35 Employee Appreciation Ideas to Boost Productivity and Happiness

Whether you want to celebrate a formal employee appreciation day at your organization or simply wish to thank your team members for the efforts they put in, employee appreciation rewards are the way to go.

When executed correctly, employee appreciation can help companies build productive workplaces where employees are happy and motivated to work. Research highlights that recognition is an excellent way to give feedback and is critical to boosting employee engagement.

In fact, data suggests that employees are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged at the workplace when they get desired recognition from leadership.

To this end, this post will list down some of the top Employee Appreciation Ideas for building a culture of employee appreciation to boost productivity and happiness at your workplace.

Why Celebrate Employee Appreciation at a Workplace?

Offering various perks and rewards allows organizations to celebrate employees and show their appreciation for their hard work. Through rewards and similar gestures, companies can build a culture of happier, satisfied, and more engaged workplaces.

Several benefits that companies can enjoy by appreciating their employees, such as:

• Higher employee retention in the workforce
• High engagement
• Consistent employee performance
• Sense of culture
• Higher reinforcement of the company’s core values

Top 35 Employee Appreciation Ideas

If you want your employees to feel appreciated daily, here are some of the unique appreciation gift ideas for driving employee satisfaction:

1. Handwritten Thank You Notes

The charm and personal touch that a handwritten note brings is unparalleled. Giving your employees handwritten thank-you notes is one of the best ways to recognize their hard work. This seemingly small gesture can make a big impact on employees, boosting their morale and making them feel valued at the same time.

2. Give Regular Rewards

When it comes to celebrating your staff, it does not always have to be flashy or expensive gifts. A report suggests that spending as little as $50 per employee per year can increase employee engagement and boost their productivity significantly.

In addition to this, it is also important to provide frequent recognition to your employees and offer symbolic awards to make them feel valued and happy at the workplace.

3. Health and Wellness

Organize various health and wellness activities to appreciate employees and their contribution to the organization. This could include activities such as a meditation session to start the day, cooking a healthy recipe, or a daily steps competition.

It’s an interesting and fun way to promote employee well-being and a healthy lifestyle, as well as promoting a sense of community within the company.

4. Personalized Workspaces

Regardless of the size of the business, encouraging personalized workspaces is an excellent way to appreciate employees and give each team member their own little personal space within your office.

To make it more fun for employees, let them choose their desk accessories, quotes, or other memorabilia of their choice. This will boost their mood and also make the office space much more vibrant.

5. Highlight Employees on Social Media Channels

Another excellent way to recognize and appreciate your employees is to highlight their achievements on the organization’s various social media channels.

Recognizing and appreciating employees here will go a long way toward keeping them happy and helping them build their personal brands. Additionally, it is a great way to humanize your brand in front of your social media followers.

6. Volunteering

Volunteering together as a team at a nearby shelter home or conservation program is a perfect way for your team to bond, create memories, and practice gratitude.

A recent report also suggests that 79% of volunteers confirm that volunteering makes them feel much better, leading to a healthier and happier workforce in the long run.

7. Team Games

Team-building games such as Pictionary, scavenger hunts, office trivia, or the mind field are great ways to have fun, boost employee engagement, and show appreciation to your employees.

Additionally, these games offer an exciting opportunity for your deskless workforce and team members to get to know each other in a fun setting and environment.

8. Allow Flexible Working Schedules

Offering a flexible working environment is an excellent way to give employees more freedom and balance their professional and personal lives better. A survey also highlights that 43% of respondents said that flexible working hours helped them achieve higher productivity,

This kind of flexible work schedule helps each employee to be in charge of their routine while still allocating the time to manage and complete work projects. When employees feel enough freedom to work on their own schedule, they’ll be much more productive and happy.

9. Let Employees Choose Special Projects

While it may seem counterproductive to reward employees with more work, research highlights that when you let your employees participate in a special project, they have a 26% higher sense of opportunity.

Giving your team a chance to choose such special projects can be a great way to appreciate their talent and enhance employee efficiency and productivity as well.

10. Mentoring Program

A structured and strong mentoring program can make your employees grow and feel valued in the organization. The best way to do this is by pairing up experienced staff with newer employees to create a culture of continuous learning/ support and drive employee engagement as well.

