Employee Appreciation During Thanksgiving Season

Although most are out of the office this Thanksgiving, the holiday season is upon us and the time for giving and appreciating should carry on far longer than just Thanksgiving day. As employers you know that your employees are what make your company and without them you would not have a company at all- just ideas and ambitions. It’s your employees that carry out most of those ideas and goals you have for your company, so don’t you think they deserve a little appreciation this Thanksgiving? Of course, employee appreciation should happen all the time in your office in order to retain top talent. However, this Thanksgiving employers can take that little extra effort to really make their employees feel appreciated and cared for.

The best part about employee appreciation is that it doesn’t always have to equal out to dollar signs. There are many ways employers can show their employees they care and  appreciate them without spending a dime. There are also ways you can show employees you care with a little spending, so let’s take a look at a couple of both.

Thank You Notes
How difficult is it to send out a thank you letter or a thank you note? Not difficult at all! Employers can show their employees that they are on their minds by drafting up a genuine thank you letter. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be an actual card. Although sending out cards to each individual employee is the best way to grab their attention, it’s certainly not necessary. If it’s too late to do this now, send an email all of the employees will receive on Monday. Let them know how thankful you are for all of their hard work and that it is not going unnoticed. Tell them you hope they had a great Thanksgiving with their family or friends and that you are grateful to have them on your team. It’s a small, simple gesture that can make anyone’s day. Plus, employees that feel they are appreciated are much more productive since they know their work means something.

Saying “Hello”
Sometimes, it really is as simple as a genuine, “Hello.” Do you know everyone on your team or your department? Do you feel as though sometimes you are too busy to be bothered with saying hi or making small talk. Employees like to know who they are working for, and that the person they are working for knows them as well. If you are the type that’s in and out of the office without a word, stop and take a minute to say “hi” and “bye” to your team. If this isn’t your normal nature, chances are they will appreciate the fact that you took the time to notice them and greet them. It doesn’t seem like much, but for some of your employees it could make a world of a difference.

Honesty
Be honest with your employees. It will show them that you truly care for their work and for them as well. Sometimes it can be easy to give employees diluted answers or answers that are far from the truth. Unfortunately for you though, the truth will come out at some point and you will have lost the respect and perhaps the drive of most of your employees. Show your team that you truly value them and be as honest as you can with them. This is one of the biggest ways you can show your employees you appreciate them- and actually care.

Potluck
It’s Thanksgiving today, so the time to plan a potluck for the office might be gone, but you can always plan for next year. Planning company-wide events such as a Thanksgiving potluck shows your employees that you want them to come together and enjoy their time spent. Give them some time to relax and enjoy the holiday atmosphere- if only for a little bit. If you didn’t plan one before the holiday, then ask a few if they would still be interested in doing one the week after. If not, save the planning for next year!

Gift Cards
One way you can spend some money on employee appreciation is through gift cards. If your employees have been doing a stellar job, then show them how much you appreciate them and their work with all of the above strategies. If you really want to bring it home, send out gift cards. Not one person would turn down a gift card, and by giving them a small gift you are telling them you notice their hard work. It’s a small gesture that can go a long way for your employees.

As stated earlier, employee appreciation is something that should go on all year round- not just during November! It’s simple and can keep your employee morale up, which is great for productivity. So show your employees how much you appreciate them this Thanksgiving and send out a little “thank you.”

How does your company show how much they appreciate their employees? Let us know about it in the comments section below!

IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by rustiqueart