The signs are all here. Crisp morning air, the scents of pumpkin spice and peppermint at coffee shops, and conversations revolving around new year budgets floating through the office. While the holiday season involves plenty of celebrating, it can also be equally stressful. Whether it’s shopping lists and travel plans or shorter deadlines and year-end reports, a lot is going on for employees. During this time of year, you should also be thinking about how to show your appreciation to your employees. Not only will you be capturing the spirit of the season, but some of that goodwill could help you with a strong start for the New Year. Demonstrate gratitude with these 10 unique ways to thank your employees during the holidays.
1. Write A Personal Note
Everyone loves to receive a handwritten holiday card in the mail. You can make an even bigger impact when you take the time to make your messages personal. Don’t give all your employees a blanket ‘thank you’ holiday card. Instead, personalize the message to each employee, thanking them for something specific that they did that year. Make sure it’s clear management values their individual contribution. A handwritten note shows your appreciation, makes employees feel good and inspires them to keep up the good work.
2. Buy Lunch
Get away from the craziness to enjoy a meal and some work-free conversation. And it doesn’t have to be lunch; you might host a company-wide holiday ‘worksgiving’ or treat your small team out for dinner. It doesn’t matter if you cook the meal or have it catered, it’s about treating your employees and creating a bond.
3. Support Their Charities
Where do your employees spend their time outside of the office? Are they volunteering at a kitchen or working with their child’s PTA? Find out what is important to your employees, and you’ll gain a better insight into what really motivates them. Work with your employees to come up with a list of charitable organizations that you can support during work hours. As a bonus, giving back to the community is good for both physical and mental health.
4. Give Them Time Off
No matter how much your employees love their jobs, none of them will argue about receiving time off. November onward can be a blur of hustle and bustle. Surprise your employees with a day or even an afternoon off. The important part is to make sure it doesn’t affect their workload by burdening other team members. Perhaps you let the employees pick their afternoon or day off with their manager’s approval. Also, make sure to emphasize that this is an enforced day off with no email, messages, or meetings.
5. Thank the Family
A lot of employees are struggling to find work-life balance in their day-to-day lives. Overtime and bringing work home on weekends affects not only your employees but their loved ones as well. You can show appreciation to your employees by appreciating the sacrifices their families are making for them to get their job done. It could be organizing a fun holiday event for them to participate in or providing a service that pitches in, like picking up the tab for a housekeeper.
6. Pay for Training
Where do your employees want to be in 5 years? Or ten years? While tuition reimbursement might be the first thing that comes to mind, paying for training doesn’t have to be tied to a degree program. Talk to your employees about their goals and how they would like to advance within the company. Seminars and conferences are great ways for your employees to increase their skills in the workforce.
7. Spend Quality Time
Do you know what personal milestones your employees are celebrating? Maybe a team member just ran a marathon or finished their degree. If you’re not spending quality one-on-one time with employees, you might be missing out on what’s happening in their lives outside the office. Your employees are proud of these accomplishments and showing that you’re proud of them, too, is a great way to show appreciation. While you’re spending quality time also take the opportunity to verbally thank them for a job well done.
8. Host a Holiday Party
Is your holiday party a can’t-miss event? Whether you decorate a conference room or rent a venue downtown, turn your holiday party into a celebration that employees look forward to each year. Spread good cheer with some holiday spirit.
9. Year-in-Review Tribute
Boost morale by getting employees to celebrate each other’s successes. Nothing beats an old-fashioned year-end employee recognition. Celebrate all the major achievements and highlights your employees have accomplished throughout the year. Put the successes together in a video or compile them into a newsletter distributed to all employees.
10. Personalize Rewards
When it comes to appreciation gifts, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t work. Your employees have different personalities and preferences. Select personalized rewards that will make your employees feel most appreciated. Choose from personalized rewards such as awards, food gifts, coffee mugs, and more
The holidays are a magical time, but you don’t have to wait for the holidays to thank your employees. Keep productivity high and turnover low by making employee appreciation part of your workplace culture. At Safeguard, we know that celebrating milestones throughout the year is a great way to show employee appreciation. Contact us today for advice and solutions tailored specifically for your business.