.png)
There are many ways you can make your team feel appreciated.
Here are ten tips you can add to your appreciation toolbox to make them feel special.
Everyone is different, so not everyone is going to want to be appreciated the same way.
1. Staff Appreciation Day
Pick a day every year to celebrate your staff and their accomplishments. Close the office if you can, even it is for half a day, and focus on your team. You can either have a potluck or catered lunch. If that is not in your budget, you can have the staff bring their lunch. Pick a great location. Outside is usually really refreshing, and getting out in the fresh air can do wonders. A restaurant, ballroom, hotel conference room can all work as well if you have the budget to do so. Shut down services or the office (if you can) for at least a couple of hours. If not, maybe a weekend day may be easier, but you will have to find a way to compensate staff for the after-hours time and day. Pick activities that your team might enjoy doing. Do a survey and ask for staff input on whether they would like to get recharged and do some yoga, networking, crafting, painting, etc. You want to do some team-building focused on a project, meeting certification standards to let them have buy-in to give feedback and participation. You also want to schedule some networking and opportunities to get to know each other more to build morale and camaraderie.
2. Invest in a Staff Appreciation Language Book or Assessments
There are five appreciation languages.
Acts of Service, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Tangible Gifts, and Appropriate Physical Touch ( this one is usually not practiced in a work setting). Usually, your team will vary between acts of service, quality time, or words of affirmation. This exercise is a great way to figure out how your team likes to feel appreciated. Invest in getting the book and having them take the assessment. Keep the list, and when you are interacting with staff, it is always a great way to make connections with staff and how best to support them. This is a fantastic morale booster, and everyone on your team will feel appreciated and that you are taking the extra mindful step to make sure you have a happy and productive team.
3. “You Rock” Rocks
Yes, I am talking about real rocks. Have some of your more creative staff decorate the rocks. There are several ways you can make them. You can have a big U on a rock or
write out the words “You Rock.” How you utilize them is when you have staff meetings, you put it out to the staff to nominate other coworkers for their generous assistance or if they went above and beyond to help another coworker and rotate it every month. This is just one way you can utilize them. I have seen staff put them on their desk outside their offices. It is a great way to instill coworker recognition and also boost morale!
4. Handwritten thank-you notes
You might think this is an archaic way to send appreciation, but it can make someone’s day in the digital world. It means a lot to be able to get a lovely sentiment from co-workers and bosses. I have seen the staff put them up on their corkboard or their desks.
5. Anniversary Certificates
Another way to show appreciation is to do anniversary certificates on the date that staff started working at the organization. An excellent way to do certificates is to have the CEO, Director, or manager to sign them. At the staff meetings announcing the anniversaries can be a really great way to have team appreciation.
6. Holiday potlucks
If you can swing having potlucks, it would be great to share a meal with your staff without the expense. Having theme potlucks are excellent to have and to share international cuisines and share stories about family recipes. Attach them to a staff meeting or have them stand-alone.
7. Team Building Ideas from your Team
Open the door to staff to give ideas about team building. If your team doesn’t buy in the team building, it may not be beneficial, and it would feel like forced team building, which many people don’t like. Rotate teams that are in different departments to entice staff to get to know each other.
8. Personalized gifts
There are many websites for personalized gifts for your team. This is another way to make your team feel special, and it brings the team together. You can get a personalized flower box, mug, water bottles, and more. You can set any budget and meet it with all the options out there.
9. 1:1 Time
Some employees will appreciate the 1:1 time you spend with them to discuss what is going on in their world. Some ground rules don’t ask too many personal questions and focus on work-related situations. If an employee does want to discuss personal issues, listen but try not to over step boundaries, and if there are issues that you shouldn’t talk about, refer them to HR or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
10. Staff Recognition and Awards
Consider doing awards a recognition, especially at staff meetings, to share outstanding milestones and share them with the rest of the team. Many people like to receive the spotlight and get that in a public setting. If you know your team well enough and know their appreciation language, you can accommodate their needs.
These are just some examples of ways you can appreciate your team and boost morale in the workplace. We have found that the more your team feels appreciated and valued, the more they will support the organization’s mission and go above and beyond their call of duty. To find out more ways to make sure your team is feeling like they are #1 or looking for ways to increase productivity within your team. Book a free 15-minute consultation to see how we can help you get your team to feel appreciated and create a healthy work environment.
Kommentarer