11 employee appreciation ideas

Building empowered, engaged and inspired teams of employees takes more than participation in an employee recognition program. It takes leaders with the right attitude and action to create a culture of employee appreciation.

Here are 11 easy ways to show employees they’re appreciated:

Make it personal.

	Write a handwritten welcome note to new employees and mail it to their home a few days before their start date. Let them know how excited you are for them to join the company and give them an idea of what they can expect on their first day.
	Address employees by name when you speak with them. Even better, make it a point to know at least one personal thing about each employee, like their family, pets or interests outside of work. This gives you an easy way to open a casual conversation.
	Acknowledge employment anniversaries every year, at least privately with each employee. Show them you notice and value their loyalty.

Help them grow.

	Introduce good employees to other managers. Remember, it’s better to advance your best employees within the company than to lose them entirely. This proves to employees you’re concerned about their career development and well-being.
	Share key organizational measurements with employees regularly. Give their everyday work meaning by showing how it impacts company success.
	When you implement an employee’s suggestion, share the details with colleagues and other managers so they know who brought that idea forward. This is one of the best ways to motivate employees.
	Invite an exceptional employee to attend a management meeting with you. Introduce them to your bosses and peers, explaining that you want this person to learn more about the company because you believe in them.

Give regular feedback.

	Share messages of praise from customers, suppliers, managers and other employees. Show the message to the mentioned employee first and ask permission to share it more broadly. This appreciation extension works toward engaging all employees.
	Start open-ended conservations with employees about their current work: “Tell me about what you are working on right now.” Listen and create a dialogue; don’t use yes/no questions. Allow a big of bragging and end with a “thank you.”
	Be honest. When you make a mistake or can’t follow through on a promise, communicate quickly and clearly with the affected employees. Although they may be disappointed, they will feel respected.
	At the end of the day, ask at least one employee what went well for them. This gives you the opportunity to give immediate reinforcement for good work.

John O'Brien

Vice President
Employee Performance Group

As Vice President of BI WORLDWIDE’s Employee Performance Group, John O’Brien’s primary focus is to develop employee engagement strategies and solutions that change the behaviors of employees to align with customers’ business objectives. An expert in Employee Recognition Strategy, he educates HR professionals around the world on how to best engage their employees through employee engagement strategies, solutions and best practices.