Marketing Director
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have resorted to having their employees work from home or work in a hybrid model. Despite that setback, people have seen remote work as a revolutionary way to be more productive at work.
However, employee appreciations might be different now that remote work is part of the workforce. In a remote worker’s perspective, they would most likely be stuck at home and sitting next to their computer working. Over time, the remote worker will get tired of the monotony of working at home. Perhaps they’re craving socialisation? Perhaps they’re looking to get out more?
Read our guide: How to manage remote employees.
How can you thank your remote team
Engage with your remote team constantly
“Remote workers will appreciate it if their employers engage with them on a regular basis,” says Christopher MacArthur, a business writer at Eliteassignmenthelp and UK Top Writers. “This keeps your remote workers from feeling lonely or isolated in their jobs. Engaging with remote workers can include sending them birthday cards, thank-you cards, and so on.”
Provide the right equipment
Remote workers need things like computers, chairs, pens and pencils, paper, etc. in order to do their work. Why not provide these materials and equipment to them?
To get started, create a list of materials and equipment that each of your remote workers need. Allow your team to submit any requests that haven’t been listed in this section. Providing the right equipment to your workers will make them happier when doing the remote work.
Send care packages
People love getting care packages. Whether it’s for company anniversaries, Christmas, or whatever the occasion, care packages are seen as tokens of appreciation that people working from home would love to get, especially at times like these.
In your care packages, you can include things like:
- Treats (i.e. chocolates, candy, etc.)
- Gift cards and certificates
- Company swag
- Fun games and activities, etc.
Give them time off
Nothing beats getting time off from work. So, why not reward your remote team with time off?
Sometimes, excessive working from home can lead to burnout. Don’t let that be your remote workers! Offer your workers vacations every once in a while, so that they can get out more. And, make sure that they take advantage of their time off, so that they can blow off steam, and come back to work refreshed.
Encourage work-life balance for remote employees.
Food delivery and takeout discounts
Food deliveries and takeout are now more popular, since the COVID-19 pandemic had forced people to social distance and stay home for the majority of the time. This would be a great time for you to reward your remote workers with discounts on their favorite restaurants and food places for delivery and takeout.
Virtual game nights And happy hour
“People love game nights and Happy Hours,” says Fiona Winters, a project manager at Ukwritings and Ukservicesreviews. “That’s why virtual game nights and Happy Hours have become popular these days, because they allow remote workers and companies to get together no matter where they are – at home or at the office. You can even play online games like Skribbl and QuizUp with your virtual party.”
Personalised recognition
Finally, people like to get special recognition for their work every once in a while. Plus, they wouldn’t want the recognition to be generic and shallow. So, make it your job to show your remote team personalised recognition.
One of the best ways to send personalised recognition is to use a rewards/recognition platform that lets you send customized messages to individuals. There, you can thank each person on the team for their hard work; and, you can make them feel special about themselves as they’re recognised. As for the rewards? You can reward employees with things like points, gift cards, company swag, etc.
Conclusion
As you can see, employee appreciation ultimately doesn’t have to be something that can be given at the office. Instead, since more and more people are working from home these days, you can still show your appreciation virtually.
We hope that you and your company can look into these 7 great ideas on showing your remote team much-needed appreciation for their hard work. All 7 are practical, and they come with amazing and fun results. While 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, let’s make 2021 a better year by appreciating the remote workforce!
If you are an employer looking for help with your next hiring process, contact us today and we’d love to help.
