8 Ways to Show You Appreciate Your Employees

“You can take my factories, burn up my buildings, but give me my people and I’ll build the business right back again.”

Henry Ford

Employees are the most valuable assets of companies. For this reason, the importance of motivation practices, which occupy the agenda of HR departments, is better understood with each passing day. Recognition and reward processes are among the most popular practices of people management.

Regardless of the number of employees, companies need digital HR applications both to create employee engagement and sustain company success. The need to be liked and appreciated, which is very effective in organisational psychology, enables employees to develop positive values ​​such as a sense of belonging and commitment to work.

Here are 8 suggestions for showing your appreciation to your employees.

1. First of all is praise.

We are not just talking about empty praise. Pre-identify specific actions that will deserve praise and show that you care about the details. You can direct your employees in line with company goals and corporate culture with the actions you have defined beforehand. You will also share your positive feedback by recognizing an action taken in this direction. Then you are in a much more sincere place than a "dry" compliment.

2. Be flexible. From many perspectives.

The pandemic has been a traumatic and difficult time for everyone. Especially at such times and beyond, it has become almost imperative for companies to be flexible about working hours, days off, and even the place of work. For example, instead of having a manager decide on the days off, allow employees to balance their schedules on a calendar. In this way, you can increase the performance of your employees.

3. Show your appreciation financially.

Year-end bonuses, participation bonuses, gifts, regular and satisfying raises… are just some of the best-known ways to say "thank you". But don't worry about the budget pressure, you can also attribute your appreciation to more symbolic gifts. You can link your appreciation to a gift catalog that you will determine by scoring your appreciation, especially in the employee experience tools you use in digital. 

4. Listen to the wishes and needs of your employees.

If you want to reward your employees, understand what is important to them. Give them what's meaningful to them using employee engagement surveys and face-to-face interviews. Also, check out the requests you see frequently in the recommendation system. You may be receiving similar requests within the company. Remember, there is nothing more valuable or rewarding than being heard. In order to learn more closely about the wishes of your employees, you can periodically create internal surveys with your own questions and discover what they are most interested in. Employee survey results will show you more valuable results than you might expect. You can explore the differences in interest between departments and locations where your teams are located. 

5. Invest in traditional days and special occasions.

At the end of the working day or in the organizations, you can give gifts to your employees such as trophies with their award titles and the names of the award winners on them, as well as show them how valuable they are to you with special gifts such as holiday organizations designed for personal taste. We seem to hear your question about how we can achieve this due to the remote working model, don't you worry! For example, you can continue the employee of the month awards digitally, or you can offer special gifts, such as concert tickets, to your employees who give the fastest and most accurate answers with small quizzes you will prepare. In this way, making fun activities will create much longer-term employee engagement and team cooperation. 

6. Gift training and travel.

Send your employees to domestic and international travels, vocational training, online seminars, fairs, and organizations that will contribute to their development. Do not forget that the factor that motivates especially the younger generation is the continuous career development and learning curve. You can be sure that they will feel important and appreciated.

7. Appreciate in front of everyone.

When and where the praise comes is also very important. A compliment made in front of everyone in Whatsapp groups, in-company correspondence, or meetings will increase the motivation and happiness of your employee. In the digital HR tools, make sure that shared appreciations are not private but publicly visible.

8. Don't skip business anniversaries.

The most traditional but unchangeable way to show your employees that you appreciate them for their achievements is to give awards such as plaques, 5th year, 10th-year medals. Especially in the new generation talent management, the 1st and 3rd years are becoming increasingly important. You can combine these with fun activities and present your employees with a pleasant event, and you can ensure that all your employees are informed about their colleagues' business anniversaries with your internal communication tool. Thus, wherever your teams are, you will pave the way for interaction between employees.

BONUS: Visualize Your Appreciation with Digital Stickers

Traditional methods that take place in the physical office environment for employee motivation are now being adapted to digital and become much more interactive. You can spread the positive atmosphere and culture of appreciation within the company by identifying badges that are compatible with corporate values. Employees can share their appreciation with their colleagues on mobile and follow the thanks they receive. In this way, you will create a positive and natural interaction environment among employees.

Remember! Words fly, appreciation remains digital.

Stay well…