The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has turned the workforce upside-down. While some businesses have begun to welcome employees back to the office, other organizations are still working remotely. This presents a challenge for business leaders looking to show their valued employees their appreciation during this unprecedented time in history. Here are five ways that you can show your employees appreciation even while working remotely.
IMAGE CREDIT: Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
Gift Them with Time Off
During this stressful time, few things are more appreciated than a little extra time off. One great way to show your employees that you appreciate all of their hard work and commitment is to surprise them with extra time off.
Maybe you want to offer an incentive program of an afternoon off every time that your organization reaches a goal or milestone? Or perhaps you simply want to surprise them out of the blue on a Thursday afternoon by telling them that they can take off Friday and enjoy a three-day weekend? Not only will this time off make your employees feel valued, but it will also leave them feeling more rejuvenated and ready to tackle work when they return.
Present Awards
Everyone loves to be recognized for their good work. Just because you are not meeting in person, it does not mean that you cannot still present awards to your top-performing employees. Personalized recognition in the form of a tangible award is something that every employee will be proud of displaying in their home office.
There are a number of types of awards that you can create to send to your workers. It is easy to create and send awards using an online trophy maker. Other good ideas include custom plaques, certificates, and medals for reaching pre-determined milestones. The important thing is that your employees feel as if their contributions are being noticed and recognized formally.
Offer Verbal Recognition
At the end of the day, it is often your words that mean more than anything. You can show your employees that you appreciate their efforts by offering them praise for a job well done every chance that you get.
If you are finding that your group is spending a lot of time on video conference calls, you may want to implement a weekly shoutout program. You can also use your company’s social media accounts to call attention to employees who are going above the call of duty. While it may be more challenging to publicly recognize your employees for their hard work, making the effort to do so can go a long way in building company morale.
Send Food and Drink
Nothing says that you care quite like a basket full of food goodies. Consider sending your workers a gourmet food basket filled with treats, specialty coffees, wine, and other items that they can indulge in. Or send over lunch during a work meeting as a special surprise.
Another idea is to offer them discounts on food delivery and takeout. It can be grueling working from home, particularly for parents who are also trying to juggle supervising their children in an online school. Offering substantial discounts on food delivery and takeout items will show your employees that you want to do what you can to reduce their stress level during this time.
Provide Proper Work Tools and Equipment
Your employees will not feel appreciated if they do not have the tools that they need to be successful. Providing the proper work tools and equipment for their home office shows that you are making an investment in them as employees.
This means that you need to provide the right technical equipment for them to do their job just as well as they would in a traditional office setting. Remote employees are also more likely to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, and other health conditions related to not having the proper chair and desk combination. Do your part by making sure that each of your employees has what they need in their home office.
These five ideas are a great start if you are looking to show your employees that they are valued and appreciated even when working remotely. The payoff to your bottom line will be worth this effort.
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