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How to Engage Your Employees During the Holidays

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how to engage your employees

The holiday season brings with it so much joy, merriment, and goodwill. From gift-getting to gift-giving to spending extra time with loved ones to taking more time to relax, there are so many good things about the holidays. For so many, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

For businesses? Maybe not so much. Keeping employees fully engaged and committed during the holiday season can be challenging, to say the least. With heavier workloads due to coworkers taking time off, distracted employees, unpredictable customer demands, and increased pressure to meet year-end goals, keeping employees engaged towards the end of the year can seem nearly impossible. Truly, it’s no wonder productivity tends to start slumping in mid-November.

However, keeping your employees engaged during the holiday months is crucial for your bottom line and overall staff satisfaction. Here are a few tips to help keep your employees motivated and finish out the year strong.

 

1. Reward and recognize great work

Show your employees how much you value their hard work and dedication this holiday season. Writing them a thank-you note or going out of your way to offer words of appreciation and encouragement will help keep them motivated to continue delivering great work, even when it’s difficult to stay focused.

Though verbal recognition is powerful, putting a structured rewards-based employee engagement program in place year-round can also help extend engagement into the holiday season. Be sure to highlight employee accomplishments regularly and consistently reward stellar work.

 

2. Be festive

Make sure some of that holiday cheer makes it to the office. Add some holiday- or winter-themed decorations. Hold a small secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange. Have an ugly sweater contest. Host a company-wide Christmas bake-off. Don’t ignore the holidays in an attempt to minimize distraction – embrace them to avoid employee resentment and invite a more lighthearted, stress-free atmosphere. It’ll help make your employees happier, more motivated, and more productive.

 

3. Offer a flexible schedule 

During the holiday season, it can be difficult to fill schedules and make sure there are enough employees in the office every day. Offering your employees the extra personal time they need to visit family, plan for the holidays, and just take a break shows them that they are appreciated and gives them the chance to recharge. Your employees will likely be more productive before and after their time off. As for those employees that help fill in gaps while their coworkers are away on vacation, be sure to show gratitude and encourage other employees to do so as well.

 

4. Communicate year-end goals and holiday plans clearly

Whatever your goals and policies, make sure your employees are aware of them. Inform your employees of expectations early on. Reiterate your holiday scheduling guidelines. Be transparent about company-wide goals, progress, and needs. It’ll help your employees feel more valued and see how their role fits into the big picture. They’ll make better decisions and focus their work on contributing to those goals — just like you want them to!

 

5. Look Forward to the Future

Don’t wait until the new year starts to set goals — start setting new goals before the year ends. Encourage employees to get involved by suggesting areas that could be improved company-wide, and encourage them to set personal goals as well. Be specific and optimistic when looking forward to the future, and help employees see their individual roles and responsibilities in making the company’s vision a reality. It’ll help your employees get right back into the swing of things once they come back from taking time off.

 

6. Volunteer at a charity

Embrace what the holiday season is really about. As you give back to the community as a company, your employees will feel a sense of goodness and unity, sure to extend to the workplace. Whether you hold a toy/clothing drive, collect cans for a food drive, or volunteer at your local soup kitchen as a team, giving back is sure to boost morale collectively and individually. Plus, it’ll help put any struggles or stresses into proper perspective.

During these holiday months, think about your employees’ needs and capabilities. Help them feel that their work is meaningful, appreciated, and valued. As leaders, we have a responsibility to inspire our employees to action and productivity — understanding their needs is crucial to be able to do so. Your employees will be grateful for it, and it will show in their overall productivity and engagement!

6 Essential Elements of a Service Award Program

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Everyone desires to be recognized for their hard work. A good pat on the back for a job well done can show employees that they are truly appreciated. People thrive on recognition, and it actually can have a positive impact on a person’s self-esteem.

That’s where a Service Award Program comes into play. When structured correctly, this system will not only make employees happier, but it will actually increase their motivation to work harder. This reaction, in turn, benefits both the employee and the business by improving productivity.

 

Is A Service Award Program Right for My Business?

Personnel Journal published a survey that found that larger businesses have more budgeted for recognition and awards programs than smaller companies.  However, recognition programs are an important way for businesses, no matter the size, to show that employees are valued. Even for small businesses, awards are crucial in hiring future employees and increasing productivity in the workplace.

But how do you know what type of award will provide a return on your investment, yet satisfy the employee at the same time? And, how should this award system be structured? Let’s look at the 6 essential elements of a Service Award Program:

 

1) The Award Should Be Functional

It should serve a purpose, even if it isn’t a practical use.  And, preferably,  the award should not be something that the employee would normally buy for themselves. If the award is something that has no functionality, the value decreases. If it is something that the employee could purchase whenever they want, this also decreases the value.

