Last updated February 9, 2017

Everyone is slightly different in how they like to be appreciated or thanked at work. Some prefer gifts, others relish spending time with you, while some really value your words of encouragement. It is important to ensure you get the right fit for each person but here a couple of ideas that you can interpret with different languages.

Let Your Team Share the Love
Give your team the opportunity (though programmes like YouEarnedIt, or a simple comments box) to reward each other for great work.  By valuing each other’s contribution, the sense of team achievement is boosted and people work better together. They can even choose how they wish to receive the recognition.

Surprise!
Sometimes it is just so wonderful to get an unexpected treat from your boss or team. It doesn’t need to be big, but it does need to be in the right language. Think about letting someone finish early for the day or take the team out for a spontaneous coffee. Organise a picnic lunch outside or give a small gift. It doesn’t need to be for a specific act or job well done, it can just be for general awesomeness.

Make a Day of It
While having a day or week to appreciate your team is awesome (like National Volunteer Week) it doesn’t have to be overtly about appreciation.  Think about other things that your team would like and make them a tradition, for example a ‘bring your pet to work day’ or a ‘mufti or dress up day’.  All of these things help create a culture of appreciation and value.

Rosie Julou
Rosie is the General Manager at Exult and works behind the scenes planning, organising and making everything run smoothly.  She is passionate about working in the community sector.

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