- Charitable donation
Find out what their favorite charity is and donate to it in their honor.
Corinn Price, Director, Community Involvement
- Summer fun in the office
Put on a season of “Summer Fun” from Memorial Day to Labor Day where everyone is in for a drawing of a sleep-in day, long lunch or early release. Each week winners are announced, and everyone usually “wins” something twice per summer.
Michelle Kankousky, Corporate Learning & Development Consultant
- Traveling trophy
Create a traveling trophy (e.g., golden object, special hat, figurine, etc.) that moves employee-to-employee based on being “caught” doing something outstanding.
Michelle Kankousky, Corporate Learning & Development Consultant
- Warm welcome
Set up a “Welcome to Work” station at the employee entrance with coffee, juice, donuts for the a.m. crew, or coffee, soda, cookies for the p.m. crew. Decorate the station with positive messages on signs (e.g., “Our employees are #1” or “Through these doors walk the world’s greatest employees”.)
- Department recognition bulletin board
Recognize departments on a rotating basis. Each month a designated bulletin board highlights their contributions to the organization, the individual employees, their greatest achievements, etc.
- Different dress code
Designate a day to change-up the dress code, e.g., casual clothes day, t-shirt day, silly hat day, Hawaiian dress day, etc.
- Off-campus outing
Set up an off-site bowling, sporting, theatre or other event to recognize an entire department/work group (also good team building).
- Post team achievements in breakrooms
Post team results in common areas being sure to include the names of each member. It may be a chart or graph that shows positive improvement or it may be a simple description of a project that highlights the benefits to the organization.
- Secret Santa-style appreciation
Use the “Secret Santa” concept. Have all employees draw a name of another employee. They would then identify an achievement/contribution particular to that person and send an anonymous note of appreciation.