 

2) The Award Should Be Suitable for Use in the Home

When the award can be used in the home, it naturally includes the employee’s family. For the average person, most of the time that they are away from their families, they are at work. Thus, the majority of the time spent away from the job is at home with the family. The goal should be to unite the employee, employer, the home, and the family through the award. Everyone is happy and it brings a personal aspect to the award that is invaluable.

 

3) The Award Should Have Recurring Value

The award should be memorable. Whenever the award is used, or noticed by a friend or family member of the employee, the original moment of receiving the recognition is remembered and valued. It needs to be something that brings pride to the employee, provoking thankfulness to the company.

 

4) The Award Should Have a High Perceived Value

The award should be something that is not easily found in a local retail store.  No matter how expensive, no award will ever equal the value an employee perceives they are to the company.  However, if it is thoughtful and matched with recognition, the perception of the awards value is much higher to the employee.

 

5) The Award Focuses the Attention on a Specific Recognition Level

If an employee received a selection brochure of multiple rewards for different levels, they naturally desire the awards of greater value. This could lead to disappointment over something that is supposed to be a positive.  Therefore, a single sheet selection system that focuses on their specific level of service is better for the employee.   They can focus on what options they have to choose from rather than what they can’t have.

 

6) The Award Must Be Something the Employee Wants

If the award is personally meaningful and desired by the employee, then it increases motivation all the more. Finding useful items or adding a monogram to enhance its’ unique value, increases the employees desire for the item.  This could be a plaque that mentions the employees name and their accomplishment, or it may just be a watch with their initials engraved on the back.  Both add personalization, meaning, and therefore, desire for the item.

A properly designed award program should bring benefits to the company, the employer, the employee, and the employee’s family. Recognition reinforces to the employee that they are an invaluable asset to the company. Positive attitudes of those in the workplace are vital to increased productivity and success of businesses, both large and small. A Service Award Program does not have to involve high cost, but rather focus on showing the employee appreciation and public recognition through a reward that they will find special.

We would love to talk to you about our available options to recognize your team. Call us at 866-924-2778 to talk to one of our staff members today!

Choose Corporate Awards: 4 Factors to Consider

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In both large and small businesses, recognizing employees for their achievements is crucial to the overall productivity of the business. In a CBS report, the shattering number of unhappy employees outweighs the number of satisfied employees.

Feeling neglected and useless in the workplace due to the lack of motivation and incentive to do a better job was at the core of why employees performed so low in this study.

We believe the best way to showcase your appreciation for your team is by recognizing their diligence! Below I have listed 4 factors to consider when deciding what type of corporate award to choose.

Generational Shifts

A more matured workforce has traditionally appreciated monetary compensation for their overachievement, however the younger workforce has been shown to appreciate a tangible “thank you” rather than money.

The act of providing recognition for retirement, years of service, or sales awards has been shown to be of greater value to the upcoming generation.

The current and upcoming generation of the workforce is one that values relationships and connections to others. That being said, a tangible award on a corporate level functions as an ideal motivator because it can show the employee what specifically they are being rewarded.

“Thank you for your outstanding sales in the 2018 year” is much more appreciated than a financial bonus because they “did well.”

Motivation

A study held by Anita Bowness, a global leader for Halogen Software, revealed how money can actually function as a “demotivator.”  Perspectives of money vary from person to person and unfortunately, cause more harm than good.

In one year, an employee might be rewarded a cash bonus for their hard work towards a project. However, in the next year, is the employee expected to receive the same amount of money or more?

There is always a risk in miscommunication when the employee expects a certain amount rather than what the business owner feels is an adequate amount. In order to avoid this morale depleting (and awkward) situation, choose other types of awards to recognize employees’ dedication!

As a business owner, I want my staff to feel the most motivated in their workplace as possible. When I was working for other companies, I also craved incentives that highlighted my achievements – not just a pay raise. Instead of attempting to motivate others with money, try successfully motivating your employees with beautiful pieces that they will cherish forever.

Teamwork

Corporate awards reflect how the team is achieving company goals and reinforces the vision of your company. Recognition awards for service or years of dedication are a great way to attract outside talent while also maintaining internal expertise.

In most leadership development tactics, encouraging an employee in a team setting has been shown to be highly effective to productivity. This productivity is a result from group encouragement, in which members work together as a team toward a common goal.

Teams are built to perform better together and showcase each other’s talents. In a corporate setting, team motivation creates more positive interactions and a stronger workforce.

Publicity

Awards draw attention from bystanders, both internally and externally. By engaging with your team in this way, you open the door to outsiders gaining perspective as to what your business stands for, how the leadership functions, and why choosing your corporation would be the best choice for them.

For small businesses, this type of positive publicity is critical in recruiting future employees, expanding sales to other consumers, and increasing productivity within the workplace.

 

We would love to talk to you about our several options to recognize your team. Call us at 866-924-2778 to talk to one of our staff members.