Employee Appreciation – 10 Modern Ways to Celebrate!

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Posted on February 23, 2024 by OfficePlus

As we navigate the evolving modern work environments, through hybrid and remote teams, the significance of Employee Appreciation Day takes on a new depth of meaning. In the world, where virtual connections often replace face-to-face interactions and the boundaries between work and home blur, it’s essential for organizations to adapt when celebrating their employees’ contributions.

Here are ten ways to foster a sense of belonging and reinforce a culture of gratitude and recognition!

Virtual Coffee Breaks: Schedule a coffee break or lunch session where teams can connect over video calls. This provides time for social interaction and informal conversations and is a great way to foster a sense of belonging. Consider sending a digital gift card for coffee or food delivery to give the event a little extra special experience.

Personalized Thank you Notes: Send thank you notes to each team member, highlight their contributions and express gratitude for their efforts. This simple activity can boost morale and demonstrates genuine appreciation.

Flexible Work Hours: Offering flexibility in work hours or “flex days” where employees can choose their schedule to accommodate personal commitments or preferences. This is a true sign of trust in your employees’ ability to manage their workloads effectively and promotes that work-life balance.

Professional Development Opportunities: Invest in your employees’ growth and skills by providing opportunities for online courses, workshops, and certifications relevant to their role. Supporting learning demonstrates a commitment to your employees’ long-term success.

In-person/Virtual Team Building: Strengthen bonds and encourage collaboration among team members. Cooking classes and Escape Rooms are fun ways to get everyone working together. Search the web to locate online trivia and virtual escape rooms for those remote employees.

Wellness Resources: Offer resources such as virtual fitness classes, meditation app subscriptions or mental health resources to support employees’ overall well-being. Supporting your team’s health can improve productivity and engagement.

Recognition Platforms: Implement a recognition platform for team members to acknowledge and celebrate each other’s achievements.

Surprise Care Packages: Send a little package filled with goodies like snacks, branded merchandise, or self-care items. This unexpected gesture shows thoughtfulness and makes employees feel valued even from a distance.

Virtual Celebrations: Host a virtual happy hour to commemorate milestones, achievements, or Employee Appreciation Day itself. Add in some fun activities or themes to make the event memorable and fun!

Leadership Check-ins: Schedule one-on-one check-ins between leaders and team members to provide personalized feedback, support, and mentorship. This is an opportunity for employees to voice their concerns, share ideas and receive guidance strengthening the bond between yourself and your team.

In this digital age, let’s uplift and motivate our team regardless of their physical location and reaffirm the importance of acknowledging their efforts!

How do you appreciate your employees? Let us know in the comments.

Looking to enhance your workplace environment further? Explore our Dealer Locator to find a trusted partner near you.

Boost Employee Morale With An Office Barbecue!

Posted on July 22, 2014 by OfficePlus

Nothing makes a Canadian happier than soaking in some sun while firing up the grill. Think back to your last backyard get-together, surrounded by friends and family. The barbecue was turning out hamburgers, bellies were full, the sun was out and everyone was smiling. Now, imagine taking that mood-boosting activity to the office.

Studies show that small incentives and “fun” company culture lead to happier employees. Beyond that, happy employees are 47% more productive than their gloomy counterparts.

This summer, help put a smile on your employees’ faces. A company barbecue is a fun and simple way to boost office morale, so get out there and enjoy the sunshine (while you can)!

To help you along, here’s a cheat sheet for hosting the ultimate BBQ:

Or, you can skip the work altogether, and enter to win our BBQ lunch giveaway. It’s easy, just fill out this form to enter our random draw at the end of July 2014!

Good luck and happy grilling!

Motivating Your Team Through Employee Recognition

Posted on February 4, 2014 by OfficePlus

I settle in at my desk and hold my hands up to the portable heater resting on the floor to my left. This polar vortex reminds me of my first boyfriend back in the eleventh grade; it just won’t let up. It takes me a solid 30 minutes to get my body to heat up every morning after my cold and windy commute. Today feels no different.

Between the head congestion and the roar of my little old heater I don’t hear the knock at my door. My boss, Aditi, lets out a muffled cough. I look up to see her tight blonde curls peeking through the doorway. “Have a minute?” She asks.

“Of course.” I turn the heater down a few settings to soften the hum and swipe the pile of Kleenex off my desk and into the garbage bin.

She walks over and takes a seat across from me. “I’d like to try something new this year to motivate our team,” she says.

recognied-employee-motivated

I nod, unsure of where this is going. My mind flashes to the last “team outing” we had back in the fall, when we went rock climbing at The Pad just two blocks from the office. I’ll never forget the panicked look on Andy’s face as his footing slipped and suddenly he was hanging upside down. Who knew that was even possible, what with the harness and ropes and all the safety precautions? Only Andy.

“I’d like to figure out some sort of approach for employee recognition,” Aditi says. “We’re working on some exciting projects right now and I foresee some impressive success stories.”

I wait for her to continue, but am greeted only with a long pause – a clear indication she’s anticipating my response.

Caught off guard, I grab this month’s Office Plus flyer sitting beside my keyboard. “Ah good idea,” I tell her. I nonchalantly flip through the pages, suddenly craving a second coffee to help thaw my brain. Then I get to page 4 and something catches my eye.

“What if we offered a subtle incentive?” I say, the warm rush of ideas suddenly flushing through. “We could make a little announcement and present the employee with a certificate recognizing his or her success.”

Employee Recognition Certificate

Aditi locks eyes with me and I suddenly worry it sounds too third grade. Then I remember a conversation with Marsha about a recent study she read.

“Not like a gold star or anything,” I continue, “just something tangible – representing what the employee and the company have achieved together. I think it could have a really positive impact. It’s important to help employees see their hard work is meaningful and that it contributes to our overall success.”

“That’s fantastic,” she says. “I could throw in a gift card too – to a local restaurant or something.”

I let out a small smile, silently thanking the Office Plus flyer for coming to the rescue once again. “That sounds lovely.”

Aditi gets up to leave, wearing an excited grin on her face.

I roll my chair back over to the heater and hit the off switch. Warm ups are over. Feeling motivated, I open the big client project with the crazy deadline I’ve been working on. I have a St. James Company Certificate to earn.