Employee Appreciation Illustration

Just eight days away, national Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to remind staff of their value and show that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Employees of all sectors, and particularly frontline workers, have had a tumultuous two years — often working extra hours with elevated levels of expectation and scrutiny.

Stressful working conditions, coupled with the rise in leverage toward candidates in the hiring market, has led to The Great Resignation, where people are walking away from their jobs at unprecedented levels. The reality is many companies and departments that are already shorthanded can’t afford more burnout or disgruntled employees. As noted in the article from the 2022 Global Culture Report, employees are 84 percent less likely to experience burnout if they feel appreciated by their companies. 

To give these employees the recognition they deserve, O.C. Tanner crafted a list of handy tips for managers as they prepare to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day. 

Ensure All Employees Are Recognized

While on-site employees often interact more with managers, it’s important not to lose sight of those working in remote environments. Especially on a day like this, it can be easy for those remote workers to feel left out of the festivities. While perhaps it can’t replicate an in-person party, being sure to send along digital gifts or hosting a virtual room where they can feel apart of the celebration can go a long way toward feeling appreciated. 

Go Above And Beyond With Gifts

While any gesture is nice, employees will take notice if a gift is noticeably cheap or didn’t appear to have much thought behind it. Even if it’s a short-term hit to the budget, taking the time to provide employees with a pricer/ more memorable gift can go along way toward making them feel valued at the company and inspired to put forth a good effort each day. Branded clothing or a backpack is far more likely to make a lasting impact than a gift certificate or small goodie bag.

Spreading The Message

Beyond a party or company gifts, direct praise from managers and co-workers can leave a far more lasting impact. O.C. Tanner recommends departments discuss what they appreciate most about their employees a week prior to the day, and prepare the messages in a flashy way. Whether it’s a message board, a social media post or specific shoutouts during a gathering, getting direct kudos can work wonders for an employee’s morale and stance on staying with the company. 

For more tips from CleanLink on employee engagement, click here.