At Urban Transit™, collaboration and unity are part of our fundamental values. We take this seriously when working on projects, brainstorming new ideas, and ensuring all of our employees feel included, welcomed, and valued. This week is employee appreciation week – so we’ve put together some ideas we do . . . for your company to try out. At the minimum, you must never forget that a company can’t run without employees, so always tell your coworkers that their work is valued!
Monthly Birthday Celebrations
It is always a bummer when someone forgets your birthday!
And, at any company (especially big ones), it can be daunting to remember to celebrate everyone’s birthday on the actual day. Instead, try doing one big monthly celebration. At Urban Transit, we get a cake – or two – every month and celebrate everyone who has a birthday in that month.
It can be super simple and right in your break room. Taking 20 minutes out of the day to recognize the people you work with on their birthday makes them feel appreciated and valued!
Recognizing Others’ Commitment
In larger company meetings, consider coming up with a way to shout out an employee who has really been putting in that work. When someone is singled out positively and told that others in the company have all been seeing their hard work, that person will be reminded that their job matters!
You can make this casual with a small announcement in a meeting, grant them a gift if the company is able, or even send out an email highlighting some of that person’s work for the others in the company to read about.
There are many different ways to go about something like this. But all that truly matters is that when employees put in hard work, they are recognized for it!
The Simple “Thank-You”
If someone gets something done that helps you with your work, say thank you!
If employees never miss deadlines and always put in full effort, but no one ever says thank you or recognizes their excellent work, it can lead to feeling like their work doesn’t matter – even if it is crucial to the company!
With collaboration and unity being part of our core values at Urban Transit, we have learned to do our best to ensure everyone knows how much their work matters. We know simple things like saying thank you work because even when we work with a sense of urgency and put forth full effort – we always know we’re working together and all have a part to play.
So, show the people you work with that you appreciate their team effort by saying thank you. It is a simple solution if people feel undervalued – just remind them that what they do for the company matters, and you are grateful for it!
Company Gatherings
A great way to build the team closer is by spending time together – away from the computers and meetings. Get everyone together for an after-work event, or put on an event in the office for everyone to get involved in.
Would you rather take time out of your day to do a favor for a friend or a stranger? People work together better when they know each other, are in a comfortable environment, and enjoy being around each other. Plus, burnout becomes a real issue if the company culture is all work and never any kind of play.
If everyone gets to know each other at an event – big or small – they will feel more empowered in their work because they will know who they are working with. Plus, everyone will feel the appreciation from the company because management just spent time and energy on getting their employees together!
Get Creative
There are copious amounts of ways that you can make this employee appreciation week special for your coworkers and throughout the year. Remember that every company runs differently and holds different core values. So, cater this employee appreciation week to represent what your specific company finds to be most important.
However, remember to be realistic! An event every week is not feasible, and taking time out of every work day can decrease productivity. Just try to mark a date on the calendar for events every once in a while, and show simple kindness to others whenever possible. Building these kinds of things into a company can take time, so focus on doing what you can!
Positive work environments lead to better productivity and more team unity. So, get brainstorming and implement simple things into your company culture – the work will improve, and employees will want to stick around and keep working!
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Stay tuned for more blogs in this series! You’ll get a sneak peek into who we are and what we believe in. And, you’ll learn more pro tips on how to be successful from employees in those roles themselves.
