In the US, Canada, and the UK, many companies hold a special holiday for their employees. It’s called Employee Appreciation Day, generally held on the first of March. It’s the day when bosses reward their employees for the hard work and effort they have put in over the year. And that’s great! Taking the time to show appreciation will show the employee’s that they are valued, and that will boost their productivity and increase their goodwill towards the company they work for.
But…
While there are all kinds of ways to reward an employee on this one special day, surely employee appreciation needs to be the norm throughout the year. As the employer, there is more you can do to show your care than having this holiday, paying them each month, or ensuring there is a whs management system to keep them safe in the workplace. It doesn’t take a lot to show your appreciation, and there are things you can do on a daily level.
Such as?
Well, consider the following examples of employer good practice.
Get to know your employees
Take the time to talk and listen to them, and get to understand who they are on a personal level. They are more than an ID number; they aren’t just mindless worker drones, toiling away to make you a profit. They are human beings, so treat them as such, and find out what makes them tick.
Say thank you
Two simple words, but how many times a day do you say them to your employees? When they have done something well, thank them. Thank them as a group and thank them individually. Sure, you can do all kinds of things to show your thanks, such as putting a bonus in their pay, but sometimes, those two little words can make all the difference to how somebody feels during the day.
Be available
You’re a busy person, so you can’t be available all of the time. But when you do have time to spare, be approachable, and don’t turn away any employee who comes to you with a question, or for a human conversation. And if you are busy, don’t send the employee away in an abrupt manner. Set a time with them to have that conversation or to answer their questions. Not only will that be of benefit to them, but it might also be of benefit to you.
Work hard on their behalf
What can you do to help your employees? Are there any training courses they should be going on? Put in the research and find out. Or perhaps you can spend more time training them yourself. Work hard by putting something together. And ensure policies are in place to protect their interests. Pull those strings to help them climb the career ladder. Then go the extra mile to find further ways to show employee appreciation. If you work hard for your team, they will work hard for you.
Every day can be Employee Appreciation Day, so put what we have said into practice. It makes sense, as not only will it make your employee’s day, but they will make your day when they become more productive as a result. In the end, everybody wins!
- This post was written for Morning Business Chat by an outside source.
