Employee Appreciation Day is March 1

 Employee Appreciation Day is March 1. Celebrate your team by showing your appreciation for their resilience, hard work, creativity and determination to get the job done.

As a leader it’s more important than ever to express your appreciation to the people who are critical to your own success. If people don’t feel valued and appreciated they are less likely to be engaged in their work. Studies have shown that people who are thanked at work are 50% less likely to be looking for a new position.

People want their contributions to be recognized and appreciated. Here are some simple but effective ways to show your gratitude and appreciation to your team.

Give a gift card. It doesn’t need to be a huge amount. Make it personal and give a gift card for something they like to do in their personal time whether it’s going to the movies or doing home improvements.

Share an employee’s accomplishments with others. Make an announcement at a company meeting, post it on your website or newsletter or send an email.

Give the gift of time. Your employees are likely working extra hours to achieve their goals. Give your employee an extra day of vacation or a personal day to show your appreciation.

Have a team brunch. Bring in bagels or take the team out to lunch. Appreciation doesn’t need to be expensive to achieve the desired effect.

Ask for input. Survey your employees to find out what would make them feel valued and what you can do to improve your employee recognition strategy.

Give individual as well as team appreciation

Even if someone is part of a bigger team, it’s important to give thanks individually. Instead of saying “you did a great job with that client” give a specific example of what the person did and how they did it. What was the impact of their work? Share some detail on why their actions were meaningful.

Understand what appreciation means to each person (and not what you yourself would prefer)

While you may prefer to receive appreciation in a certain way, it’s not a one size all fits. Some prefer to receive recognition in private vs. publically, for others a gift vs. a gift card is more meaningful.

Think about the type of appreciation that will resonate with the employee you want to show your appreciation. Is the person shy or outgoing? Do they like to be in the spotlight or prefer to work behind the scenes?

Career Growth

With so many employees looking for a career change or a new challenge, it’s important to help grow their career aspirations or explore a new role within the company.

Invest in professional development through skill development, mentoring and coaching opportunities and be sure to let your employees know you support their career aspirations.

Begin planning your appreciation event today to be ready well in time for March 1.

Artemiste Consulting helps companies build an exceptional employee experience.

from onboarding to exit, with training, performance management and learning and development we help you create a work experience that will retain your talented team and propel your business growth.

Contact us today for a complimentary consultation