This year, Employee Appreciation Day was March 1st, presenting the perfect opportunity to show employees how valuable they are to the organization.

In today’s job market with an unprecedented unemployment rate, the emphasis can often be on attracting new talent, but the retention of your current employees is just as critical. We know that displaying a strong company culture is important to bringing in top talent, but expressing that culture to your current employees is just as important. And there is no better way to do it than through employee recognition, on Employee Appreciation Day and throughout the year.

Below, MAU President Randy Hatcher, offers several ways to retain your employees through recognition, communication, and more.

Without great employees, a company will fail to survive. That being said, what are you doing to positively influence, challenge and reward your employees to achieve excellence day in and day out?

Investing in employees is a great way to increase retention, but also revenue.  Don’t assume that because your employee smiles when you pass by, that they are in love with their job.  This assumption can be costly, as employee turnover is expensive.  Especially during a busy season, it is easy to miss the stress your employees may be experiencing, when in fact that is when it is even more important to highlight achievements and recognize hard work.  Sometimes, all that’s needed in a time of stress is a word or two of encouragement.

Follow the advice below and celebrate your employee’s resilience, loyalty, and hard work.  They’re worthy of recognition.

Recognition:

According to Alexander Kjerulf, author of Happy Hour is 9 to 5, “Recognition improves employee morale, and happy employees increase productivity by : working better with others, being more creative, being more motivated, learning faster, getting sick less often.”

That being said, there’s a multitude of ways to recognize employee achievement.  Simply saying “thanks for working so hard”, or “thanks for staying late last night”, to hosting a celebratory lunch for an entire department is acceptable. Remember that everyone deserves recognition, regardless of how big or small a role they have, or what they’re paid.  Further, recognition transcends beyond what the person contributes in terms of dollars to the company’s bottom line. All employees should feel appreciated by their employer.

Support Advancement:

Across most cultures, education is tremendously important. Employees feel empowered to make decisions when they feel educated about the issues at hand. Training provides education for employees, but also a chance for them to step out of their offices and learn more about each other.

I encourage companies to provide training opportunities whenever feasible.  Also, allow employees to submit requests to attend training off-site, as well as webinars. If allowed, employees will take the initiative and further their education.

Gather in Groups:

While most companies host picnics or gatherings of some sort- these events are typically held only once a year. While a large event including employee’s families may be costly, try hosting monthly events in-house, and cater lunch for your staff. Or, host a breakfast, or afternoon dessert buffet. Gathering employees improves morale, changes up the pace of the work days, and allows employees to take a break and socialize- all great things to help employees feel valued.

Foster Communication:

In times of economic uncertainty, employees can feel lost as to the financial state of their company, whether or not they’ll be laid off, whether or not their pay will be adjusted, etc. It is important to always encourage open communication among all levels of employees. No one should be finding out via a press release, or newspaper article that they’re company is going under.  Your employees would rather hear the truth, even if it’s painful, than feel left “in the dark”.  All in all, respect your employees, and they will return the favor through hard work, and dedication.

It is my hope that the information presented above will influence your workforce to become more productive, profitable, and positive.

Looking for some easy ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day? Download this infographic for 3 ideas that are sure to leave your team members feeling valued and celebrated!

{{cta(‘086a2659-8cfe-4609-863c-54d4a9f4b047’)}}

MAU’s array of staffing, recruiting, and outsourcing solutions can find the best fits for your company, without losing any of your company’s personality or culture.  Contact us to get started!