Today marks Employee Appreciation Day! Since the holiday first arrived on calendars in 1995, companies all around the U.S. have been showing their employees some love every first Friday in March. Of course, it is a sign of great management when employees feel appreciated everyday. But interesting enough, several recent studies show that many employees don’t actually feel very appreciated at all.
In a study conducted by MarketTools, Inc., a market research company based out of San Francisco, nearly 50% of surveyed employees have considered leaving their current jobs. It’s no question that satisfied employees lead to better customer experiences and ultimately, more profitability for the company. Studies constantly show that companies with a culture of recognition have employees that are five times more likely to feel valued and eleven times more likely to feel committed to their job. So do your employees feel appreciated?
Here are some things you can do this Employee Appreciation Day (or everyday if you want!) to show your employees that their work is truly valued:
Surprises!
Everyone loves surprises! A great way to show your employees that you value their work is surprising them with little gifts throughout the day. Design it so the surprises progress throughout the day, such as a little trinket or a “thank you” card in the morning to something like a gift card by the end of the day.
Go Off-Site
For a truly special Employee Appreciation Day hold at least part of the work day outside of your office. You can go out to lunch with some of your employees or even just take an outing to one of the local parks for a picnic! Just a find a place where employees can relex and mingle for a little part of their day.
Hold a Silly Awards Ceremony
It’s not a question that people love getting awards, even if it’s just for something silly. This Employee Appreciation Day hold a fun awards ceremony where every one of your employees can be awarded for something. Its a great way to get your employees involved and having a good time together.
Make it Personal
The most important part of making Employee Appreciation Day special is making sure you, as the manager, make a personal connection with each of your employees. One way is writing a personal little letter to your employees telling them how much you appreciate their work and their value to the company. If you don’t have very many employees, even better! You can go around to each employee thanking him or her in person for the great work they do for you and the company.
Have Fun!
Last, but not least, it’s important that you have fun with your employees on this day! This is not the day to talk business with them. Enjoy the day and celebrate the people that make your business successful!
