Employee appreciation is crucial to keeping your workforce motivated.
Showing your employees that you value their work can make a big difference in morale and productivity. While a simple “thank you team” is great, a grander gesture to show your appreciation is more effective.
There are many ways to show appreciation, from simple gestures to more elaborate rewards. Below, we discuss the top 6 ways to show staff appreciation and increase employee motivation throughout your team.
How Do You Show Appreciation For Your Employees?
What is the best way to show gratitude for the team that keeps your business running?
Appreciating your employees starts with a welcoming and healthy culture. If top talent can see from a mile away that you don’t value your team, your business will suffer.
Solid leadership is another way to value employees. Equip your managers with tools and systems that cultivate positivity in every situation.
Another great way to show employee appreciation is by offering benefits and incentives that matter to them. Perks and benefits are valued differently depending on the employee. Offering what matters to your target talent shows how much you care from day one.
If you’re looking for ways to upgrade your home services team, book a call with our experts at Wizard of Sales® today!
Upgrade The Equipment/Tools They Use
One of the best ways to show employee appreciation for what they do is by upgrading their tools and equipment. Going out into the field with dated or broken gear will only decrease productivity. Employee motivation may also decrease.
So how do you avoid this?
Check in with your employees regularly to see what they think would help them do their jobs better. Improvements could include anything from a new set of tools to a brand-new company truck.
Create an equipment log to track which tools are operating correctly and the ones that need repairs. As soon as there is any issue, immediately replace the broken equipment to ensure the safety of your employees.
Schedule quarterly maintenance and inspections on your company trucks. Budget for yearly equipment upgrades to cut down on unexpected replacement costs.
Updating your tools shows dedication to allowing your team to do their best work safely.
Upgrade Their Break Room
Another way to say “great work team” and show employee appreciation is by upgrading the break room. It may seem insignificant, but the break room is where your employees go to decompress and recharge during the workday.
Get input from your employees about what they would like to include in the new break room. That could mean a brand new fridge that actually gets colder than room temperature. Or a new microwave that saves them from heating their lunch three times over.
Maybe they’d appreciate a comfortable place to sit and relax for a few minutes. Whatever it is, upgrading the break room will show your employees that you care about their experience at work.
Sponsor Fun Activities for the Team
Sponsoring fun team activities is another great way to show your appreciation. Think about what your team likes to do for fun and get creative!
One holiday to take advantage of is employee appreciation day! Show your team you appreciate their hard work by bringing in breakfast or lunch. Take a note of each employee’s favorite foods and bring something for everyone.
Team building activities help your team bond and get to know each other better. They also improve communication and collaboration between employees. Some examples include group games, puzzles or outdoor activities.
Company outings allow your team to let loose and have fun outside of work. Events can include attending a sports event, visiting an amusement park or going on a retreat.
Being intentional about planning activities periodically will allow your team to include any new talent along the way. Sponsoring team events shows that you care about employee morale and drives company loyalty. It’s a win-win for everyone involved!
Give Rewards To Employees Who go Above and Beyond
Showing employee appreciation can also be by giving rewards and recognition. Rewarding employees who go above and beyond will motivate others to do the same.
You can give employees small monetary bonuses, gift cards or even extra time off. Whatever you do, make sure it is meaningful to the employee and show that you truly appreciate their hard work.
Many businesses have developed employee recognition programs to show appreciation for a job well done. If you don’t have anything like this in place, now is the time to start.
You can create a system where employees can earn points and redeem them for prizes. This will not only show your appreciation, but it will also motivate employees to keep up producing quality work.
Positive Reinforcement: Not Everything Has To Cost Money
Another way to show employee appreciation is by using positive reinforcement to shape employee behavior. Positive reinforcement is when you reward a behavior, resulting in a higher chance of the behavior occurring again.
Essentially, the reward acts as a reinforcing stimulus to that particular behavior.
You can reinforce good performance in the workplace in several ways without spending a dime. If you want employees to arrive on time, offer a prize to those who are punctual for a month straight.
Take cost out of the equation by offering a seat in the boss’ chair for the day. Simple recognition sends the message that their hard work is being noticed and appreciated.
Another way to positively reinforce employees is by verbally praising them in front of their peers. Praise will boost morale and make others aware that they produced great work. It will also encourage other employees to submit their best work.
You can also show your appreciation by including positive feedback in their performance review. This tells them that you are paying attention to their successes.
Costless positive reinforcement measures like these show your employees they are appreciated.
Always Welcome Their Feedback
Always Welcome Their FeedbackLast but not least, welcoming employee feedback shows that you value their input. Feedback can go a long way from both sides of the working relationship.
On one end, your feedback to your employees matters. This goes hand-in-hand with the idea of rewarding employees that go above and beyond.
If you have feedback for an employee, make it a point to give it to them personally. This feedback will help them know what they are doing right, and wrong. In addition, use positive reinforcement to reward their hard work.
On the other hand, receiving feedback from your employees about their work environment is extremely valuable. As a leader, it’s easy for small details to slip through the cracks. If an employee has criticism or suggestions, listen to them!
Your employees have a different perspective of the workplace than you do. Because of this, they may be able to suggest ways to improve the systems in place. As a result, their ideas could increase productivity and morale.
Remember, feedback is a two-way street. Showing that you’re open to feedback and act on it shows that you truly value your employees’ input.
Here’s How Employee Appreciation and Recognition Can Benefit your Business:
Investing in your employees by showing them appreciation and recognition can do wonders for your business. Not only will it boost morale, but it can positively affect the overall work culture of your business. Some other benefits of employee appreciation include:
- It Builds Trust and Loyalty: Appreciation and recognition build trust and loyalty between you and your employees. Recognizing great work and results increases employee satisfaction.
- It Increases Your Productivity by 20%: Employee appreciation inspires employees to be more productive and engaged in their work. They are also more likely to go above and beyond what is expected of them.
- It Increases Your Sales by 37%: Providing a welcoming and positive work environment improves your sales. In an appreciative work culture, employees are motivated to do their best.
- It Retains Your Top Talent: Appreciated and valued employees are less likely to leave the job, saving you money in the long run.
Key Take Away
Key Take AwayShowing employee appreciation is crucial to your business’s success. Top talent looks for work environments that will make them feel valued and appreciated.
Displaying gratitude improves the employee experience and elevates your business as a whole. So how do you show appreciation as a business owner?
Upgrading equipment allows your employees to feel safe in their roles. If you ignore tool or equipment issues that put employees in danger, you’ll likely lose team members.
Other ways to show appreciation might be upgrading the break room or sponsoring group activities for team bonding. Rewarding employees for a job well done and practicing positive reinforcement is also beneficial.
Lastly, actively welcome feedback and suggestions from your employees. Remember, there’s always room for improvement.
No matter how you choose to show employee appreciation, remember that your employees are the backbone of your business. Showing them some extra love is always worth the investment.
The home services experts at Wizard of Sales® have the tools you need to create the perfect employee environment. Contact us today and find out how to beat the competition!