For the last two years, the business world has been up in the air as everyone tried to work out what was happening. At the moment, we still are not sure what is around the corner but we do know that we are grateful for the people that worked during the whole thing. Anyone who has their own business knows how hard this has been. If you have a business that has survived and your employees are still with you, you are one of the lucky ones. It is time to show these people how much they mean to you, and we have some suggestions on how to thank your employees.
Gift Vouchers
If there is one thing that always goes down well with employees, it is a gift voucher. However, when it comes to the holiday season, getting a gift voucher for some food can make a big difference to the Christmas food budget. A food voucher is a great way to show your appreciation for all of their hard work. This also means that they have some control over when they can buy the food instead of you rolling into the office with a collection of hams that they were not planning on eating for a while.
Social Media
We know how powerful a tool social media can be, so make this a tool to let everyone know how much you appreciate your employees. Maybe it will be a little embarrassing but the world should know that you have the best staff in the world! It could be a general post about the staff or put the team member of the month on your business page so everyone knows who has been behind the great service that they have received.
Break Room Snacks
If you are back in your office or your employees don’t have the option of working from home, you need to get your staff room sorted with some snacks. These cannot be any snacks, they need to be healthy ones. There has been a lot of research about productivity and many people have reported that they feel more encouraged and productive when they are given healthy snacks by their employers. Caring about what your staff puts in their body can tell them that you care about them too.
Free Parking
If you have employees that need to travel to work, offering to pay for their parking can be a great way to show them that you care. If you can, offer free on-site parking. If this is not an option, then offer to reimburse their parking fees. However, if you have employees that have to bus it in, you could offer them a prepaid transit card so that they can get to work for free. Getting to and from work can be a nightmare, so make it a bit easier by taking the financial sting out of getting there.
Get a Cleaner
If there is one thing that people hate, it is working in a dirty environment. They also hate having to add more to their workday by having to clean up at the end of the day too. Hiring a cleaner to clean the office up can be a great way to keep employees happy. It is not their job to clean the office, they have other things to get on with. By hiring a cleaner, you will ensure that the workplace is clean and tidy, so your employees will be happier too. This sends the message that you value your employees time too much to be wasted on tasks that are not in their job description.
Offer Training
You might not have the option for in-house training but this doesn’t mean that you can’t invest in your employees. If there is a way to invest in their training, you should do it. This might mean paying for outside courses and funding degrees. By providing this training, you are sending the message that you believe in them and that they have a future in the company. This can be a big investment to make but it will be worth it. Not only will you have staff that have been trained to the highest degree, but they might also end up teaching you something about the business world that you were not aware of.
They might not stay with you forever but showing your employees that you care about them will ensure that they stay a lot longer than if you ignored them. The more gratitude you show them, the happier they will be.
P.S. This post contains affiliate links.
