Workplace Culture: Saying Thanks Will Reap Rewards

Our workplace often becomes a second home, given the significant portion of our week spent either physically present or mentally engaged with it. Whether you're the CEO or a line manager, saying thanks at work, always has and always will hold great importance. At Personal Group, we advocate that it should be an environment where a sense of safety, warmth, and nurturing—a fundamental need for us humans – should await. In fact, we enable and encourage peer-to-peer recognition and reward of employees who have embraced our company values of pace, passion and professionalism. 

Creating a culture of gratitude and appreciation is therefore essential, as it ensures employees feel valued. This, in turn, translates into higher performance and a happier workforce, subsequently reducing staff turnover and the associated recruitment costs. Sounds good, right? 

But expressing gratitude doesn’t always come naturally to everyone. Recognition remains an underutilised utensil, in our arsenal of management tools, often overlooked by many leaders for various reasons… We may have worked for a boss who seemingly undervalues our efforts, regardless of their magnitude or impact. This lack of appreciation can be frustrating and demotivating for employees, leading to feelings of being dismissed or ignored. This typically has a knock-on effect of creating toxic working environments and resulting in high staff turnover. We know that this happens but can be managed with coaching, encouragement and raising awareness of its value. For someone in a leadership role, witnessing an undervalued dynamic can be disheartening. While most leaders genuinely appreciate their team members, effectively communicating this appreciation can sometimes be a challenge. For many, lack of communication skills and lack of time, are often quoted as obstacles, but there are ways around this! There’s no time like the present to take stock to think about how, when and why we should say thanks.  

According to the book "Leading with Gratitude," saying thanks is the simplest, quickest, and most cost-effective way to enhance employee performance. While you may work in a large organisation, with reward and recognition technology in place, businesses of any size can prioritise recognition with personal gestures of appreciation. Just an aside, it’s important to consider the individual, as not all employees may appreciate public recognition; some may prefer more private forms of acknowledgment.  

In today's competitive job market, retaining and engaging employees is paramount for organisational success. Employee appreciation serves as one of the most effective strategies in achieving this. Unsure where to start? Here are 12 employee appreciation ideas tailored for managers, team leaders, and HR professionals: 

1. Recognise work anniversaries. 
2. Offer extended lunch breaks. 
3. Implement a dedicated employee recognition program (see Hapi) 
4. Provide additional time off / half days 
5. Offer pampering sessions for employees. 
6. Express gratitude through simple 'thank you' gestures. 
7. Organise team happy hours with cake (v. important the cake part). 
8. Arrange team lunches. 
9. Write personalised notes of appreciation. 
10. Treat employees with snacks or goodies. 
11. Celebrate birthdays. 
12. Distribute gift cards, scratch cards or vouchers. 

Expressing gratitude isn't just a nicety; it's a strategic move that yields significant benefits for both employees and organisations alike. By creating a culture of appreciation, businesses can cultivate a positive and productive work environment, driving success in the long run. 

Download our free ebook on Reward and Recognition today for more practical tips and advice