The holidays serve as a subtle reminder to employers to show gratitude for their employees, but many companies often wonder how to incorporate the spirit of the season – within reason.
Employee Appreciation activities don’t have to break the bank. Something as low-budget as birthday cards are proven to go a long way in making employees feel valued at work. Make holiday appreciation another component of your overall recognition plans.
Here are some ideas for simple holiday appreciation efforts to consider this year:
1. Company Holiday letters to thank employees and their families
2. A paid afternoon off for employees to volunteer together at an organization of their choice
3. Encourage peer-to-peer kudos at team meetings
4. Flexible Friday hours to ease holiday stress
5. 12 days of Social Media Praise
6. Time and visibility with leadership who are sharing their appreciation for the team
7. Candy Cane-grams – give a personalized note of appreciation on a candy cane to each employee
The holiday season easily lends itself toward goodwill, but best-in-class employers agree that employee recognition efforts need to be consistent to be effective. According to a SHRM study, 68 percent of HR professionals agreed that employee recognition has a positive impact on retention and 56 percent said such programs also help with recruitment.
A CareerBuilder Survey also revealed that 50% of employees would be more likely to stay in their jobs with better employee recognition.
Creating a comprehensive Employee Recognition Program can be challenging, so remember our KEYS to success with employee appreciation:
Keep it simple: A program requiring administrative burden or financial hardship will run the risk of burning out. Make sure your program is sustainable and uncomplicated.
Evaluation: Are the objectives being met? Do employees feel valued from these efforts? Is there enough communication and participation in the program? Frequent evaluation is important to fuel the business case for employee recognition.
Year-long: Recognition needs to be timely, specific, and constant. While annual bonuses are a nice perk, they are not frequent enough for an employee to feel sufficiently acknowledged for their contributions throughout the year.
Synced with company values: Employees should be recognized when their efforts are aligned with the company’s mission, vision and values. The program needs strong commitment and demonstrated support from leadership to become integrated into the company culture.
Whether you plan to initiate a full Employee Recognition Program in 2020 or find small ways to say “thank you” to your employees, HR Choice can help you create a culture of gratitude. Email or call us today if you want to ensure you are a competitive employer offering employee recognition that attracts and retains top talent.
Please reach out to your HR Choice Consultant or susan@hrchoice.com or call us at 720-335-6540 if you wish to discuss how we might help you.
Enjoy this season of Gratitude!
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