Now’s the Time to Recognize Holiday Workers

Now that the new year is in full swing, don’t forget to recognize your holiday workers—those who worked holiday shifts rather than celebrating with family and friends. You want to ensure they still feel engaged, valued and enthused, as they are the ones who made sure you were open for business during the holidays.

Be Sure to Recognize Holiday Workers

If you can afford to do so, giving holiday workers a bonus is always appreciated, but as Fox Business article “How to Keep Workers Happy When Working Holiday Shifts,” notes:

“While many smaller companies can’t afford to give their workers holiday bonuses, there are other ways to keep employee morale up”, says Daniel Rubin, vice president of Aon Hewitt Talent & Rewards Practice.

“Not enough companies recognize employees in this way,” he goes on. “It’s easy to do, in a sense of saying, ‘Thank you.’ It’s the standpoint of taking the time and not necessarily spending money, and that is something every single company should do.”

Even if budgets are tight, give holiday workers a small token of your thanks, even if it’s just a $5 or $10 gift certificate, a home-cooked meal or a hand-written thank-you note, Rubin says.

Be sure to link this action specifically with your employee’s working on a holiday or overtime, this way he or she will be more inclined to repeat it in the future.

“Making that connection makes the effort more real to employees that their work was recognized,” Rubin says. “Get specific with them. When employees make a link between anything the company does for them with their own effort, that makes all the difference.”

The Power of “Thanks”

At CIO.com, Jennifer Lonoff Schif offers some tips that work after the holidays.

She cites Eric Mosley, CEO of Globoforce,

“In workplace culture, the power of thanks is too often overlooked. When employees are thanked for a job well done, they are motivated and inspired to do great work; they are driven to surpass company goals; and they are happier and more committed to their employer,” he says. “ … there is a demonstrable link between thanks and motivation: 86% of employees say that being recognized motivates them in their job. So thank your employees for a job well done. … The positive effect will be palpable.”

Kara Simon, general manager, 3Cheers Recognition & Rewards, gives the thank-you note a second vote.

“The time it takes to sit down and write a personalized note says a lot in and of itself. By expressing appreciation in a personal note, the recipient will feel appreciated by the effort and motivated to continue to go above and beyond.”

“Whether it’s a gift [certificate], a day or two of extra vacation time or the latest tech gadget, pairing a meaningful reward with recognition enhances the emotional connection employees share with the company,” says Simon. Whether you have a big budget or a small one, “find rewards that will have value and be meaningful” to employees, which will “create an even stronger connection between the individual, the company and its goals.”

Simon also suggests:

“Treat your employees to a breakfast or lunch.” Or “if your company has extra money in the budget, consider taking your employees on an off-site excursion to work on additional team building and strategic planning.”

You could also organize an employee appreciation day or outing for holiday workers, according to Garry Spinks, cofounder, Bug Insights, a human capital & marketing analytics firm.

Or sponsor a volunteer day. 

“Give the team a day or half-day off to volunteer at a charity of their choice or as a company,” says Susan Wojtkowski, founder, TalentKey HR, in the article. “It will promote fellowship and good will.”

As Matt Straz, founder and CEO of Namely, writes in Entrepreneur’s  “4 Ways to Banish Post-Holiday Blues From the Workplace”:

“In addition to employee development, implement employee recognition when possible. Recognizing employees for a job well done encourages them to continue doing what they do well. Whether that positive feedback takes the form of a healthy bonus or a simple ‘thank you,’ acknowledging employees’ successes is essential to employee engagement.”

And that includes your holiday workers.

For comprehensive guide to building a workplace culture of happiness and appreciation, download our FREE eBook: Transform Your Workplace with Gratitude.

About gThankYou, LLC
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