How to Show Appreciation for Your Team This Holiday Season

2020, right? It’s been a complicated, scary, unprecedented year. But, barring anything truly catastrophic, the holiday season is still coming. And it presents the perfect opportunity to thank your team for their contributions during the difficult months you just slogged through together. 

Showing appreciation represents an important component of team spirit. Letting workers know how valuable they are can boost morale and improve retention. It’s an important step in maintaining your staff at the highest levels of productivity. 

In one survey, 40% of workers said they would put more energy into their work if they received more recognition. Another data set showed that highly engaged workforces were associated with a 41% reduction in absenteeism. The same statistics indicated a 17% rise in productivity as a result of higher levels of engagement. 

Clearly, there are significant benefits to be achieved from adequately showing your employees that they are appreciated.  

Meanwhile, the holidays give you a perfect time to show your gratitude. After all, Thanksgiving is all about, well…giving thanks. And Christmas comes with built-in themes of togetherness and reflection (cue: the “Merry Christmas, you old building and loan” scene of It’s a Wonderful Life). 

There are other aspects of the season that lend themselves to expressions of appreciation. The end of the year is approaching, giving you a chance to look back on the accomplishments achieved and the challenges overcome during the course of the past 12 months. At the same time, work slows down during the holiday season, providing you plenty of opportunities to stop for a moment and show your gratitude.

But how do you show how thankful you are? 

Here are a few ways to show appreciation for your team this holiday season: 

Tell Them How Appreciative You Are 

It may seem corny to flat-out tell your workers “thank you.” And you shouldn’t expect a round of applause if you stop business for a few minutes to let people know how much you appreciate efforts. But the message still gets across.  

Talk to Your Team Members Individually 

A group “thank you” only goes so far. You also want to thank your team members individually. This allows you to get specific about your appreciation. You can point out their particular contributions and customize your praise. This will give your message more weight. 

Give Them a Present 

It’s the holiday season, right? The perfect time for gifts! These can take various forms, from generous bonuses to clever, low-cost tokens of your appreciation. Whatever your budget can handle, use a little cash to show you care.

Make It Public 

Don’t just thank your workers internally. Show your appreciation in a public forum. Post stories of success on your website and highlight standout performances on social media. This lets your team take a bow and makes them feel like contributing members of a larger community. 

Host a Party 

Depending on how COVID restrictions look at the time, you might not get a chance to hold your normal holiday party. Still, try to host some function, even if it’s virtual, to reward your employees for making it through a long, hard year.

Don’t Just Give Thanks During the Holidays 

Emotions get heightened during the holidays. It’s a warm-and-fuzzy time of year, well suited for sharing gratitude. But you shouldn’t restrict expressions of appreciation to the holiday season. Make it an all-year priority. 

When you have a great team in place, there’s plenty to be thankful for. First, you have to build that killer group of employees. Partnering with a strong staffing firm, like SmartTalent, makes that possible. 

Contact SmartTalent today to learn how to take your recruiting to the next level.