Most employees work hard, and it’s nice when employers acknowledge dedication and hard work by doing something special to show their appreciation for their staff. You could go with something basic, or think outside of the box, but the best way to show appreciation is by personalizing the gesture.
Here are 10 ideas to help you create a memorable experience for your employees.
Gift baskets. Gift baskets are easy to personalize, but you don’t have to. You can buy gift-baskets pre-made with chocolates, fruit, flowers, wine, and other specialty/novelty items. Is your employee a movie fan? Find, or make, a personalized gift basket with gift certificates for movie tickets, gourmet popcorn, 3D glasses, and sweet treats.
Movie night. If you’re doing something for all of your employees together, a movie night is a cool thing to do. You can pick the movie yourself, or vote on it, but it’s fun for the whole team to go out to a movie together. Another option is to invite them over to your house for movie night and binge-watch favorite movies or TV shows on Netflix.
Lunch. Employees and employers may go their separate ways for lunch, so it’s a special gesture when you can splurge on lunch for the whole office or team. Voting on which restaurant may be the biggest challenge here, but one way to settle it is to put the names of their favorite restaurants on slips of paper in a box, and let one person draw. Another idea is to just take a vote.
Gift cards. Gift cards are great ways to say thank you to employees. It shows that you’ve spent your own hard-earned money to show how important they are to you. You can purchase generic gift cards, or personalize them according to your employees’ hobbies, interests, and activities.
Add to a hobby or passion. Giving a gift related to your employees’ hobbies or passions shows that you’ve taken notice and interest in who they are as a person, so if one of your employees is into golf, then a nice set of golf balls or gloves may be a good idea. If they like going to concerts, then tickets may be an ideal gift.
A day off. If you and your place of employment allows it, then give your employees a day off. You can stagger them to make sure the office or area is covered. But, a day off is always a win-win. It offers the employee some free time, and boosts morale.
Live entertainment. Nothing says fun like getting the whole office together to attend some live entertainment. You may have to check the newspaper or online to find out what’s going on in your city, or one nearby. You could spring for a stand-up comic, live theatre, or a sporting event.
Birthday event. Regardless of who you are or where you work, it’s nice to be remembered on your birthday, especially by your boss. So don’t forget to do a little something for your employees on their birthdays. It doesn’t have to be anything dramatic. Taking them to dinner, or having cake and ice cream are just two ideas.