Looking for some fun and unique ways to praise your team at work? Properly thanking your team for their hard work and dedication to your company can be great for team morale. In fact, showing your employees that you appreciate them is oftentimes even more effective than just giving them money. 

Why Is It Important to Praise Employees?

Giving praise to your employees is essential to maintaining high morale and hard work within your team. When you show or tell someone that you appreciate them, it makes them feel happier, more confident, and good about themselves. More importantly, praise should be given consistently. If you only show employee appreciation occasionally, your employees won’t feel motivated. Luckily, there are a lot of ways that you can thank your employees. Read on to see our list of the best ways to praise your team. 

9 Ways to Praise Your Team

  1. Peer-to-Peer Recognition

Some studies show that employees feel even better when they receive recognition from their colleagues rather than their bosses. Encourage your employees to appreciate one another and normalize regular peer recognition on your team. 

  1. Social Media Recognition

Make posts of your employees’ achievements on your organization’s social media accounts. Public displays of appreciation will make your team member feel extra special! 

  1. Sticky Notes

If your employee does something small, but you still want to show your appreciation, sticky notes are a fun way to do so. Write down your kudos on a sticky note and leave it somewhere where your employee can find it: on their desk, in the break room, or with their things. 

  1. Birthdays

Some companies don’t recognize birthdays, and that can be a big letdown for people. Even if you don’t want to throw a party, consider giving employees the day off on their birthday so that they can spend it the way that they would like. 

  1. Offer Opportunities for Professional Development 

One way to show appreciation for your employees is to demonstrate that you trust and believe in them. By encouraging your employees to seek out professional development opportunities, you’re showing that you believe in them. What better confidence booster is there? 

  1. Celebrate Their Anniversaries

Employees tend to consider new career options when the anniversary of their first day comes around. To counteract this thought process, celebrate your employees’ anniversaries instead! 

  1. Staff Appreciation Day

Take a day to show your staff that you appreciate them! Some things you might do are take them to a spa, a sports game, or to do some volunteering. Mix team building with fun to promote positive relationships in the office. And make sure to end it early so they have some extra time off.

  1. Recognize Non-Work Achievements

People have a life outside of work. In fact, most people care more about that life than they do about their work life. To get in touch with what your employees really care about, recognize their achievements outside of work too. It shows that you care about them as more than just an employee, but as a person too. 

  1. Give Great Swag

There’s nothing wrong with gift-giving as a form of appreciation. But you should make sure that the gifts you are giving are top-notch. For example, nice water bottles, an elegantly designed coffee table book, or a high-quality blanket are all great ideas. 

Give Your Employees More Than Money 

Showing appreciation to your staff is important. It builds morale, keeps your team loyal, and promotes positivity at work. If you want to learn more about creating great relationships with your staff, check out our blog for more tips.