Did you know that there is an Employee Appreciation Day? Every year on March 1st, offices and workplaces gather to tell their employees how much they appreciate them. Maybe it is with pizza or maybe it is with cupcakes, but whatever the method may be, employee appreciation is a great way to build your company culture. But the question then becomes, how can you incorporate appreciation, not just once a year but throughout the year? 

With a rocky workplace landscape, attracting and retaining the highest talent is a top priority for many companies. There are various ways to do this, but one way that often goes unnoticed is noticing others. If you show your employees that you care and notice their efforts, they will likely stay with your company and continue doing great work. 

You can show appreciation in several ways, from custom awards to company-wide recognition.

A Win-Win

Why does it matter that you show recognition to your employees? Well, it not only secures a better future for you, your company, and your employees, but recognition is part of the human condition — something we all crave. Appreciation makes us feel seen and if we only feel seen once a year by our employers that could lead to a plethora of other issues — both personally and professionally.

Don’t get me wrong, pizza parties are great. But it would be best if you did more to show your employees that you not only care about the work they are doing but that you notice the work they are doing as well.

By doing this, your workers will be motivated to work hard and may be able to better envision themselves sticking with your company for the long haul. After making this a part of your culture over time, this could be something really fun and unique your company becomes known for, which will help in talent acquisition down the line. 

Creating the Culture

1. Be involved and be vocal.

Use your position to lift your employees up. Recognize when someone does great work and how their work elevated their team. Make sure your employees know that you feel genuine gratitude for the work that they put in. Maybe start a newsletter and use it to celebrate those who have come up with new ideas or perfectly executed a project. You could even create a virtual compliment board. Once you practice this more often, others will be more inclined to jump in too!

2. Recognize that work is about more than the end result. 

Often in the workplace, outcomes and results are the things that tend to get celebrated the most. But this could be a detriment to you and your company. You should also celebrate the big thinkers, the creative strategists, and the adaptable new hires. Some people are better at coming up with ideas than completing tasks, and it is important you recognize them, too. Everything is part of a greater process. 

3. Listen, listen, listen. 

Do you want to know how your employees can tell if you are listening? If you act on their concerns, ideas, etc. This form of recognition is less direct than, say, a custom award, but it goes a long way. By acting on the things you’ve heard around the workplace, your employees can see that you care through your actions, which will make them more involved and motivated to do a great job. Making little changes based on the feedback you receive even if the execution isn’t perfect still shows that you are making an effort.

Overall, your employees want to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. Everyone does in one way or another. Culture plays a huge part in the happiness and satisfaction of your employees. Start with these tips today to make your workplace a place people enjoy being.