Take a moment to recognize your team before the holidays!

Gifts to buy, evenings to organize, a budget to respect… The holiday season brings its fair share of emotional stress and accentuates everyone’s need to be recognized, especially at work.

With the end of the year approaching, many employees are buried under the annual files to close and the projections to prepare. Here are some simple ideas to convey your gratitude for the work accomplished and to create a festive atmosphere!

Personalized Thank You Card

Prepare thank you cards in which you write a personalized message (and by hand) for each of your employees. It is a simple and inexpensive means of expressing your gratitude for the work they have done.

Morning Treats

Who doesn’t like fresh croissants or a basket of fruits? Just before the holidays, welcome your employees with pastries to start the day! If you have time, prepare a recipe yourself. This extra attention will start the day on the right foot and it will reinforce their sense of belonging. It’s a fun, festive way to recognize everyone’s efforts!

Charitable Activities

Employees are increasingly looking to work for businesses within their community. Take advantage of the holiday season to act charitably. For example, you can organize a fundraising activity, cook as a group to make Christmas baskets or even offer a temp job to a person in need.

Gift Exchange

A classic activity, a gift exchange creates a festive atmosphere and gives a taste of the holidays. You can set a modest budget and invite your employees to offer a gift to a previously defined colleague. To spice up the experience, you can even organize a blind exchange where gifts are randomly assigned during a game.

Secret Elf

Do you know the secret elf game? Each employee is assigned a random colleague to whom they will have to give small ‘attentions’ for one or two weeks: chocolates on the desk in the morning, a small card with a nice message, waxed shoes, etc. Everything must remain secret, however! A great way to create a warm atmosphere is where recognition is everywhere.

Shorten Work Week

On the last work day before the holiday season, your employees may be a little more distracted with all the holiday preparations. Give them a few hours off to maximize their productive time. A great way to wish them happy holidays and recognize their hard work!

Take advantage of these last days of the year to strengthen your culture by creating authentic moments of sharing and gratitude. Do you have any other ideas for activities that have produced interesting results in the past? Share them in the comments!

Happy holidays to all. Take time to enjoy a few moments of rest so you can come back in great shape next year!

Enjoyed our advice?  Contact our Client Solution team to learn more about the tools and recognition programs that can help you inspire employee engagement and celebrate retirement!