31 Easy Ways to Show Employee Appreciation

Employee Appreciation Day is March 6th and the often-cited Richard Branson quote is making its way around LinkedIn: “Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”

It’s a good reminder that happy employees = happy customers, and an opportunity to evaluate how you’re showing employees your appreciation.

Successful business owners know that happy employees are the best asset a company can have. Your team works hard for you, and you should reward them for it.

According to a recent study by the American Payroll Association, 93% of employees who feel valued at work are more motivated to do their best work. It’s pretty clear employee appreciation can go a long way in driving employee satisfaction and longevity.

31 Ways to Show Employee Appreciation

No matter your company size, there are easy and inexpensive ways to show employee appreciation for a job well done. It shouldn’t be limited to just one day – here are 31 ways to show appreciation for your employees throughout the year.

1. Celebrate work anniversaries
2. Acknowledge team wins
3. Write a handwritten thank you note
4. Celebrate holidays (National Pizza day is always February 9th!)
5. Take them out to lunch
6. Encourage continuing education and career growth
7. Host “Lunch and Learns” for both personal and professional topics
8. Start a mentoring program
9. Recognize non-work achievements
10. Put out a suggestions box (and actually read the submissions)
11. Provide healthy snacks in the break room
12. Offer discounts to a local fitness center
13. Host a bake-off
14. Bring in a professional massage therapist to do chair massages
15. Send your team to an industry networking event
16. Offer them better employee benefits they want
17. Provide time off (or money) for continuing education classes
18. Volunteer as a team
19. Get a company-wide membership for online classes
20. Start a book club
21. Have an office library
22. Have a dog-friendly office (if your space allows for it)
23. Offer standing desks
24. Bagel Friday (or Tuesday)
25. Offer flexible Fridays in the Summer
26. Schedule one meeting-free day a week
27. Go out to a trivia night as a team
28. Start a lunch-time walking club
29. Start a peer-recognition program where employees can thank and praise each other
30. Give a surprise Amazon gift card
31. Ask your employees for input – what do THEY want to do?

Happy employees are loyal employees. Employee appreciation counts. Being able to offer your workers benefits and perks that matter to them can go a long way in helping your business succeed and grow.