The holiday season can be stressful for everyone, both with juggling personal commitments and end-of-year professional responsibilities. In order to keep morale high and create a productive environment for your team, it can be helpful to show some extra appreciation to your team for their hard work over the past year. An office Christmas party is always a great idea, but below we’ll explore some other ways to show your appreciation for your employees.
Handwritten Appreciation
Depending on the size of your team, this may not be an easy option for everyone. However, a great, personalized way to show appreciation for your team is to deliver a handwritten note or card to each of your team members. This is an excellent opportunity to express gratitude for specific things they did well over the past year–whether landing a new client, nailing a new marketing strategy, or just being a great team player. Deliver with some Christmas cookies or another holiday treat!
Free Food!
Free food is a great way to show appreciation, no matter what time of year. Bringing in Christmas cookies, holiday-themed snacks, or even just ordering pizzas is a simple way to make your employees feel valued. Ensure you consider any dietary restrictions and provide gluten-free or vegetarian options if needed! Work is sometimes the last place your employees want to be during the holiday season, so it can be helpful to give them something to look forward to.
Facilitate Connection
Your team may also appreciate opportunities to connect with one another on something other than work projects! You can do this through something like a White Elephant or Secret Santa gift exchange. This allows your employees the opportunity to show appreciation for their team members and is a fun way to bring the holiday spirit into the workplace.
Offer Extra Flexibility
Especially for team members who live far from family, it can be incredibly helpful to have some extra flexibility around the holidays. Odds are, by this point, your business has figured out how to work remotely at least part of the time. Even if you have moved everything back into the office by now, offering the option to work remotely a few days here and there or being flexible with start and end times for the day will likely be significantly appreciated.