Team members are the true heart and soul of any company. Without them, you wouldn’t have a thriving business to begin with. They deserve a lot more than a simple ‘thank you’ for all their hard work and efforts. As a team leader, it’s your responsibility to show them your appreciation, especially if you’ve noticed them improving drastically.
However, showing appreciation isn’t always easy. Everyone has a different way of showing it, while others have no clue how to do it. If you’re one of the latter, don’t worry. Here’s a list of creative ways to let your team know what they mean to you:
1. Give A Gift
Almost every person in the world enjoys receiving a gift. When it’s a team member’s birthday, don’t just settle on a cake and leave it at that. You can surprise them with something neat, useful, or something they can display on their work desk. Just make it a simple yet practical or meaningful gift.
Company anniversaries are also the perfect time for giveaways. It’ll be challenging to give each team member a different thing, though. So, instead of fussing over individual presents, you can look for wholesale gift items online that are high-quality and look nice. Giving them gifts makes them feel appreciated and valued.
2. Food For The Heart
No one’s going to turn down free food. You don’t need a fancy event to hire catering, though it’ll make more sense if there’s an occasion. But if you’d like to thank your team for completing a project, you can host a little celebration.
Food is an excellent tool to bring people together. Having a free meal together will enhance members’ interpersonal relationships and encourage team building. Stocking up your office pantry with healthy snacks is also an excellent way to let your team know you care about their health.
3. Turn Tasks Into A Game
Sometimes, people get burnt out from work because they don’t feel like they’re receiving anything of worth after finishing a task. Their regular pay exists for that, but it wouldn’t hurt to offer them some other incentives from time to time.
To get everyone in the team excited for work every day, why not gamify some of the tasks they do? Every job has a specific value equal to a set number of points. Your team members can accumulate points until they have enough to redeem special rewards provided by the company. These rewards can be gift cards, extra vacation days, or work-from-home opportunities.
4. Let Your Team Rest
After every great job, sometimes all you want to do is take a long break. Your team might wish for the same, too. Whenever possible, give your team members an equal opportunity for some time off to relax and do other things aside from work. Everyone might already have their routine leave scheduled, but that extra vacation you give them unexpectedly is a real treat.
Your team members can use that time to clear their minds, get enough rest, and improve their mental health, too. They’ll return to work fully refreshed and ready to face another project. Ensure them that their vacation time is paid, too, so they can reap the benefits of a good rest. You’ll also benefit from the positive energy they bring back to the workplace.
5. Let The Fur Friend In
Admittedly, not every business will allow animals into their workplace. But if yours is an exception, then set some special days when the ‘fur parents’ in your team can bring their ‘fur babies’ to work.
Having animals like dogs around can significantly boost people’s moods, reduce stress, and increase cognitive abilities. Make sure the work area is prepared to handle several pets at once. Consider everyone in your team because not every person is fond of pets. Some might even be allergic. You could have the others work from home in these two situations while those with pets can come into the office.
It might not be much, but the fact that you’re allowing your team to bring their furry friends to work shows you appreciate them. They’ll also see that their love for their pets matters to you, too.
6. Recognize Non-Job-Related Achievements
You and your team are focused on achieving your business’s bottom line during work. But after that, you all have your individual lives to live. Some of your team members are likely to have other activities they’re passionate about.
Team members who join and succeed outside of work don’t usually expect any fanfare once they get back to the office. If you discover their recent victories, surprise them with the whole team upon their return and they’ll surely appreciate the gesture.
Recognize and reward your team for their achievements outside of work. Know them a little better and talk about their hobbies as well other than their tasks. You can do this by joining them during breaks or talking to them personally.
In Conclusion
Monetary rewards are an obvious incentive in the workplace after performing an excellent job. But you shouldn’t be limited to that alone. Your team may be worth the money, but they’re also worth your time and appreciation. Together, you make up a crew to keep a business running, and you should celebrate all the little wins and boost each other up as much as you can.
