Employee appreciation ideas for small companies

Every employee needs to see his work evaluation at least once in a while. As studies show, most employees leave their jobs because they don't feel valued at work. Read more...

Category: Business     Written By: Eva William

Employee appreciation ideas for small companies

Every employee needs to see his work evaluation at least once in a while. As studies show, most employees leave their jobs because they don't feel valued at work. And we are not talking about the financial assessment at all, but another, no less important factor. it is about a warm and caring human approach when the employee feels that he is valued and that his role is important in the given company. 

What will the workplace be like, where there is no human warmth, mutual understanding, and a worthy evaluation of the work and the employee? It will definitely look like a meeting place for robots, where everyone is rushing to get the job done and avoid colliding with fellow robots as much as possible.

An appreciated employee works more productively, shows a more compassionate approach to the company, and rarely thinks about changing the workplace.

An ordinary word of praise can inspire a working person, can make him work with greater dedication, and improve his professional qualities. After all, you have shown that he is a valuable employee. He also wants to meet your expectations․ 

Show your employee that they matter. In addition to the verbal evaluation, you can also choose a more tangible way to encourage the employee. Especially in small companies, it is easier to choose the incentive option, because the members of the small workforce are easier to recognize.

It would be desirable to create an opportunity to communicate with your team both at work and outside of work. Only by getting to know the staff members, you will be able to show the right approach to each of them individually. You will show your caring and attentive attitude if you recognize the preferences of each employee.

Let's consider some ways to motivate the staff. And so let's move on…

Create a birthday calendar

Birthdays are always a good opportunity to make an employee the hero of the day. Depending on the preferences of the celebrant, you can choose the appropriate gift: a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a new desk, giving them a day off, experience birthday gifts, or simply a timeless present - money in an envelope.

Make the staff's voice heard

Appreciating an employee should not only be expressed through verbal praise or rewards. Allow him to express his opinion, choose projects on his own from time to time and work on them, and listen to their ideas and concerns. You can give the staff a gift card on their birthday, but if they have repeatedly come to you with their concerns and you haven't tried to address them, then all rewards are empty actions.

Level up

Don't rush to find the best, instead help your loyal and dedicated employee to become the best. Send your employees to leadership training. You can also organize a meeting with the best experts in the field. It is surely a good investment, the result of which you will soon feel in the accounts of your organization. With this step, you are encouraging the employee to continue his education, which means that you want to continue working with him. Your employee will definitely appreciate this forward-looking step towards the development of your professional skills. It should be noted that your company will benefit as well.

Create your award

You can create an annual or monthly award ceremony and reward employees who have shown the best results at work. This is not an Oscar, Grammy, or Emmy award ceremony, but it will undoubtedly be no less important for your employees. Be creative when choosing a prize. You can spice it up with affordable options from FineAwards.

Gather the staff around the table

Organize frequent lunches with the staff. If the company has a small number of employees, the managers can invite them to a nearby restaurant. In a warm environment, closer relations will be formed between employees and management. And the problem is not to feed them at all, but to create a direct environment and simply communicate humanely. If the company does not have enough budget, you can order something and gather around a small table in the office during the break.

Non-working hours

No matter how dedicated the employees are to their work, they all want to have free days and dedicate them to their loved ones or just to their favorite pastime, why not, they just want to find a few hours to drink a cup of tea and watch a movie. And that is a very human desire. After successfully completing work projects, employees may experience a loss of energy, a lack of motivation to take on new challenges. The organization can offer employees a day off to relieve stress and anxiety. This will allow the employee to return to work recharged and ready for new challenges.

Offer them bonuses

Additional cash rewards have always been one of the best incentive options. Every time employees complete a difficult task, company management can reward them with additional bonuses. They can be called smart investments, with which the company can express its gratitude for the efforts invested in the work. This is another way to motivate the employee and increase efficiency even more. Remember, a valued employee equates to better customer service, enhanced sales, and therefore significant company cash flow, etc.

Strengthen ties

These are just a few examples that you can use in your workplace. But there are many ways to encourage an employee. You can create your own evaluation tradition, and make it a part of company policy. Be sure to budget some money for such events in your company's budget. After all, they can be the best investments. Of course, in order to show your positive attitude towards the employee, it is not necessary to always emphasize the financial factor. Depending on the situation, even a simple verbal assessment can make fundamental changes in your company's work. Remember what you wanted when you were an ordinary worker. After all, creating an emotional connection often puts stronger roots in the employee-employer relationship. In any case, we wish you a successful working day.