11. Write a LinkedIn Recommendation

Writing thoughtful LinkedIn recommendations for your employees is a meaningful way to endorse someone’s hard work. A seemingly underrated gesture, it can be an excellent communication strategy to help you appreciate your team member and also make them believe that you care about their future success.

12. Cheers from Peers

You can also make it simpler for your staff to show appreciation for each other by allowing peers and coworkers to recognize and appreciate the efforts that go into day-to-day activities. Create spaces that give them a chance to share and call out the positive things their peers are doing so they come to everyone else’s attention and make the person feel happy and recognized.

13. Pick Creative Rewards

When it comes to giving employees appreciation, think and don’t limit yourself to regular rewards like food, bonus, time off, or a promotion. Plan to make your reward different enough so that it actually stands out as a part of your organization’s culture.

For instance, portraits, paintings of staff members who have achieved a certain number of years, and bringing in caricaturists for some fun are a few of the ideas that you can explore here.

14. Host Company Events

Hosting a company-wide event is an excellent way to show your staff and employees appreciation while also allowing them to socialize and get to know each other outside the workplace. You can also consider hosting an event that employees can bring their families to so that team members and their respective families can bond over food and games.

15. Offer Random Treats

At times, you don’t need a specific reason to show employee appreciation. You can simply thank and appreciate your staff by offering random treats such as bringing donuts to work, arranging a game hour, and so on.

16. Educational Learning Experiences

Most people in an organization have something they’d love to learn more about. As a way to appreciate them, invest in your employees’ interests, passions, and future with the gift of educational learning.

Surprise your team with a specific budget that they can spend on the learning experience of their choice that interests them.

17. Offer Book or Audiobook Credits

Another excellent employee appreciation idea is to treat your team members with their favorite physical book of their choice or audiobook credit. You can also ask them to put together a wishlist and later surprise them with one of their favorites on their list. This will not only make them feel happy but will also motivate them to do better at the workplace.

18. Have Them Lead for a Week

An excellent way to show you appreciate and trust your team members is to let them lead the way at the workplace. For instance, you can give them the title of Boss for a few days and have them lead everything from meetings and internal texting to employees to important decisions and so on to make them feel important and valued.

19. Make Charitable Donations

An increasing number of organizations are recognizing the fact that their employees are interested in initiatives that allow them to give back to society. So, instead of offering traditional cash bonuses for their performance, you can consider donating to the charity of their choice.

This demonstrates your company’s investment in its community and shows your employees that your organization fully supports community giving.

20. Give Time to Senior Leadership

If you are looking for an affordable yet high-impact employee appreciation gift, consider allowing your team members to have lunch with a senior-level executive. This gives employees a great chance to have face time, which they may otherwise never get access to.

21. Birthday Shout-outs

Celebrating your employees on their birthdays is a simple yet impactful way to show appreciation and make them feel valued within the company.

Whether it’s a surprise celebration, a card, or a small gift, birthday shoutouts promote positive relationships among colleagues. Apart from celebrating each employee’s individuality, it contributes to a culture of inclusivity and recognition within the organization.

22. Relaxation Activities at Work

In any organizational setup, one of the best ways to appreciate employees is by giving them a break from their day-to-day routine. Think of offering them relaxation activities in the middle of the work to de-stress and rejuvenate.

Some of the things you can do here include organizing meditation sessions, making a relaxation room for a quick massage, and relaxing music. These activities offer employees opportunities to relax and contribute to a productive work environment.

23. Gift Cards

Gift cards are versatile and easy to utilize as a form of appreciation gift for employees. It allows them to make personal purchases, buy important items, or simply pay for utilities.

This choice for a gift in the form of a gift card gives your employees the freedom to decide how they wish to spend their reward and feel happy about it at the same time.

24. Group Excursion

Another way to appreciate your employees is by making a memorable day of activities for them by planning a group excursion or a field trip with all the team members. It could be anything from sightseeing famous places, picnicking at a resort, or utilizing the day to do some charity work of their choice.

