As employers, we appreciate our workers and have responded to COVID with as much flexibility as possible, but how do we motivate our teams when our emotional tanks and bank accounts may be depleted? This article sets out some ideas to convey your appreciation and bring greatness out of your staff – and best of all, they’re free and they work!
- Name Names
- Know everyone’s name, no matter how big your company, and when you say, “Thank you,” be sure to call the person by name. Appreciation is personal.
- Stay on Mission
- Make sure your employees know the big-picture reason your company does what it does and especially, how what they do contributes to achieving it.
- Pat Backs
- Always let people know when they do a good job. Don’t assume they know you appreciate them and their work.
- Be Specific
- When you recognize an employee for outstanding work, remember to relate it back to a specific example/task/situation. General thank-yous miss the mark and can seem phony.
- Not Just the Boss
- Recognition should not just come from the boss. Create a culture where all employees show support and appreciation for co-workers and let it be known when someone else does a good job.
- Have Fun
- Yes, it’s a workplace but you want it to be a place everyone wants to come to and not somewhere they dread being. So, add an element of fun into the day.
Every employee would love extra money and some might think this is the way to get them to go above and beyond, but extra money is temporary and not always feasible. If your employees don’t feel valued and invested in your company’s mission, all the money in creation won’t fix that. Try these simple changes and see if they transform your workplace into a place people love to be.