Over 45% of job seekers list company culture as an important factor when looking for a job. Boosting your company culture and morale won’t just give you access to better candidates in the future, it will also help you maintain your current employees.
One of the best ways to boost your company culture is to show your appreciation for their hard work. So keep reading to find out more about the six best employee recognition ideas you can use to boost morale.
1. A #Kudos Channel
Employee appreciation doesn’t have to cost you any money. Slack and various other messaging apps that you already use in your company are great ways to show your appreciation.
Because these are public channels everyone in the company can see the recognition, and public recognition is a powerful thing. While it feels good if a manager tells you privately that you’ve been doing a good job, if the whole company gets told how well you’re doing, then it means a bit more.
A #Kudos channel can be used for various quick shoutouts and praise. You can also consider adding everyone who’s received kudos to a monthly prize drawing. This raises the stakes for your employees without costing too much.
2. Award Excellence
Physically giving awards for excellence is a great way to show employee appreciation. If you have awards or plaques that the employee can take home or display at the office, they’ll have a constant reminder that you notice the hard work they do.
Implementing employee recognition programs where you periodically give out awards also gives your employees something to strive for.
Take the time to look at more plaque awards before you settle on your choice. If you do your research well and pick the right design, you can keep using these plaques for years to come. You can also boost your company’s decor appeal by choosing some good-looking plaques instead of generic ones.
3. Time Off
The thing most employees will appreciate the most after a long and hard project is a day off. Big projects are often extremely stressful to complete and usually require people to work longer hours than normal. So why not thank your employees by giving them a long weekend to rest and recuperate?
You can create a short video to email your employees telling them of their reward. This makes the reward personal without taking too much time out of your day to put it together.
You can also publicly thank the team for their hard work and announce their day off in a team meeting if one is already scheduled. Just don’t schedule a meeting last minute as this can actually add more stress to your employees, as they won’t know what it’s about!
4. Encourage Peer-To-Peer Recognition
While recognition from the boss is always appreciated, you can’t know every little thing that goes on. This is where peer-to-peer recognition comes in. Team members understand what their peers are doing and the complexities of the specific tasks they’re working on, putting them in the perfect position to give each other relevant praise.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a right or wrong way to implement this, so there isn’t really a guide to follow. You need to find a way to get your employees to give recognition where it’s due.
You can offer incentives or start a reward program. In this instance, your employees can nominate each other for a job well done.
Remember you have to keep this process fun and easy. If it adds work to your employee’s plates to nominate each other, then they won’t do it.
5. Personal Achievements
You don’t have to focus on work-related achievements. Your staff has a life outside of work which also deserves recognition. While this isn’t the most obvious form of recognition as it doesn’t have anything to do with the daily work the company does, it shows your employees that you care about them as more than just workers.
Show your staff that you care about them as individuals by celebrating their personal achievements. This can be as simple as a young employee who bought their first car, or someone who’s expecting.
The goal with most recognition and reward programs is to show your employees that they aren’t just a number, that they matter. Getting involved in their personal lives and asking about their achievements is a great way to boost office culture.
6. Cash Bonuses
The thing most employees will appreciate is a cash bonus. This shows them that you value them and think they’re worth the money you spend on them. This can be in the form of yearly bonuses, or at the end of large projects.
This type of employee recognition will give your staff something to strive for and show them that you truly appreciate the hard work they do. While it might seem like a big expense, you’ll find that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Your staff will work harder and be more appreciative of the company as a whole if they have a reward to aim for.
Use the Best Employee Recognition Ideas
When it comes to boosting company culture and morale, you have to implement the best employee recognition ideas. Showing your appreciation for your employees can go a long way in letting them know you see how hard they work.
Remember to implement employee recognition ideas for virtual teams so that those who work from home don’t feel left out or unseen!
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks to help your company flourish, check out our business section.