25. Latest Gadgets

A new mobile device, iPad, air pods, or smartwatch are also some of the cool gifts that make a unique statement when given as a gift to employees and make them feel happy. Having these physical gadgets is a constant reminder of being appreciated at work and gives them motivation to do more.

26. Give Year-End Bonuses

If your company has booked profits, giving year-end bonuses can be an excellent way to show appreciation to the employees. These bonuses can either be tied to individual performance or be given as a general token of gratitude for their hard work.

Such small gifts in the form of bonuses can go a long way in boosting employee morale and showing that their efforts are valued.

27. Thank You Video

To make your employees feel. more special, go beyond the standard “thank you” note and put together a special “thank you” video for your team members. With their permission, the video could also be posted to various social media channels such as YouTube, and be featured on your company blog or website as well.

28. Health Benefits and Retirement Plans

Health benefits and retirement plans are among the most popular ways to show care and appreciation for your employees. Offering quality health insurance shows your employees that you value their well-being and wish them to stay healthy.

Giving these benefits as a token of appreciation speaks volumes about your commitment to your employees’ long-term success and employee productivity.

29. Paid Time Off

Giving your employees some extra time off is always a winner, whether it’s an extra vacation day or a half day on a Friday. This seemingly simple perk shows your employees that you appreciate their hard work and value their work-life balance. It’s a low-cost yet high-impact way to boost employee morale and show your workers that you care.

30. Pay Raise

Another classic way to show your appreciation towards your employees is by giving them a pay raise. It’s a tangible way to show how much you value their work contributions and are always willing to invest further in their future with the company. Pay raises can also help retain top talent and keep employees motivated to do their best.

31. Involve Them in Decision-Making Process

To show appreciation to your team members, you can also empower them by conducting stimulating sessions and encouraging open discussions to involve them in the decision-making process at an organizational level.

32. Celebrate  Work Anniversaries

Celebrating your employee’s work anniversaries is a great way to recognize them for their loyalty to your organization. So ensure to celebrate and appreciate their work anniversaries as it will go a long way in boosting your employee morale and employee retention as well.

33. Make Video Tributes

Recording video messages for the employee you’re honoring is an excellent way to appreciate them and recognize their hard work. Have your team members share through video messages about what they enjoy most about working with them or a favorite memory they share together to make them feel happy and valued at work.

34. Take Employee Feedback

Collecting and implementing employee feedback to action is a great way to appreciate them. There is no better way to recognize your employees than implementing changes that your staff wishes to see, as it will let them know that their opinions matter. This will encourage more workers and team members to participate in the company’s feedback and similar recognition initiatives.

35. Go outside Often

Going out as a team to bond in an outdoor environment can make a great difference in improving employees’ level of motivation.  The best way to do this is by selecting fun outdoor activities where everyone can participate, such as hiking, trips to an amusement park, and so on.

The Bottomline

Employee appreciation is an integral part of an organizational culture that shouldn’t be reserved for a single day. The employees are the most precious asset of any organization and need to be celebrated every day.

The above-mentioned top employee appreciation ideas can help you improve engagement and retention for a hybrid workforce significantly, particularly in today’s competitive job market.

When your employees feel happy and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay with the company and be productive, leading to a more motivated workforce.

If you are looking for more ways to engage and appreciate your employees, leverage  The Employee App and elevate their experience of working at your company with more transparency and easy access to what employees need. 

Schedule a demo today for further information!

FAQs

1. What is the importance of employee appreciation?

Employee appreciation is important because it allows your employees and team members to know that they and their contributions are valued. It also encourages them to continue doing excellent work, which can lead to higher productivity in the workplace.

2. What is the best way to appreciate or thank everyone in a group?

Some of the ways to appreciate or thank everyone in a group is by hosting an office pizza party, happy hour, or a special outing to thank your entire team.

3. What are the ways to show employee appreciation by spending money?

There are several ways to show employee appreciation without spending money, such as hand-written thank-you notes, encouraging regular and effective employee feedback, and posting messages on social media.

4. How do you make Employee Appreciation Day interesting?

The best way to make employee appreciation more interesting is by finding innovative ways for teams to celebrate. The trick here is to find a balance that works for each and every individual while still allowing you to celebrate as a team.