace:

• Employee Appreciation Day (March)
• International Workers’ Day/Labor Day (May)
• Administrative Professionals Day (April)
• Teacher Appreciation Week (May)
• Nurses Week (May)
• National Boss’s Day (October)

• • Team or Individual Shout Outs: these take little time to put together but make a big impact for those on the receiving end. Kudoboard makes it quick and easy to give a shout out anytime you need to make an employee feel recognized.

• Celebrate Birthdays and Work Anniversaries: Employees want to feel recognized on special days and it is easy to make that happen. Decorate the office, give a gift, or send around a Kudoboard birthday card that has contributions from everyone in the office. 

• Time Off Rewards: What better gift can you give than a break from the stress of work? Even better, pair it with a gift card for some food to make it a truly relaxing break.
• Professional Development Opportunities: Not having the chance for growth and development are one of the top reasons people leave their jobs. Reward your staff’s efforts by showing them you value their personal and professional development.

If you want to up your game when it comes to employee appreciation, try adding some fun activities into your workplace! Here are a few ideas of popular employee appreciation activities:

• Lunches/Dinners: Provide a employee appreciation meal at a delicious restaurant where everyone can relax and enjoy each other’s company without the stress of discussing work. 
• Awards Ceremony: Host a fun and light-hearted awards ceremony with real or joke awards highlighting inside jokes or impressive innovation, teamwork, or achievements.
• Surprise Celebration: Why wait for a day everyone expects to celebrate? Pick a day to surprise your staff with food, treats, or a party! Let them know it is nothing more than a huge “thank you” for everything they do.
• Employee of the Month: Start an “employee of the month” appreciation program, but use it to celebrate workers for more than just their sales or performance. Gift the winner with a Kudoboard filled with messages, pictures, and videos from their co-workers, and take advantage of the option to display it as a slideshow during your next meeting.

Showing employee appreciation doesn’t have to come with spending a lot of money! If you are holding back on workplace appreciation because you don’t have much of a budget for it, here are some ideas of how you can still show you gratitude to your deserving employees:

• Give handwritten notes of gratitude
• One-on-one video chats to check in, build connection, and express appreciation
• Highlight employees on your website
• Give them a shout out on social media
• Place a suggestion box in the office to show you are listening, and get some ideas on what they need to feel valued

If you are looking for a way to access everything needed for workplace appreciation and team engagement all in one spot, you have come to the right place! Elevate by Kudoboard is an ongoing business plan for employee engagement software that provides all of the bells and whistles your employees deserve to feel recognized and valued by their company. Our plan provides unlimited customized boards, making it perfect for any size team. Our business plan makes it easy to quickly to show employee appreciation that will be remembered by all!

Start your free trial today and experience employee recognition and engagement reimagined.

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