Employee Appreciation in The Workplace
Employee appreciation should be a regular occurrence in all workplaces. It’s not just something that leaders should do every once in a while - recognition should be part of your company culture. According to Forbes, recognised employees are more satisfied, perform better in their roles and get on better with their colleagues. It’s like a domino effect. A little bit of appreciation goes a long way. Show an employee appreciation, and in return they’ll be more engaged and motivated.
Whether you offer an employee a tangible reward or even just a simple thank you, providing acknowledgement can do wonders for solidifying a more positive workplace culture. In fact, research conducted by Glassdoor found that 80% of employees experience more motivation in the workplace when there’s an emphasis on staff appreciation.
Seeing as it’s the season for giving, we thought we’d put together a guide on how to show employee appreciation. But, in true 2020 style, we’re going to give you tips on how you can do this digitally, although we may not be able to say thank you in the flesh, there are still plenty of ways to show staff appreciation virtually.
Digital Thank You Card
Whilst a thank you can mean a lot to employees, why not go a step further? Send a thank you card. Classed as ‘outdated’ by some, a thank you card is more than just showing appreciation. It helps you express gratitude but with a personal touch. Staff appreciation is built around the little things. When it comes to employee appreciation, personalisation is important, after all, personalised emails have a 29% higher open rate. A bespoke letter can also make someone feel more appreciated and promote feelings of wellbeing.
With Oak Engage, you can send a digital thank you card directly to your employees accompanied by a personalised message. It requires minimum fuss and can really make an impact on your employees working day.
Recognition Board
There’s nothing more disheartening than achieving a goal at work and receiving little to no recognition. As humans, we want to be recognised for our hard work and efforts. Creating a digital recognition board is a great way to encourage employee appreciation. Whether someone in your team has delivered exceptional customer service or another has knocked it out the park on a strict deadline- showing these efforts to the rest of your organisation could boost employee morale and increase productivity. Remember, employee recognition should be shared.
Give shout-outs
A small act that can have big repercussions. Shout outs are a great way to instil confidence and improve morale. A similar concept to the recognition board, but giving shout-outs to employees who have done a particularly good job is an easy way to promote employee appreciation. Giving praise through your engagement app will let the rest of your team see and is also a chance for others to share recognition.
Don’t forget about other important platforms to share gratitude; if you want to make your appreciation known outside your organisation share your recognition on your organisation's social media accounts and through your customer communications such as emails and newsletters. This not only makes hard work and efforts recognised by those outside your organisation but it also shows you care about employee appreciation as a company.
Encourage feedback
If you want to show an employee appreciation, do it by letting them know you’re there to listen and take feedback on board. Employee voice is vital to promoting a positive and more productive workplace. It’s not just about keeping your employees on your side, it’s about the development and growth of your organisation.
Accepting feedback from your employees shows that their opinions are valued, gives them a sense of purpose and improves employee engagement. So, if you want to practice employee appreciation, remember to listen to their feedback. 
Employee Appreciation: Going the Extra Mile
Of course, when it comes to showing your staff appreciation, it’s the little things that matter the most. Although, if you wanted to go the extra mile when giving your employees some recognition here are some ideas.
Reward Schemes
If you have an employee of the month scheme in your organisation you could always attach rewards. Whether you send out a gift card for employees that have gone the extra mile that month or you organise a department group activity; offering a reward scheme for hard work and dedication is a notable example of showing employee appreciation.
Invest in Training
You’re seeing great results from your employees, so why would you want to stop there? We all know that if you want to invest in your business, ensure you start with your employees. If you want to see increased performance from your employees throughout the year, don’t just say thank you and move on, invest!
Investing in development and training programmes where your employees can enhance their skills and broaden their knowledge gives your employees confidence and shows that you believe in them. Remember, staff appreciation is more than just saying thank you and giving a gift.
Summary
Showing your staff appreciation is something that should make up the identity of your organisation. It should be part of your culture and something that should happen on a daily basis rather than just a once in a while thing. Like we said before, showing employee appreciation has been made much more difficult in 2020, but remember when it comes to saying thank you, it’s the little things that count the most.