Employees thrive when they know their professional contributions have meaning, and that they are making a difference. So, taking time to say thank you to individual employees, or your team as a whole, by recognizing and rewarding them is an effective way to help keep your employees engaged and excited.
That’s why we’ve created the list below, which includes ongoing ways to say “thank you” to your employees, as well as one-off gestures, that we believe are fresh ideas you can implement in your company or organization in order to better support and encourage valued members of your team.
1. Social Media Thank You
Great bosses make the effort to give shoutouts to their employees on company social pages, either themselves or by working with the company’s social media team. These thank you announcements could be in relation to a specific accomplishment, just to say thank you, or for a personal milestone. Just make sure to recognize multiple employees so there are no hard feelings!
2. Birthdays Off
Consider letting all employees have their birthdays off, as an extra paid holiday off.
3. Order Coffee For The Team
Ditch the office coffee pot and order in a delicious local brew! Have employees all send in their coffee orders and have them delivered to the office in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up.
4. New Professional Headshots
Offer specific employees updated professional headshot appointments to show them your support and appreciation. Give them plenty of notice so they can prepare.
5. Stock Up
Stock up the office kitchen or the pantry with tea-time goodies and assorted choices of tea and coffee, juices, sodas, fruits, nuts, and cookies.
6. Bonuses
Nothing motivates and encourages employees quite like compensation. If you have a particular employee that you have consistently seen go above and beyond in their role, discuss bonus incentive options with your leadership team, including their direct supervisor.
7. Company Swag
This one might seem a little… generic, but you can make it fun! Get together with your leadership team to brainstorm useful and creative company swag to distribute periodically to your team as a thank you gesture.
8. Friday Happy Hour
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Say thank you to your employees by making their Friday a little more fun with a happy hour for your team at the office.
9. Have a Bring Your Pet to Work Day
Whether you already have a pet-friendly office or not, it is a great idea to have a designated, special bring your pet to work day to show employees support for them and the special members of their family. Remember to be considerate of employees with pet allergies and check with your team before implementing a Bring Your Pet to Work Day.
10. Have a Comfy Clothes Day
Casual days don’t have to just be for Fridays, they can be for special occasions as well! Wear your comfy jeans, sweatpants, or your favorite t-shirt to work.
11. Movie Time
Say thank you to your employee by providing them a pair of movie tickets to go see their favorite movie during the workday. Or, you could take the entire office out for a matinee showing.
12. Award an Employee of the Month
This can be a great way to show recognition as the award comes with real perks like flexible hours, longer lunch hours, or more PTO allotment. It can be especially encouraging if you announce the award in an internal meeting, in a newsletter, or by showcasing the winner’s names and/or photos somewhere in the office.
13. Leave Early on Fridays
Award employees on a specific week by letting them start their weekend a little early. Friday afternoons can often be slow anyways!
14. A Handwritten Note
Yes, this may seem more conventional, but there is really nothing like a nice, handwritten note. Make it personal, while professional, and make sure it is not just templated!
15. Order Lunch In
Order lunch delivered to the office for your team as a courtesy of their hard work and your gratitude. Or take a specific employee out for a lunch on you.
16. Save the Best Parking Space
Reserve the best parking space, for a month or week’s time, for an employee you have been seeing go above and beyond.
17. Office Games and Contests
Whether a raffle drawing or a trivia break, employees will appreciate the fun idea and welcome the change of pace! And a prize will make the winners feel appreciated and lift their spirits.
18. Post-It Note Blast
Getting to your desk in the morning to find a thank-you post-it note (or your desk covered with post-it notes!) will have you starting off the day with a smile.
19. Acknowledge Employees in Meetings
When an employee has a good idea, performs above and beyond, or secures a big win, a larger internal meeting is a great time to acknowledge them in front of their peers.
20. Training and Conferences
Provide training and development opportunities to high-performing employees or send them to an annual conference they would enjoy. This could benefit them professionally and benefit your business as well.
21. Pay Attention & Be Intentional
The extra effort you make in getting to know the likes and dislikes of your employees goes a long way. They will feel honored when you think of them with a personalized and intentional thank you gesture.
22. Give Time Off
Reward an employee for going above and beyond with an extra day off added to their existing PTO allotment.
23. Manicures & Pedicures
Both men and women enjoy being pampered and looking nice! Give an employee a voucher for an all-expense-paid manicure and/or pedicure.
24. Create a Trophy Award
Get a fun, silly, or quirky trophy and give it to the employee you are recognizing for the week or month. This could be a custom-made trophy, or something silly like a gnome or statue that is passed around the office, and is a fun way to share a laugh and boost employee engagement!
25. Have Fun Outings
This is a great way to boost company culture while also rewarding employees for their hard work with an escape from the office. These can be hosted on a quarterly basis and are a great thing for employees to look forward to.
We can all agree that it always feels pretty great to be appreciated. But it is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their supervisors or upper management.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take a big raise or expensive gifts to make your employees happy, it only takes a little time, effort, and intentionality. Our team at TPC is aware of how important it is for employees to feel appreciated so that they are able to perform and feel their best while working in their specified roles.
Reach out to our team today to see how we can help you cultivate a positive work culture within your organization, or subscribe to our blog below for more helpful ideas and inspiration.
Originally posted 11/16/21 - Updated 09/29/23
