Staff Appreciation Ideas

The War for Talent has caused many companies to forget that existing employees are their biggest assets.  It’s easy to assume that – like trading cards – once you’ve acquired top talent, they’re yours forever.

Big mistake.

It’s important to think about long-term reasons why your employees will want to come to work every day.

It doesn’t take much to create a positive work environment that motivates employees, and even simply improving Communication – with a capital C – and boosting positivity in the workplace can go a long way in encouraging employees to stick around.

Below are some staff appreciation ideas to make sure your workforce knows that you care!

1. Get a Victory Gong

Every employee wants to feel acknowledged and appreciated for the great work they’ve done.

A gong is a great staff appreciation idea to gather your team to briefly celebrate when an employee closes a sale or forges a new partnership. It reaffirms that even one person’s accomplishment is a team victory – this will inspire your employees to keep aiming for success.

2. Pay It Forward on Your Un-Birthday

One great trick for making employees feel special on their birthdays is to have the employee whose birthday was celebrated last be responsible for purchasing a gift for the next employee’s birthday.

Not only does this mean that they receive a personalized gift, but it encourages employees to learn more about each other and establish closer ties within the company.

Easy, right?

3. Announce Office Visitors

One often overlooked aspect of office culture is how your company treats office visitors.

A company-wide online chat group or a ‘Visitors’ Google Calendar devoted to announcing visitors is the easiest way to keep employees in the loop and ensure your staff feels respected and appreciated for their time. Plus, it gives them time to prepare their game faces if necessary.

Simple notes like: “Enterprise candidate Mark is interviewing at 11am” helps others in your office be prepared. If they bump into Mark in the hallways, they can address him by name and have a friendly conversation instead of wondering who the stranger around the office is.

How’s that for an awesome and attractive company culture?

4. Make Handwritten Notes for Employees

A hand-written congratulatory note is among the top staff appreciation ideas that will blow any email, LinkedIn message, or text message out of the water.

Next time you notice an employee going above and beyond for a project, walk over and place a hand-written note of acknowledgment on their desk. It’ll make their day.

5. Create Personalized Welcome Packages for Newbies

Staff appreciation ideas often center around your current employees, but what about showing appreciation for your brand new employees? One thing you can do is have a welcome package waiting on a new hire’s desk on their first day. The contents don’t have to be complicated – just personalized enough to make them feel welcomed right off the bat.

Contents can include a welcome card that’s signed by the team, or a small gift inspired by something he or she may have mentioned liking during their interview. Make it simple, memorable, and tailored to their background or personality.

Plant Little Seeds of Positivity with Amazing Staff Appreciation Ideas

Your employees will do the rest.

Showing appreciation for your employees is key to retaining them and creating a positive work environment. We hope these staff appreciation ideas help you create places where employees love to work! Have more questions? Request a demo to see how Fond can help you reward and recognize your workforce.