8 Unique Ways To Show Employee Appreciation

Employee appreciation doesn’t just make employees feel good about their jobs — it also helps build trust, boost productivity, improve retention, and generally make your business a great place to work. As such, it’s an important part of every workplace.

And while raises and bonuses are important ways to show your employees you appreciate the work they do, these are not the only options available to you. There are many ways to show your appreciation, and doing so doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.

In this blog, we’re sharing 8 unique ways to show employee appreciation. Take a look and see if you can find more ways to recognize your staff’s contributions to your organization.

Choosing the Right Ways To Show Employee Appreciation

Every employee is motivated by different things, so what makes one person feel appreciated may not work for everyone. For example:

If an employee’s main need is security, a year-end bonus will meet that need nicely; but for someone whose primary need is social in nature, it won’t. 

For an employee who likes to be acknowledged publicly, a shoutout on social media may make them feel on top of the world; but an employee who prefers to stay out of the spotlight may appreciate a personally written note more.

For this reason, it’s crucial to take stock of who your employees are and what meets their needs and makes them feel appreciated. In a smaller workplace, you can simply have conversations with your team members about this. In a larger corporate setting, you might consider conducting regular employee surveys to gather this information.

In addition, keep the following in mind when determining the right way to show appreciation to your staff:

• Include both formal and informal methods of recognition

• Give out rewards equitably among your staff

• If the appreciation is in response to something an employee did that was awesome, be specific with your praise

• Keep your gifts and praise professional

8 Unique Ways To Show Employee Appreciation

As we mentioned, acknowledging your employees doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. It can be as simple as choosing an Employee of the Month or offering verbal recognition at a company meeting. 

Here’s an example: 

On a recent trip to Portland, we went to a pizza place. When we walked in we were warmly greeted by the team behind the counter — all of them. Once we were seated, one of their delivery drivers returned from a delivery and everyone behind the counter said, "Welcome back, Tim!" 

How awesome is that? The act of acknowledging and greeting team members is a small but important way of showing appreciation. 

Here are 8 more ways to recognize the contributions your employees make to your company throughout the year.

1. Offer Public Praise

Give props to your employees for their hard work in a public setting like a team meeting, company-wide email, or even a social media post.

If you choose to post on social media, include a photo of the employee along with your praise of their work. It’s also a good idea to check with the employee before you post: not everyone appreciates being acknowledged on such a public platform. 

In addition, create space for employees and management to share their praise of one another, such as setting aside time in team meetings to share appreciation for one another or encouraging team members to give one another shout outs on company messaging channels.

Finally, create a way for customers to acknowledge an employee for giving great service. Whether it’s asking clients to write Google reviews, encouraging them to share about their experience on social media, or providing them with comment cards to fill out, make it easy for your customers to give feedback about your employees’ work.

2. Hand Out Awards

Consider handing out some type of award on a regular basis, such as an Employee of the Month award or year-end performance awards. 

This can be as simple as hanging a photo of the employee in the break room to acknowledge they’ve won the award. Or, you can choose to give the employee a trophy, plaque, or framed certificate they can display at their desk. You could also include a small monetary reward or gift card to their favorite store or restaurant.

3. Give Extra Paid Time Off

Reward your most hard-working employees with unexpected extra time away from work (in addition to their regular PTO). After all, who doesn’t love having extra time to rest, enjoy a hobby, or spend with family? 

Consider tacking an extra day onto a holiday weekend, sending them home early, giving them an extra floating holiday or mental health day, and so on…making sure to let the employee know that they’ve earned this reward with their hard work.

Not only will an extra day off here and there make your staff feel appreciated, but it can also help improve work-life balance and prevent burnout.

4. Ask for Feedback

Being asked to offer input that helps make their work environment better can help employees feel seen and heard, as well as more appreciated, respected, and needed. This is especially true if you’re willing to take action on their constructive feedback. 

Gather your team members’ input on important issues through employee surveys or by asking for feedback in meetings (especially in one-on-one meetings).

5. Pay for Staff To Learn New Skills

Offering tools, training, and education to help your employees advance in their careers shows you’re eager to invest in their future. This could be in the form of an online training course, industry conference, or tuition reimbursement program.

Career development opportunities like this can not only give employees a chance to move up in their careers, but also help them feel more seen and appreciated in their current roles. Bonus: you’ll have employees who are better trained and have more to offer your company! 

6. Host Team Outings

Get together with your staff outside the walls of your workplace. Treat them to lunch, dinner, or a happy hour; play a game together; or go to a local event together to acknowledge their hard work while also building team camaraderie.

Or consider volunteering as a team: clean up a local park or collect and deliver food to a food shelf together, followed by drinks or dinner; or buy tickets to a local fundraising event and attend as a team. Involve employees by having them help choose the charity you support — they’ll appreciate this gesture more if the money or aid is going to a cause they are passionate about.

7. Celebrate Important Milestones, Both Professional and Personal

Take the time to recognize your employees’ special days like birthdays and work anniversaries. 

Send out a company-wide announcement or post on social media thanking them for their contributions to the company and wishing them a happy day. You may also choose to provide a cake or other treat at the office, or offer a perk like a floating holiday. 

In addition, acknowledge employees’ achievements outside of work, such as buying a home, having a baby, receiving a community award, winning a competition, and so on. However, only do this if the person is comfortable with sharing their personal life — don’t force employees to bring their personal life into work if they don’t want to.

8. Don’t Forget To Say “Thank You”

Finally, the simplest way to show employee appreciation is to say “thank you.” Make it a point to verbally thank employees regularly.

In addition, consider giving out thank you cards periodically (at least once per year) to thank your employees for their work. If you do this, make sure the card is well-written, genuine, and thoughtful, and that you mention specific accomplishments or things you value about the employee. “Thank you for everything you do” is vague — be specific about what you’re grateful for.

We hope this helps you find unique ways to show your employees you appreciate their hard work this holiday season (and beyond!).

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