Employee Appreciation Day is on Friday, 1st March, in the UK. If you’re looking for gift ideas or suggestions for celebrating with your team, you’re in the right place!
This year’s event is a special occasion to show gratitude and appreciation to the hardworking team that runs your business. Finding the perfect way to express your thanks can be difficult, so we’ve put together a list of ideas for your team that will put smiles on the faces of the lucky recipients.
Employee recognition has benefits for your company, too. 63% of employees who feel appreciated by their company are doubtful to seek a new job in the following 3-6 months compared to 11% of those who don’t feel that same appreciation (Source: SurveyMonkey).
So, let’s start planning how you’ll be thanking your staff this year!
Start with the Basics
Do you say “thank you” to your employees when they’ve done an excellent job? It may seem like a little thing, but saying thank you is good for business.
A personal, genuine thank you can mean the world to your staff members. It shows their work has been recognised and was worth the effort that they put into it. There are grander ways to be thankful, but make sure you’re not missing this basic step. It’s quick, easy and free to do but can have a big impact.
If you’re not already doing this, use Employee Appreciation Day as an excuse to get started and build your culture of appreciation from there.
Get a Change of Scenery
If you want to improve team bonding and show how much your team mean to you, you could consider getting out and about for a group activity. You could go out for a meal or do a team activity like bowling or an escape room. However, it can be difficult to organise these events if your team members are located in different places. It’s vital to ensure no team member is left out, especially if you have a remote workforce. Some companies now offer hybrid events that can be enjoyed in person and virtually, making it easier for everyone to participate.
Give Gifts With Meaning
A well-thought-out gift delivered to their desk or doorstep can bring a smile to your team’s faces.
Make sure it’s a gift they will use because a gift that ends up straight in the bin is just as bad as no gift! Food and drink are usually a safe bet- we all have to eat, after all! If your team likes games, you could consider sending puzzles to test their brainpower. Alternatively, if they need some R&R after a long day, you could send them self-care items to show you care.
Adding a personal note explaining why you’ve sent the gift helps the recipients understand the thought you’ve put into it. You could also consider customising the gifts with your branding to add a personal touch.
Take a Break
Offer your employees some extra time to concentrate on their own well-being.
This could either be an extra-long lunch break or an early Friday finish. Employees can use this time to get out in the fresh air to help clear their minds or to join a yoga class. They’ll return to work refreshed and ready to clear their to-do list.
Make Positive Feedback a Team Effort
Staff needs to receive positive feedback from their manager, but it’s also valuable for them to hear appreciation from their colleagues. Team members may notice efforts that go unnoticed by the manager.
To encourage this, ask everyone on the team to provide feedback on their colleagues. You can compile this feedback and share it with the team during a regular meeting or another team event, such as an outing.
Give Back to Your Community
A great way to raise team spirits and improve people’s feelings of self-worth is to allow them to do something good for someone else.
Make it easy for your staff to help others by giving them a day off to volunteer in their local community. This could be helping out at a food bank, getting their hands dirty working on a community garden, or creating care packs for people living on the streets.
Charities have had a particularly tough time in the last couple of years, so they will appreciate the offer of additional support.
Involve Friends and Family
Hold an open day to show your employees you care about them and their loved ones.
This is an opportunity for friends and family to see what their loved ones do daily while showing your staff how much you care about them personally.
Depending on your business, this could involve a tour around your building or holding a party or gathering to allow people to socialise and chat with the team. You could also have an awards presentation to let everyone celebrate the achievements of your staff.
These are just a few ideas to give you some inspiration. The best way to know how to make your employees feel appreciated is to ask them. They’ll let you know whether some time off or a gift would be most beneficial to them. Even just knowing you’re listening to their needs helps them feel appreciated!
Although Employee Appreciation Day is a good time to start, remember that recognising your employees’ achievements should be a year-round effort. Even a note to thank you reminds people that their hard work is noticed and appreciated.
Once you get into the ‘routine’ of showing appreciation, it will become easier, and you’ll start to see appreciation shown back to you. Your workplace will become a place where positive feedback is a daily occurrence, and that fosters a more positive environment.
We hope you can enjoy Employee Appreciation Day, and if you’re looking for some gift ideas, we have a range of products that can be sent out to individual addresses with ease! Start here
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