5 ways to show appreciation and create a happier workplace
Are you wondering if showing your appreciation would actually make a difference? Well, it certainly can.
The right workplace culture can have a huge impact on your ability to attract talent and retain the best employees. Happy employees do great work, which leads to happy customers, which brings in more.
Happy employees will work hard for you; they will feel committed and loyal and produce better results. They are less likely to leave, which saves you the cost of rehiring and training. Happy staff are also likely to be healthier both mentally and physically, which saves you money in terms of sick days and lack of productivity. All this adds up to more profit.
There are many strategies that can be used to track, measure and increase employee engagement.
You don’t have to wait until the annual pay review or appraisal process to let your employees know you appreciate them. In fact, if you do, you have probably left it too late. Here are some, mostly free, suggestions as to how you can show your appreciation all year round.
Say thank you
A genuine thank you goes a long way for people, it shows a level of respect and that their efforts were noticed and appreciated, so don’t just wait once or twice a year for a formal process to say it. It’s simple, means a lot and costs nothing. Ask yourself when you last said thank you to each member of your team and make a conscious effort to do it going forwards. Watch the reaction, and it will make you want to do it more.
Offer praise as feedback
Recognising when someone has done something well and providing praise as feedback is a fantastic lift. You can go over and above the standard, well-done, thanks. Take a few moments to tell them what went well and why. Feedback doesn’t always have to be about improvement. When something goes well shout about it. Have regular one to ones so that you have the time to offer this kind of feedback. If you only have these discussions in an annual appraisal, you will probably have forgotten most of what they achieved through the year.
Get to know people
Taking a genuine interest in people as individuals helps to foster trust. Sharing your experiences with them and getting to know theirs will help your team to feel valued, respected and cared about. Finding common ground and talking about interests is fun and interesting, and it can also help the team get to know and respect each other.
Offer a gift
This doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. It can be as simple as the gift of time. If the team have worked hard to reach a deadline for example and the deadline was smashed, say thanks by letting the team go home early on a Friday or take them for a long lunch to celebrate with them. If you do want to give them something, how about gift vouchers for Deliveroo or online shopping?
Get the cakes in
Or the crisps, or the sweets or the fruit for the more health-conscious. Little treats that you can all enjoy to say thanks for a great week, or a difficult week as they sometimes are. Provide a little pick me up and an opportunity for a bit of team bonding. And if your team are working remotely, why not send them some cakes or a little hamper in the post?
Hopefully, these ideas have given you some food for thought. Perhaps they’ve raised a question about your business or your current culture? No problem – simply get in touch, and we can chat further.