The #1 element that makes an employee happy is feeling appreciated for their work. On this International Day of Employee Appreciation, here are our 5 favorite recognition activities to celebrate the day.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- 1. Circle of gratitude
- 2. Paper clamp
- 3. Gift exchange
- 4. Team gratitude wall
- 5. Gifts to take away
- Conclusion
Introduction
Have you ever heard of International Employee Appreciation Day? Although this day has been around since 1995, it has only become more popular in recent years with the growing importance of recognition within teams.
With the democratization of telecommuting... workers have had to redouble their efforts under difficult circumstances. We're all familiar with the harsh reality of the past 2 years: lack of time, tight deliverables, stress, isolation and sometimes even burnout. After another difficult year, showing appreciation has never been more important. They say a happy employee is a productive employee! The #1 element that makes an employee happy is feeling appreciated for his or her work.
What's more, with staff shortages, the loss of key employees and issues of loyalty to the organizational culture... the organizations of the future are those that succeed in developing a culture where recognition is put first. Organizations that fail to create this culture of recognition will be condemned to high staff turnover.
With that in mind, here are our 5 favorite recognition activities to celebrate the day.
Intention: Encouraging recognition and appreciation among colleagues
1. Circle of gratitude
This activity works well for groups of 6 to 12 participants. For more than 12 participants, you can adapt the activity by dividing into sub-groups.
- Sit in a circle with a sheet of paper.
- Write your name in small type at the bottom of the sheet
- Pass the sheet to the person on your left
- This person writes, at the top of the page, in 1 or 2 sentences: "something that is possible thanks to you...".
- Carefully fold the sheet so that the comments are covered.
- Pass the sheet to the next person and repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until everyone has collected the sheet with their own name on it.
- Everyone reads their own comments in silence
- Ask participants to take turns sharing what touched them most about their sheet.
2. Paper clamp
This activity works well for all groups of more than 10 participants.
- Using a paper clip, attach one (or more) sheets of paper to your back (use the collar of your sweater).
- Spread out informally around the room, walk behind each person and write them a word of thanks.
- When the sheet is full, add a new sheet
- Use sharpie for best results
3. Gift exchange
This activity works for any number of groups.
- Prepare a list of questions to distribute to each person.
- What makes you smile about me?
- How do I contribute to the team?
- What do I bring to the team?
- What inspires you about me?
- What quality do you admire most in me?
- Why would you want me on your team?
- How would you like to highlight my contribution?
- What do I do that helps you so much?
- Scatter around the room, then go and meet the first person.
- Ask the question of your choice
- In an informal way, continue to go out and meet people
- Each participant can have a pencil to record his or her answers.
4. Team gratitude wall
This activity works for any number of groups, and takes place over a few days.
- Put up a large poster on the wall with the words "Team gratitude wall".
- Let people write words of gratitude
- This activity can also be carried out online with a dedicated space on an online whiteboard (for example, Miro, Mural or Klaxoon).
5. Gifts to take away
This activity works for any number of groups.
- Use recognition cards Gifts to go which is part the TeamTalk game
- Write a thank-you note to the person of your choice
- After completing your take-home gift, use the stickers to seal your card and give them to the people you choose.
- If you receive a card, open it only when you are away from the group.
Conclusion
Yes, recognition brings real results! Both in terms of morale and business performance.
Are you familiar with the concept of "return on recognition"? It's the impact of recognition on the organization. Research shows that showing appreciation to your employees translates into: greater profitability, higher productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, fewer safety incidents, and improved customer satisfaction.
Who doesn't want that?
Take advantage of your return to the office to show your appreciation for your team members by organizing a memorable activity. Why not organize one with Hubu?
We'll create something unforgettable for you! Find out more here.
