employee appreciation ideas that work

If you're at the helm of any kind of business today, then you know just how important all your team members are. The cooperation of diligent, trustworthy, and capable employees means so much for businesses of all kinds.

Workplaces just can't function without capable professionals who do their best day in and day out.

If you're a business owner, supervisor, or manager who wants to show your employees just how grateful you are for them, there are a handful of things that you can try.

8 Effective Employee Appreciation Ideas

The importance of employee benefits is a given. Equally important is the tremendous value of communicating your gratitude to the people who enable you to push your business to the forefront daily.

Here are eight effective ways to accomplish that.

1. Take Your Thankfulness Public

People love acknowledgment in public forums, and that’s only natural. If you want to show your team members that you acknowledge just how talented and capable they are, you can praise them via widely known social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

You can pen detailed posts that go into the things that make your specific employees so memorable and outstanding. You can even place images of your employees in these social media posts.

Discuss the traits that make your standout team members so unforgettable. Talk about any specific accomplishments they have under their belts. The more detailed your social media acknowledgment posts are, the better. They may even motivate your team members to continue doing better and better in the future. You can also write interesting tidbits about your employees. Perhaps talk about a secret relevant talent your administrative assistant has.

2. Reach Out to Your Team Members

Showing your team members that you value them doesn't necessarily have to be complicated or elaborate. If you want your employees to grasp that you love all that they do, make a point to communicate with them on a routine basis.

Ask your team members how they feel about their work. Ask them if they have any constructive criticism to give to you. People love feeling like their supervisors take their opinions and thoughts into consideration. Make it clear that you consider your employees to be valued members of your team. Give your employees the feeling of "ownership." Doing so may motivate them to continue trying to impress you and the rest of your staff.

3. Motivate Your Team Members to Go for Frequent Breaks

Work can be tiring. Thriving on the job can be particularly exhausting. If you want your employees to grasp that you see them as humans who are vulnerable to fatigue and burnout, motivate them to go for routine breaks.

Don't forget that the most capable team members are the ones who get ample rest day in and day out. Worn out employees are rarely the ones who can seize the day and take over the universe. Encourage your team members to take quick "power naps" in the middle of particularly taxing and demanding days.

Tell them to stretch their legs and go outside for brisk and energizing strolls. Breaks can go far in helping employees stimulate their brains. Mental dullness and lethargy do not go hand in hand with workplace success.

4. Give Your Staff Members Nourishing Food

If you want to communicate to your employees that you appreciate them, try offering them nourishing and tasty food. Provide them with well-rounded and nutritious snacks that will boost energy in the middle of the day. Opt for bags of raw almonds, sliced fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, and similar items.

And you can give them access to healthful beverages like smoothies, green tea, and cool water. Good food motivates employees to thrive. It also reinforces that their superiors have their best interests in mind. The last thing you need is cranky team members who haven’t replenished themselves with balanced food products.

5. Surprise Your Team Members with Occasional Gifts

People love receiving gifts, especially unexpected gifts. If you want to wow your employees and make them feel 100 percent appreciated and acknowledged at the same time, invest in occasional gifts.

Try to individualize these gifts, if possible. If you have an assistant who is particularly keen on gourmet cuisine, you may want to delight him or her with a gift certificate to a local acclaimed eatery. If you have a team member who is a big sports fan, consider blowing them away with tickets to an upcoming, highly anticipated sporting event. Gift options run the gamut. The point is to select gifts that you know will please the recipient.

6. Depend on Corporate Awards

Corporate awards can do wonders in showing your appreciation of your most brilliant and valued team members.
Show your "shining stars" just how much you admire them by presenting them with plaques and awards that they can display at home, in their offices, in their cubicles, and elsewhere as they wish. Few things are more rewarding at work than being acknowledged in "official" ways.

7. Act Like an Authentic Team Player

Confirm to your team members that you appreciate them by behaving like a bona fide team player. Collaborate with them so they’ll see that you’re one of them. Let your employees understand that you're not afraid to get your hands a bit dirty — volunteer to assist them with menial and basic tasks sometimes. Avoid being aloof or distant. Work side by side with them from time to time.

8. Offer Guidance

To help your team members grasp that you're their ally, offer them in-depth guidance any time you can. It doesn't matter if an employee on your staff is soaring or floundering. Take the time to make sure they know that you're accessible to assist them any time the need arises. Offer them routine suggestions that can help them with their career trajectories, while helping the business.

Richard OvermyerRichard Overmyer is a copywriter and outreach specialist for McGee’s Awards and Engravings in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He strives to help customers find the best ways to celebrate important events and achievements.

When not writing, you can find Richard in the mountains, looking for his next inspiration.

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