A happier employee is a better employee. Your staff is intuitive and if you don’t find a way to show them you care, they will feel devalued and dejected. While you are paying them to do their jobs, showing that you value them will motivate them to do it better. Employees who feel valued take their roles seriously and go above and beyond for the company. Appreciating your staff also improves retention rates, saving you from having to recruit and retain new staff. You do not need intense planning to make your employees happy simple, small gestures can make a lasting impression. 

Here are a few ways to show your employees that you care:

1. Make Them Feel Appreciated on Special Occasions

Birthdays are a big deal and deserve to be celebrated. As a supervisor, you should create a calendar of each employee’s birthdays and celebrate accordingly. You can celebrate an employee’s birthday by throwing a surprise party, sending a birthday card, or decorating their desk. This will elevate your staffs’ mood and show them that you value them as part of your team. Important milestones at work or in their lives are also worth celebrating. For instance, you can congratulate them on their first anniversary on the job or significant personal milestones like the birth of a child to make them feel special.

2. Group Volunteering

Volunteer days are a great way to bond while giving back to the community. Group volunteering can involve activities like walking dogs at a local shelter, visiting an orphanage, or serving lunch at the local soup kitchen. Alternatively, you can find out what your employees are passionate about and organise a fundraiser to support the initiative. For instance, plan a sporting event to raise funds for the local teams or organise a fund drive for the local museum.

3. Team Building at Work

Do you want a strong and dedicated team of workers? No matter how engaging your work is, spending five days straight in the office can be draining. Monotonous work is tedious, and after some time, your employees will burnout. However, if you organise team-building activities regularly, your employees will always be dedicated and focused on their work. Weekly or monthly will improve communication among your staff and build a team spirit.

4. Food, food, food! 

If your employees are struggling through a workday on an empty stomach, then you need to act fast. It will not be long before they look for greener pastures. It would be best to have a constant supply of food in the office. If you have a kitchen or a break room, ensure there are coffee machines and other healthy snacks to boost your employees’ energy through the day. Nowadays, there are subscription snack services such as SnackNation which deliver regular shipments of healthy snacks, tea and coffee making is easier than ever to keep your staff fed. Providing coffee in the office also helps your employees to save time in the morning. If your budget allows it, consider providing occasional lunches. 

5. Outings

Many companies wait until the end of the year to host a party but good organization provide their teams with multiple outings offering them opportunities to with the employees and have fun. Social sporting events provide an excellent opportunity for fun and interaction. You can also take your employees out for dinner or drinks and spend the evening chatting and getting to know them outside work.

6. Use Social Media

Recognize and appreciate the excellent work that your employees are doing publicly. You can share photos of exceptional performances or award ceremonies on your company’s social media pages. It will make them feel appreciated for their efforts and valued as members of your team. You can also acknowledge the work of individual employees in your company’s newsletters. Even a simple Facebook post appreciating a member of your team will make them feel special.

When your employees know how much you value their contribution to the organization, they will be dedicated to their work. Therefore, if you want to build an excellent team, recognize the efforts of every team member and use the above gestures to show that you care.