We all know that business survives because of its employees. They make our capital. So it is essential that they are appreciated and they feel motivated throughout. It can be any day of the year that you can express your appreciation for your co-workers and employees and their contributions to the company. Trust this. It is not necessary that the appreciation be communicated only through a special event. In fact, small surprises and tokens of your appreciation spread throughout the year help the people in your work life feel valued by you all year long.

Don’t reserve your appreciation for special occasions, but make it standard practice to thank employees regularly. Believe me, it matters very much. Let employees know you care, and promote their happiness at work. Unpredictable, unexpected praise and the expression of appreciation in surprising ways is the best way to help your employees and colleagues feel your appreciation.

1. Use a Corporate Gamification System

Each staff member could claim tasks of their choosing and would receive the point values associated with the tasks upon completion. These points could be redeemed by staff members at a corporate rewards portal for anything ranging from an extra vacation and work-from-home days to company-paid continuing education.

2. Praise a Job Well Done

Identify the specific actions that you found admirable. This praise feels sincere since you took the time to spell out details—not just, “You did a good job.” You also emphasize the actions that you’d like to see the employee do more often and everybody benefits when people experience a clear direction.

3. Express Your Gratitude on Social Media

You could recognize employees on their birthdays and service anniversaries on social channels. Each post could include a photo and something that highlights that employee’s contribution to the organization or an interesting fact that their co-workers and others may not know about them. Many like people wishing them!

4. Create an Employee Recognition Program

Establish an employee recognition program to formally recognize each staff member throughout the year. You can also have each team create their own program for recognizing their peers on a weekly or monthly basis. You can have team members provide verbal recognition or take it a step further by giving rewards and incentives to the team members who stand out the most. Consult your employees to determine what type of staff recognition program would be most desirable to them.

5. Offer Flexible Scheduling

If work coverage is critical, post a calendar so people can balance their time off with that of their co-workers. This is a much better solution than the manager picking and choosing who gets time off and when. (Note that a flexible work schedule is a benefit that many employees find desirable.)

The Bottom Line

Employee appreciation is never out-of-place. In fact, in many organizations, it’s often a scarce commodity. Make your workplace the exception. Use every opportunity to demonstrate your gratitude and appreciation to employees. This needs to be communicated to the employees, especially when they join so they know that they are there to perform. Let that culture spread out throughout the organisation and your organisation become the most sought out employer!