The Value of Showing Your Personnel You Care
A lot of employees today occupy positions in a business that are thankless and almost anonymous. The bigger the business, the more this reality permeates corporate atmospheres. Smaller operations, SMBs, and the like; tend to be in a situation where employers can have real relationships with staff, and that’s important.
You need to demonstrate that those you employ are valuable for more than the direct benefit they bring to the company, but their intrinsic value as human beings. Here are some worthwhile ways that are small, straightforward, simple, and show appreciation without treading into uncomfortable territory.
1. Staff Parties
If your SMB is becoming larger, it may not be feasible to show individual appreciation in any meaningful way. If everybody gets the same gift, but individually wrapped, that’s almost a disincentive. It shows your company is trying to appear as though it is trying, rather than actually doing something for workers.
You don’t want to incidentally communicate such a sentiment. However, if you can’t do something unique for everybody, you might include everybody in something worthwhile. A staff party for teams on-site or at a special venue can be perfect; just make sure and “allow it” to be fun. If a staff party feels like a mandatory function, that doesn’t show appreciation.
2. Workplace Perks
Maybe an employee has done well, and you’re looking to recognize them individually. Maybe instead of buying them a gift, you let them choose a new schedule. If you’re working 40 hours a week, four shifts that are ten hours may be desirable to five that are eight hours. Perhaps you give them a new choice of cubicle or their own office. Such gifts show appreciation affordably.
3. Flowers and/or Confections
A bouquet of flowers, a cake, a dozen donuts, a plate of cookies, and a little bamboo plant; are all great gifts that show appreciation without seeming too “familiar”. The big issue with workplace gifts that demonstrate appreciation is sending the right message, so keep that in mind. You don’t want to be seen to flirt when you don’t intend to.
4. Something Under $100 You Know They’d Like
With inflation, 2020’s $50 is closer to $100 today, in terms of what it will buy. Ten years ago, $20 would be sufficient. At any rate, you might just buy an employee doing well something that’s a classic gift ideas; like you’d give to a friend or family member. Just don’t spend too much money, or it will seem like there’s some ulterior motive.
Showing Your Employees You Care
A legitimate gift that’s worth something, but isn’t too expensive, can show appreciation without feeling like “a bridge too far”, as the saying goes. Flowers and confections are also a great gift, as are office perks, or parties designed for everybody on a given floor, or in a given productive team.
What works best will differ per business and per employee, but if you put a little thought into it, the recipient of your gift will know you care.
