Research indicates that employees who feel more appreciated through a variety of gratitude-based acknowledgments are more likely to remain with a company. Employee appreciation has long been a hot topic for business owners. In fact, CareerBuilder found that 50% of employees would stay at their job if they were tangibly recognized. And according to RaganWellness.com, 40% of employees who “do not feel meaningfully recognized will not go above their formal responsibilities to get the job done.”

The more content an employee is, the greater their commitment will be to the success of your organization. Lower turnover is a win-win for employees and business owners. 

Work culture is vastly important to employees. It is encouraging for employees to understand that they are adding value, that their work makes a difference.  Positive feedback will have a direct impact on their output. 

Employee Appreciation Day is a day for employers to go above and beyond their usual touches of recognition, but we think employee appreciation can be shown throughout the year. This has been a challenging year for many businesses and their employees. But, through strength and perseverance, dedicated employees have kept businesses running and thriving. Business owners need to remember that and recognize these individuals all year long. Show your team how much you value them with some of these unique ideas to promote and highlight employee contributions beyond one day on the calendar.

·         Customized yard signs with employee photos – For companies that have gone 100% remote, this is a fun idea! Surprise your employee of the month by having a custom yard sign with your company logo, their name, their photo, and “Employee of the Month” placed in their front yard. Ask your employee to submit a photo with the sign and share it on your company’s social media pages. This will help recognize the employee and create a keepsake for the employee.

·         Handwritten note on a branded notecard – Branded notecards featuring your company logo with a personalized and handwritten note inside thanking the employee for their dedication or willingness to go the extra mile, will become a treasured piece for any employee. We recommend taking a moment at the end of each week to reflect on who has shown they are a team player and writing as many notes as needed each week.  

·         Rethink custom awards & plaques – A custom plaque can hang in your lobby or reception area with space left for adding a nameplate each month or each quarter to recognize your top employees. Imagine a beautiful wooden plaque engraved with 2021 Monthly Top Sales or 2021 Innovative Employees – each month (or quarter), a team member is named for this honor and their name is added to the plaque that hangs where everyone can see their name. Over the years, this can turn into a Wall of Fame. You can also send out an email to the entire company each time someone is selected so that their colleagues can also congratulate them. And at the end of the year, these employees can be treated to a special lunch or entered in a raffle for an extra PTO day. 

·         Gifts are always welcome – A gift of company swag or gift cards to local restaurants are always appreciated by employees and these are easy ways to send the message that they are valued and appreciated at any time of the year. 

·         Celebrate birthdays – Whether you do a monthly celebration or a small celebration for each employee, people love the attention on their birthday. If your team is in the office, order a cake and invite everyone to join in for a mid-afternoon snack. If your team is remote, plan and send them a sweet treat such as cookies or brownies.

·         “Just because” treats – Who does not love a surprise that nobody expected? Stop at the store on your way into the office and pick up some muffins or bagels from time to time and put them in the Break Room for everyone to enjoy. Or order pizza for lunch occasionally. Those are the unexpected things that really make a difference when people are feeling overworked.

·         Celebrate hiring anniversaries – As your employees hit 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, etc. with the company, it is important to recognize their dedication. You can go the traditional route with a plaque or other token of appreciation, or you can have some fun with it and add the employee’s photo and name to a special wall in your office and ask everyone to join in for a “Roast and Toast” in their honor – say cheers with some champagne and “roast” the employee with funny stories and jokes.

Consider making employee appreciation a priority all year. Often, the simplest gestures mean the most. Some companies have created a team whose job it is to plan for these types of events and incentives throughout the year. Or ask your team how they want to celebrate throughout the year. Employees will feel even more appreciated when their input is considered. We assure you; you will see the return in your team’s hard work and job satisfaction. 

Your local Signarama team is available to help you recognize your employees in any way you need – from banners and yard signs to plaques and more – you can count on us. We believe in a positive and supportive work culture and want to help your business grow with a similar outlook.