Tis this season to be merry, and what could be merrier than recognizing your team’s hard work throughout the year? Christmas parties and employee achievements should go hand in glove. The dilemma is how to recognize them with freshness and panache. With the right printable gift certificates and awards plus a handful of fun ideas, you can put together a…
Christmas Employee Recognition Ideas
Hear that? Sleigh bells ringing in the lane as Christmas rapidly approaches? Before you know it, the weather forecast will be cold and snowy and it’ll be time to celebrate the holidays with your employees. When hosting a holiday event in your office, these 12 Christmas employee award ideas are fun ways to recognize your staff before the year’s end….
“The single most important thing is to make people happy,” founder of CD Baby, Derek Sivers, once said. “If you are making people happy, as a side effect, they will be happy to open up their wallets and pay you.” If the customer is the most important aspect of your business, the second-most important is your company’s customer service staff….
There’s a fog of inattention seeping into your workplace. Morale seems lower, intrigue and insubordination higher. Your team is less cohesive than it should be. How did things become this way, and more importantly how can you fix it? Don’t blow your top or despair just yet. It’s never too late to reinvigorate your team and reclaim their focus. It’s…
You don’t have much of a business without a dedicated staff by your side. So, celebrate them. Each year when an employee’s hire date comes up, move beyond the customary reviews and annual evaluations. Use one of these ways to celebrate employee anniversaries to make each person feel truly appreciated for their talents and dedication to the company. Host a…
In a spring 2013 study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, the association found that 33 percent of HR professionals indicated “employee retention/turnover” to be a top challenge in their profession. While attracting top talent to your company is vital, keeping these valuable employees satisfied in their jobs is also crucial to your overall success. A tried-and-true method…
While many companies note a decrease in productivity during the summer months, there are many ways to combat this! The summer season offers employers the opportunity to have some fun with their staff. Summer office parties are a great perk for employees and also serve as an effective method for building comradely. “I saw good responses to perks that weren’t…
Even if you have an ergonomic work station and desk drawer full of granola, your office could be making you fat. Sitting around all day can make you fat, sick and prone to premature death, and those risks apply even if you make time for regular exercise. The good news is you don’t have to take the bad news sitting…
Forbes contributor Kate Harrison wrote an article about the most popular employee perks at tech companies in 2014. These perks ranged from free food to extra paid time off to game rooms on-site. Perks provided by your business for its employees aren’t just a great way to keep your staff satisfied and motivated, but a brilliant method for retaining your best…
There’s a reason many business note that productivity in the summer decreases. According to research compiled by Grasshopper, “25% of office workers felt their productivity decreased in the summer time.” Furthermore, 63% of respondents stated they left the office earlier during the summer while 60% report taking their lunch outdoors during this time of year. However, there are steps business…
A healthy staff is a productive staff. This year, get everyone in the office geared up and ready to participate in Bike to Work Day. Or, better yet, make it a weekly event. Each Friday allow staff to dress casual and cycle to work. Why? Aerobic exercise, like cycling, walking and swimming helps you live longer by maximizing the amount…
Training is a necessary evil in the corporate world. As the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, once said, “Job training empowers people to realize their dreams and improve their lives.” Additionally, training helps your staff remain up-to-date on procedures and policies so they can work effectively and efficiently. Even though you’re dealing with adults,…
“The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel,” writes author of Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care, Sybil F. Stershic. “And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.” It’s simple. The better your employees feel about their work, the better your clients will feel about your…
While reaching for yet another cup of coffee to combat office sleepiness may seem like the most obvious thing to do, it’s not necessarily the best. Overloading on caffeine can actually make you feel worse, eventually disrupting your natural sleep pattern, making you jittery and nervous, or even resulting in heart palpitations or a stomach ache. Yuck is right, especially…
Most of us can name one or two bosses we’ve had that we would move mountains for. These people seem to be able to effortlessly juggle the demands of upper management with the needs of their staff. While some may be born with innate leadership qualities, most of us have to learn how to manage over time. If you are…
These days, the words “team building” is more likely to elicit groans than excitement from employees. Many times what spring to mind are silly games or trust exercises. Plus, it can mean rearranging deadlines and interrupting already packed work schedules. However, when done right, team building can be a powerful tool to improve morale, create camaraderie and increase productivity. When…
Your volunteers make extraordinary sacrifices to promote your organization, and all without any expectation of compensation. Although they may continue to provide their assistance for the sheer joy of helping out, it’s worth your while to reward their hard work on occasion. Unfortunately, if you’re lacking in adequate funding, you might not be able to throw the volunteer gala you’ve…
Your employees may love their jobs, but after years of sitting at desks and staring at their computers, they’re beginning to get a bit lethargic. This could be problematic for customer relations, as clients want to interact with energetic and enthusiastic company representatives. Consider revitalizing your workplace with one or more of the following motivational game ideas: 1. Musical Chairs…
Business managers and owners should take note: low employee morale is costing you money — big time. You may not realize it, but if your employees are unhappy, there will be consequences for you and your business. Keeping employees happy, motivated and productive is an important job for any workplace manager, director or owner. How Low Employee Morale Disrupts Your…
It’s no secret that happy employees are also more productive employees. And while your business should have incentive and advancement policies in effect to motivate and appease workers, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. No, sooner or later, you’re bound to run into some unhappy employees. The good news is that unhappy employees can easily be turned around if you…