Have you ever wondered how a simple ‘thanks’ can transform your team’s productivity and morale? It’s no secret that employees thrive in an environment where they feel valued. In fact, an Employee Appreciation Survey from Glassdoor found that appreciation in the workplace can lead to:
- Higher retention rates
- Increased team engagement and office morale
- A boost in overall productivity
Please note: if you don’t have an extravagant budget or flashy perks to offer — it’s okay! There are many creative ways to express appreciation, and we’ve compiled a list of options to meet every budget.
Let’s take a look.
Celebrate Together With a Fun Outing
1. Schedule Volunteer Opportunities
Give your team a sense of purpose outside of company goals. It doesn’t matter if it’s serving soup or walking shelter dogs — doing good makes us feel good. And the great news is there are plenty of volunteering opportunities this time of year. Not only will it connect your team to their community, but it’ll also strengthen the bonds between them.
2. Treat Them to Lunch
Whether your team is remote or hybrid, send them all a digital gift card to their favorite restaurant! Websites like Tremendous make it easy to share in bulk. And with 700+ retailers to choose from, everyone will be pleased.
3. Host an Event for the Entire Team
Your employees work hard, and they deserve to play hard, too. Here are some fun, in-person options that could easily be adjusted to become remote-friendly:
- Enjoy happy hour at your local watering hole.
- Coordinate a paint-and-sip night with a guided instructor
- Dine in style at a nearby classy restaurant — black tie optional
- Cheer for your team at a local sports game
- Host a trivia night and offer the winner a small prize (e.g., a $5 Starbucks gift card)
Praise Hard Work and Success With Financial Rewards
4. Mail Them Personalized Gifts
Did someone say presents? Gift your employees a custom tumbler with their preferred name on it. You could even toss a $10 gift card to Starbucks in the tumbler as a special little bonus. It’s a great gift because it’s practical and sentimental.
5. Send a Digital Gift Card
The end of the year can be stressful for many people — endless errands, family gatherings, searching for the perfect presents, remembering to move that darn elf on the shelf — the list goes on and on. Show your appreciation and help make your workers’ lives a little bit easier by giving them gift cards. With a service like Tremendous, they can choose from 700+ retailers. So whether they use it to get a relaxing massage or skip the dishes by ordering takeout — they’ll be happy.
6. Say “Thanks” With an End-of-Year Bonus
Give your employees an end-of-year bonus if you have a little wiggle room in your budget. There’s no need to go overboard with an extravagant amount of money, and your team will still feel appreciated if they each receive $100.
Create a Culture That Promotes Well-Being
7. Give Them Extra Time Off
The holiday season can be busy, busy, busy. Show your employees you value their hard work and give them extra time off to relax and recharge. Whatever they decide to use their bonus PTO on — leaving early the day before Thanksgiving, spending quality time with their families, running around town with a laundry list of errands — they’ll be very grateful for it. And if your company offers a flexible PTO policy, encourage your team to take an extended break between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day to reset.
8. Introduce a Fitness Perks Program
Encourage healthy habits by offering your workers a monthly stipend for fitness-related expenses, e.g., gym membership, exercise equipment, etc. You can also provide virtual group classes so your team can stay motivated together — wherever they’re located.
9. Make Emotional Wellness Accessible
Show your team you care about them by creating an environment that encourages mindfulness. Offer your workers a monthly mental health stipend for talk therapy, meditation apps (we recommend Headspace), yoga sessions, and more. The benefits?
- Improved focus, trust, engagement, and resilience
- Reduced stress, burnout, and turnover
- Increased overall well-being and shared purpose in the organization
And to further support your team, consider sharing self-care resources and reading materials.
Express Gratitude in Simple yet Meaningful Ways
10. Mail Thank You Cards
Call us old-fashioned, but in the age of technology, there’s something special about receiving a physical card in the mail. Writing personalized thank you cards for your team doesn’t necessarily take a lot of effort, neither will it break the bank, but it will mean a lot to your workers. Just make sure your words are genuine and specific to each person. You don’t want it to feel like a mass email you sent.
11. Praise Individual Accomplishments
During one-on-one meetings with your employees, thank them for their efforts. But don’t stop there. Take a stroll down memory lane and celebrate their professional accomplishments during the year. Encourage them to keep up the good work and express gratitude that they’re here. The most important thing is to make them feel valued. And be genuine because if you’re not, it’ll be evident and off-putting.
12. Recognize Everyone During Team Meetings
One of the easiest ways to show appreciation for your workers is through praise. Next time you meet with the entire team, take a few minutes to give recognition to everyone. Go beyond saying surface-level things. What you say should be personable because it will feel far more meaningful to each person.
Helpful tip: Write down what you want to say before the meeting starts. If you wing it, you may come across as apathetic.
Provide Opportunities for Professional Development
13. Encourage Learning With a Book Budget
Give your employees a chance to learn something new with a stipend to buy books. The topics can be work-related, and there are many books on efficiency, time management, organization, etc. But they can be something other than work-focused. Encourage your team to explore topics they’re passionate about, such as creative pursuits like cooking or creative writing. These new skills are likely transferable to their day-to-day work.
14. Offer Regular Training
Make learning more accessible for your team with free training on industry trends, tools, and research. Make sure your employees have what they need to excel at their jobs. If you want brownie points, encourage your workers to learn about their passions. Masterclass is a great resource that offers unlimited access to 180+ classes on various topics. And the best part? Your workers can still focus on their daily duties because MasterClass lets users gain new skills in bite-sized lessons.
15. Promote Attending Industry-Specific Conferences
Conferences are making a comeback finally. So if one (or more) of your workers is interested in attending one — encourage them to go! If you’re able to reimburse their expenses, even better. But if you don’t have budget approval, that’s okay, too. One of the best ways to show appreciation for your employees is by being in their corner and supporting their desire for professional growth.
Final Thoughts
Wrap up the year with a nice bow by showing genuine appreciation for your employees. Big or small, your gestures will make them more productive and keen to stick around — not to mention happier!