Fun Ideas to Make Your Employees Feel Valued & Appreciated
When an employee thinks you value them, you gain their trust and build loyalty. Never underestimate the power of employees who are loyal to you/your company — they’re your greatest asset. Showing employees how much you value them can a) boost productivity, b) increase morale, and c) reduce turnover.
I think developing a mindset of appreciation is the way to go. So you arrange annual company picnics/ birthdays and think it’s enough? Trust me, they no longer work. It’s not just a one-time thing. Instead, it’s an ongoing part of good leadership. Remember, little acts of appreciation go a long way!
I’ve put together some fun ways to value each employee for the work he/she does. Pick and choose the one that you think can benefit your employees. Let’s get going!
Thank them publicly
You likely thank your team’s hard work as a whole. I know each person plays their part to get the job done. And this may be the reason why you avoid picking and thanking one teammate. However, you must call out different employees publicly and acknowledge their work. Such positive feedback can boost employees’ morale and create a sense that they are appreciated.
Pro tip: Plan a little thankful speech to show appreciation during your next team meeting or casual conversation.
Don’t let the work anniversary go unnoticed
The 5, 10, or 15-year anniversaries are surely milestones to celebrate. Yet, don’t overlook the yearly work anniversary. Particularly during work anniversaries, employees expect at least a tiny bit of appreciation. So, make use of this special day to acknowledge the work they’ve done and the things they’ve achieved in the past year. At VRC, we also follow this initiative to draw attention to employees’ accomplishments and make them feel valued on their work anniversary.
Pro tip: Mark work anniversaries on your calendar. Post a few words of recognition on your social media handles.
Prioritize a work-life balance
Don’t expect responses to after-hour emails and phone calls, it’s a warning sign of a toxic workplace. Show your employees you value them by not placing too many demands. Rather, encourage them in striking a better work-life balance.
Prioritizing a healthy work environment can bring in impactful results and less stress/burnout. Here are some things I do — and you can too — to help your employees establish a work-life balance:
· Establish flexible working hours
· Allow remote work opportunity
· Teach time management skills
· Maintain respectful off-hours communication expectations
· Offer extensive paid-time-off programs
Pro tip: If you must send an email after office hours, start by stating that you don’t expect to hear back until the next day. Try restricting calls to only within office hours.
Arrange an onboarding lunch
So you hired a new employee and the awkward struggle still exists? What are you doing to make them feel welcomed to the team? Fitting in a new place and with new people demands time. What you can do is arrange an onboarding lunch where you introduce the new employee to the team. Even research indicates that strong onboarding procedures increase productivity by over 70% and new hire retention by 82%.
Pro tip: Don’t let the new employees fumble around by themselves during the onboarding lunch. Prepare questions and lead the conversation to build rapport right from the start.
Offer help with a hard project
Another way to make your employees feel valued is by offering help. You’re likely to spot employees struggling with a difficult or big project. In times like that, your assistance can brighten their day. Since employees are less likely to approach you for help, it’s better if you approach them yourself by saying that you’d love to assist them.
Besides, avoid making the impression that you want to take over the project. Here are a few solutions that can be beneficial instead:
· Extend the deadline
· Break the project into smaller chunks
· Assign specific tasks to other coworkers based on availability and skills
· Improve project planning
Pro tip: Just how you’d offer your help, don’t be doubtful when asking for theirs. Asking for their help also indicates your respect and appreciation of their insight and knowledge.
Set up a comment box
When employees approach you with questions or simply to chat, pay attention! Don’t make them feel terrible by being neglectful. Listen to what they have to say followed by addressing issues and striving to implement changes within your organization.
Setting up a suggestion box and letting everyone know that you welcome their opinion is a simple method to accomplish this. By doing so, employees will be less hesitant and more likely to share concerns and new ideas.
Pro tip: Not all employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns publicly. Thus, give them the option to make anonymous comments/suggestions.
Last Words
Employees feel happier, more productive, and less prone to look for other employment possibilities when they feel valued at work — and it’s a fact. That being said, I’ve compiled a few ways to achieve that. From financial rewards and recognition schemes to little acts like paying attention to their comments and acting on them — the options are quite many.
If you haven’t already, don’t wait to let your employees know how much you value them and their efforts!
