This has been a terrible year. Unfortunately, as a business, we’re just scraping by — and that’s despite the Paycheck Protection Program loan from the Small Business Administration. There’s no money for a lavish holiday party, year-end bonuses or even anything more than a $5 gift. What can we do to show our employees how much we appreciate their hard work at year-end?
To read my answer, click here: Easy Ways to Thank Employees in a Hard Year
Leave your own suggestions in the comments!
I would make number 10 number 1: just say thank you. And, make a New Year’s resolution to start thanking employees not just once a year, at year’s end, but regularly, whenever it is merited. It’s a good habit, and one which will improve the workplace environment for everyone. Otherwise, thanking ones employees can turn into just one more end-of-the-year chore.
“Get rid of an arduous task” -> There are so many companies where everyone has to spend Friday afternoon crunching numbers for the Big Executive Meeting on Monday. Spend $5K to get a contractor to automate some of these reports.
You are already spending $5K in salary by paying your staff to pull reports, type numbers into a spreadsheet, argue over whose numbers are right, and don’t forget the unfortunate admin whose full time job is to chase down everyone who didn’t run their TPS report.
Automating a single report could allow your entire workforce to leave on time one day a week, and not worry over the weekend if their numbers were “right.” They will be grateful.
RE: #6. In addition to offering them 10 hour days, if you can, offer them 9 hour days with every other Friday off! That way, if you have to be open on a Friday and you can manage with 1/2 of a staff people could alternate their Fridays off.
One time as an incentive we gave employees raffle tickets for meeting a goal. We then drew one name. My supervisors and I washed the employee’s car. We took her down to the parking lot, and seated her in a lawn chair with a cool drink so she could watch us work. The other employees all came down on their breaks to to watch us work. Everyone had a great time.
If you do have a pizza party, or bring in a cake or whatever, have the managers serve the employees and thank them individually. One time we served ice cream sundaes to employees at their desks. One supervisor took the orders and another served the sundaes, again, thanking the employee individually for their contribution.
What a wonderful list! And you didn’t include a raise in the list. People say all that matters is money, but when you’re in a miserable, thankless job, get a raise and a handshake once a year and then go right back to being bullied for another year, you start to think you’d trade your raise for just a little everyday appreciation.
As the old saying goes, “people don’t quite bad jobs, they quite bad managers.”
But when you’re making minimum wage, and wondering how often you’ll have to choose between food and rent, nothing will go as far as a raise to improve morale.
his has been a terrible year. Unfortunately, as a business, we’re just scraping by — and that’s despite the Paycheck Protection Program loan from the Small Business Administration. There’s no money for a lavish holiday party, year-end bonuses or even anything more than a $5 gift. What can we do to show our employees how much we appreciate their hard work at year-end?