It’s almost Christmas, which means that people around the world are beginning to think a bit more about what really matters in life. And if you manage a team, you’ve undoubtedly been thinking a lot lately about what you might do to show your employees that you appreciate them.
Even in “normal” times, the holiday season is a great opportunity for employers and managers to bring their teams closer together. But of course, these are not normal times – and the Christmas of 2020 will be unlike any other that we’ve ever known. For the past ten months, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to remain isolated and separated from loved ones, friends, and colleagues. This has made 2020 a uniquely challenging year – both for individuals and for organizations. As a consequence, employers now have more of a responsibility than ever before to show our teams – in no uncertain terms – that their persistent efforts, flexibility, patience, and loyalty over the course of this unprecedentedly bizarre year has not gone unnoticed.
With those ideas in mind, this article will outline three simple and effective strategies that employers can adopt during the 2020 holiday season to say “thank you” to their employees.
Three Ways to Show Gratitude to Your Employees in 2020
Send handwritten letters.
A handwritten thank you letter will never go out of style. This holiday season, you might consider expressing gratitude to your employees by writing and sending them personalized notes. If you decide to go this route, be sure to include details in each letter highlighting how that specific employee has contributed to the betterment of their team as a whole over the course of the past year.
Consider distributing financial awards or gifts.
If you have the room in your budget, employees obviously always appreciate a Christmas bonus or base pay raise. Alternatively, you can show your appreciation by sending out gift cards, company swag, or other fun gifts to your team members.
Publicly acknowledge individual achievements.
Long-term remote work has left many employees missing the feelings of camaraderie and mutual support that are typically enjoyed in the physical workplace. In light of that, it can go a long way for employers to set up a group video chat with the express purpose of saying thank you to individual employees, and reminding everyone that they are, in fact, part of a team. The simple act of getting everyone together to communicate face to face – even if it’s over Zoom – will provide your employees with a much-needed opportunity to catch up. And if you seize the opportunity to acknowledge a specific contribution that each team member has made over the last year, it will remind everyone that their manager is paying attention, that they’re cared for, and that they’re in very good hands.
Learn More About Building a Stronger Workforce
At TekCom Resources, we’re committed to helping employers and their teams succeed both during and after the COVID-19 crisis. To learn more about how we can help your workforce enter into the new year on the right foot, please contact our office today!
