Top 6 low-cost ways to reward or recognize employees during the holidays
December 11, 2012 3:09 PM
Personalized note
Take some time to write a note to each of your employees, reflecting on the past year and the personal victories he or she had in their job. This doesn't take much time or effort and the payoff in goodwill and sincere appreciation from ones supervisor is significant. An honest, sincere and timely thank you never goes out of style, says Nelson.
Holiday card signing party
Hill, Chesson & Woody, a benefits brokerage firm in North Carolina, hosts a holiday card-signing party in which employees gather to sign cards to clients. Its a simple and fun way to celebrate business relationships and get to know other employees.
Praise barrage
Either in person or via notes on index cards, have employees each provide feedback as to what they enjoy about other team members they work with.
Shopping spree
Give members of your team some cash, say $50 each, and some time to leave the office with one or more other team members and go shopping for something for themselves. When they return, have everyone share what they got and why they got it. Its a fun team-building activity that allows everyone to learn about each other.
A lot of people dont ever get anything for themselves, says Nelson. Permission to get something just for them is a fun thing.
Pay it forward
Challenge everyone to do one thing each day throughout the holiday season to make someone elses life a little easier. This could range from buying gifts for a needy family to paying for the persons coffee behind you at Starbucks.
Popcorn lunch
Take an afternoon off and treat team members to a movie and box of popcorn. Its important to keep holiday rewards fresh so employees dont get bored year after year. Try to do something different because that becomes memorable, says Nelson.
