Appreciation Ideas, Gifts, and Rewards

National Admin Day is in April. What should you do?

Google “administrative staff appreciation ideas” and you’ll get over a million results. But most of those ideas are pretty much the same: a mug, tchotchke, or a cute, funny card. If you’d like to do something different for administrative staff — something that will truly make them feel valued — we’ve got a great suggestion. Best of all, it’s inexpensive and it doesn’t take long.

Here you go — one of the best administrative staff appreciation ideas out there, and it’s just three simple steps.
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Surprise your staff with employee appreciation gifts from gThankYou to celebrate Easter and the joys of spring!

gThankYou Gift Certificates make it easy, affordable and meaningful to thank employees at the holidays or anytime. Available in a range of values from $5 to $30, gift certificates allow recipients to choose any brand of merchandise from virtually any chain grocery store in the U.S.

Your employees will appreciate the freedom to choose the brands they like, when and where they would like to shop. (more…)

Did you remember Employee Appreciation Day? If it passed you by, it’s never too late!

Everyday expressions of gratitude can be easy and effective. Simple gestures such as saying thank you can foster a culture of gratitude, where appreciation is shared frequently and effortlessly.

Here are 10 employee appreciation ideas that you can execute on the fly:

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First and foremost, let’s appreciate this cute puppy. Okay, now let’s focus on appreciation in the workplace.

It’s that time of year to celebrate, reflect and plan ahead for next year. What does that really look like in your organization? It all begins with gratitude for the people who show up and give it their all.

It’s an excellent time to really take stock of all the moving pieces in an organization – everyone from janitorial staff to truck drivers to administrative assistants to volunteers. Everyone plays a role, so make sure that leadership appropriately acknowledges each and every person in the ecosystem.

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Pizza. It’s a universally loved food that brings people together and puts a smile on everyone’s face. Whether it’s a casual get-together, a special celebration, or simply a night in at home, pizza symbolizes a fun meal usually shared among friends, family or colleagues. Therefore, when you need to show appreciation, pizza gifts are an excellent and easy way to say, “thank you” (our favorite phrase).

Has your team completed a challenging project? Did the sales team meet a milestone? Do you need to thank a team of interns for their diligent work? Whatever you need to celebrate, pizza is a safe but perfect gesture of gratitude.

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Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, and enjoying the outdoors. It’s also a time when people are looking for ways to cool down and beat the heat. What better way to do that than with a delicious ice cream treat? What’s even better? An ice cream gift certificate! 

Ice cream is a popular summer treat for a reason. It’s sweet, refreshing, and there are endless flavors to choose from. It’s also a great way to show employees that you appreciate their hard work.

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At gThankYou, we like to think of ourselves as “gratitude experts.” We are strong believers in year-round employee appreciation but encourage an extra dose of thankfulness during the holidays. Here are some resources as you focus on holiday appreciation ideas.

Holiday Appreciation Ideas & Resources

Thank You Notes

Although we often publish our guide to thank you notes around Thanksgiving, it’s not too late to write a letter of gratitude in December. We encourage leaders to take the time to write something personal to those who make an impact on the business. It’s well-received and appreciated — and is a smart business move in a world where retention is key. Read more here: Put the “Thanks” into Your Thanksgiving Letter or Write a Holiday Thank You Note to Remember. (more…)

 

2-4-6-8 – Who do we appreciate? Our hardworking employees!!

Just in time for the holidays, gThankYou has released our Big List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas! This book is perfect all year for inspiration for ways to support and recognize the people who make your business work. Best yet, it’s FREE to download and share with colleagues.

Still looking for the perfect holiday workplace gift? Check it out! Although here’s our suggestion!

The eBook is broken down into categories and lists so it’s easy to read, get inspired and apply. It’s the perfect go-to resource as you brainstorm and think through employee appreciation planning now and in the coming year. (more…)

Believe it or not, the holidays are just around the corner. Planning ahead is key to avoid scrambling and making the season more hectic than enjoyable. The good news is that we have the tools to help you succeed! Our new holiday appreciation planning checklist can be used year-round, offering ideas for ways to celebrate your employees.

This time of year, we highly recommend ordering your Turkey Gift Certificates and free Gratitude Cards NOW so you can cross it off your to-do list.

