Although the Covid-19 pandemic has depressed hiring, the need for great employee experience hasn’t eased. According to a survey by talent acquisition firm Alexander Mann Solutions, about 38 percent of companies put hiring on hold in 2020, though for a full 60 percent of companies still hiring, finding high-quality candidates is still a priority. In other words, despite economic and health challenges, the talent war is still raging.
Of course, one obvious way to win the talent war is to reduce turnover and retain great employees once they’re hired. There are many employee engagement strategies that can impact this, but one important approach is to show employees appreciation.
More than just saying thank you, demonstrating an appreciation of employees’ efforts is a major part of employee retention. One study, for example, found that 58 percent of employees felt their leaders could give more “recognition and praise,” while a separate survey found 60 percent of workers place significant value on the appreciation.
There are a variety of ways to show employees appreciation, and in today’s digital world where many of us are still working remotely things are a little trickier. Here are a few ideas to show appreciation, even when you can’t be there in person.
Reward Performance
While saying thanks or commenting on an individual or group’s performance is good, recognition sometimes needs to be more than simple praise. There needs to be a tangible reward as well. In today’s digital times, those rewards can be digital, too. For example, who wouldn’t want an electronic gift certificate to their favorite online retailer (or, you know, just Amazon)? Or how about a subscription gift, like a coffee of the month or even a year to a streaming service?
Whatever you choose to give, it’s important to make the reward visible, especially if it’s a really good reward. This will a) encourage other employees to work hard for similar rewards and b) make the rewardee feel really special! It’s a win-win!
Online Pizza Party
While the idea of having a company picnic or get together are probably still a ways off, you can still hold a virtual company-wide luncheon. Now, the temptation is for employees to just brown bag it, but where’s the appreciation in that? Instead, send a pizza to each employee—yes, each and every one—and hold an online pizza party. Too complicated? That’s fine. You can also organize sending each employee a boxed lunch or some other type of food or beverage treat that can be enjoyed together, while still being apart.
Give Extra Time Off
Nearly every person in the world feels like they don’t have enough time in the day to do everything they want to. Any extra free time is often a real treat, and thus a great reward for people going the extra mile.
Of course, any additional time off given shouldn’t come out of the employee’s paycheck or their already agreed upon paid time off. There may also be restrictions about when the employee can take it, such as if your business has a peak season. But other than that, employees should be free to use their extra time off the same way they’d use regular PTO.
Looking for new ways to keep the employee experience engaged? Zenvoy has all the tools you need to build vibrant and engaging employee communities. Schedule a demo and we’ll show you the power of building employee networks.
