Regardless of their title or location, employees want to see their efforts appreciated, especially given their ongoing contributions to companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With hybrid and remote teams now the new normal, leaders must find creative ways to show staff appreciation, thank them for their dedication and flexibility — and boost camaraderie — while navigating a changing workplace.
10 Employee Recognition Tips to Show Your Gratitude
Not sure how to best show staff appreciation? Here are 10 tips for employee recognition:
- Celebrate important milestones. Hold a virtual celebration to recognize achievements. Arrange for festive treats to be delivered for team members to enjoy during the event.
- Put it in writing.Acknowledge employees’ great work in an email or personalized certificate. Copy key executives and team members for additional exposure.
- Host video check-in meetings. Schedule regular videoconferences to encourage face-to-face communication and foster connections.
- Highlight successes formally. Cite specific accomplishments during performance reviews to show how much you value employees’ work. This also reinforces the type of work you want to see.
- Encourage professional development. Offer tuition assistance for professional courses or certifications. Similarly, reimburse staff for industry association memberships, conferences and publications.
- Give them a call. Reach out to your employees one-on-one and ask how they are doing while working off-site or as part of a hybrid team.
- Reward them. Recommend staff for external and internal accolades, such as employee of the month, and encourage peer nominations. Feature outstanding team members in the company newsletter.
- Give the gift of time.* Encourage team members to log off early on a Friday afternoon if they have been working long hours. Offer additional time off or extra vacation days for a job well done.
- Develop new leaders. Recognize employees’ skills by asking them to mentor others. Promote from within when possible, and make sure staff members know about career growth opportunities in the company.
- Introduce them to management. Invite company executives to join a team meeting or conference call. Arrange for team members to present the results of a project to them.
*Consult with your HR and legal departments.
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