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If you have children and work outside the home, then you know you owe teachers a debt of gratitude. These dedicated professionals choose to spend their time with dozens of kids every day — not just taking care of them, but also preparing them to become informed, thoughtful, and well-behaved members of their communities. As anyone who’s ever wrangled even a handful of kids at a time knows, that’s exhausting and too often underappreciated work. But do you know how to really thank a teacher?
Today is National Teacher Day, and this is also Teacher Appreciation Week. To mark these important occasions, here are some ideas about what makes hardworking educators feel valued — straight from teachers themselves.
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Time.
It’s one of the main reasons managers give for not thanking employees.
I just don’t have the time.
That’s a shame, because in the long run a robust employee appreciation program actually saves time. Employees who feel appreciated are more productive, and retention goes up.
This is especially true at the holidays, when time is at a premium.
Don’t let a time crunch keep your company from having a great holiday turkey gift program! Begin your planning now.
gThankYou makes it easy to share the gift of a Thanksgiving Turkey with Gift Certificates for any brand, any preparation of whole turkey, redeemable nationally at major grocery stores. (more…)

Every generation in the workplace appreciates employee Thank You gifts, and Generation Z is no exception — in fact, showing appreciation is even more crucial to engaging these young people.
Several characteristics are emerging in the generation born after 1995: they have high expectations, they’re practical and they’re in a position to influence the workplace for years.
The oldest members of Generation Z are graduating college now, so this is the year “Generation Z starts flooding workplaces,” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and it’s happening “at the same time that there is a tight labor force.”
Like Millennials, the Generation Z cohort cares about the environment and wants to have a passion for work. (more…)

The new year will be here before you know it! Staff appreciation gifts for the New Year are the perfect way to celebrate the successes of the prior year and get energized for what’s ahead.
New Year’s is widely celebrated and non-religious, making it a good choice for a workplace celebration.
“Focus on thanking employees for a successful year and encouraging the same enthusiasm and dedication to the company for the approaching New Year,” according to the SHRM article “HR Pros: Make Year-End Celebrations Inclusive.” (more…)

Staff appreciation gifts that send a meaningful message of thanks don’t need to break your budget!
In fact, budget-friendly staff appreciation gifts are more effective than even expensive bonuses because the focus is on your gratitude and on a thoughtful gift that has personal significance.
“Bringing unengaged and detached employees back to the pack doesn’t have to be a pricey undertaking,” according to the employee feedback experts at Quantum Workforce. (more…)

Employee appreciation gift certificates are an easy, meaningful way to let your distributed workers know how much you value their contributions.
In the absence of daily face-to-face contact with senior managers, communicating appreciation is essential to successfully managing distributed workforces.
“There’s no water-cooler, no stand-up meetings and no face-to-face brainstorming sessions over lunch. A company that relies on a distributed workforce lives and dies by communication,” BuySellAds founder Todd Garland wrote last week in his Forbes column, “How the Best Leaders Manage a Distributed Workforce.”
gThankYou offers organizations employee appreciation gift certificates for practical gifts that are always appreciated – such as a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, a holiday Ham or groceries for an anytime “thank you” for all you do.

Here at gThankYou we have years of experience helping organizations with distributed workforces coordinate gifts to celebrate employees. We know what a challenging process it can be, so we’ve come up with a system to make it as simple as possible while still meeting your company’s individual needs.

Read on to find out why recognizing distributed workforces takes intention and a plan — and how gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude make it easy for you to appreciate employees holiday time or anytime!

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Employee appreciation gift certificates are the perfect way to thank your staff — and gThankYou has one for every occasion!
From on-the-spot recognition to workplace wellness incentives to milestone celebrations, and from New Year’s to 4th of July to Thanksgiving, we’ve got you covered. gThankYou offers nine types of grocery store Gift Certificates in a variety of values to meet your company’s specific needs and budget.
U.S. employee engagement is slowly rising but remains dismally low, according to the latest Gallup report. Two-thirds of Americans remain unengaged in their jobs, and experts agree that employers need to do a better job of recognizing employees and rewarding excellence. (more…)

Deciding how to celebrate Easter with your employees? Consider the cultural, non-religious aspects of this springtime holiday that make it a fun occasion for everyone!
A workplace Easter celebration is still a great idea, regardless of employees’ religious affiliations, because it marks the beginning of spring and the sense of renewal and gratitude that accompany the new season. (more…)

It’s critical to recognize frontline employees—servers, cashiers, delivery people, customer service representatives—they are truly the face of your company!

Ironically, frontline employees are often a company’s lowest paid staff and are treated as expendable, yet transactions between customers and frontline employees make or break your business’s image. They can affect your future relationships with customers.

In fact, Dennis Snow, president of Snow & Associates, Inc., writes that “The frontline equals (more…)

Employee recognition boosts workplace engagement, productivity and—ultimately—your bottom line. But if you want employee recognition to be memorable, surprise your staff!

Joris Luijke,  Squarespace’s “VP of People,” wants employees’ Squarespace experience to build lasting, positive memories.

In his article, “HR folks – Try this surprising way to make people remember your hard work,” he names two key elements to this goal: (more…)