Employee satisfaction seems to become more elusive as time goes on. Today’s levels are below what they were in the 1980s or 1990s. Unfortunately, the job landscape and the employees themselves have changed dramatically over the past 30 years. However, a little employee appreciation goes a long way.
To get satisfaction levels up, check out the 10 employee appreciation ideas below.
1. Survey the Staff
Before investing in any appreciation ideas, survey the staff first. Let them have some say in what they find valuable. It’s empowering.
2. Have a Birthday Routine
Any workplace should have a birthday routine built in. You may personalize it a bit by asking for favorite cake flavors from all employees beforehand. If there are a ton of employees, you might consider doing a monthly celebration.
3. Spontaneous Snacks
The way to a person’s happiness is through their stomach. This is true for most employees. There are so many ways to express employee appreciation with food.
One idea is to call up the local food trucks and have a food truck lunch. Another simple method is to surprise employees with donuts or muffins spontaneously.
4. Offer Time Off or Away
There is nothing an employee appreciates more than time off, or at least time away from the office. When employees complete a huge project, why not reward them with a few hours off?
Alternatively, consider planning an office outing during work hours. This promotes both camaraderie and employee satisfaction.
5. Revamp the Break Room
How comforting is the break room? Does it truly feel like a place of refuge? If not, it’s time for an upgrade.
Invest in really good coffee or espresso machines. Get chic and comfortable furniture. Paint the walls and hang some aesthetically pleasing artwork.
6. Let Them Work From Home
Again, time off or away is the best way to show employee appreciation, even if that means a work-from-home policy. It shows that you trust your employees to do their work to the same quality they would with supervision.
7. An Office Massage Day
This idea may sound far-fetched, but that’s what makes it so great. Take some time to read more about this and you will see how feasible it really is.
8. Get Recognition Software
Of course, there is dedicated software developed specifically to recognize stellar employees. They are often set up almost like social media, where both employers and other employees can shout out those they are grateful to.
9. Consider Transportation
Employees spend a lot of time every day getting to and from their job. This may also be a financial burden, including toll fees, public transportation fees, or parking fees. Consider lifting the load by contributing financially.
10. Let Pets In
Choose a periodic day where employees can bring their beloved pets into the office. It may be once a week or even once a month. Have some treats for the pets as well.
Executing Employee Appreciation Ideas
While it may be difficult to offer raises or beef up the bonuses, it’s easy to execute a few of these employee appreciation ideas. First, survey all employees to discover what is most important to them. Then, select a few different ideas to cover all the languages of appreciation — words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, and gifts.
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