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Employee recognition and appreciation is always a crucial element of any company strategy — but it’s particularly notable during the holidays. Thanksgiving is the opportune time to show your employees you’re thankful for all of their hard work. Don’t let the day pass by without taking one of these 11 fun ideas for showing your staff how much you care.
1. Take the team to lunch
Thanksgiving week is slow for a lot of industries, so you can afford to cut out for a few hours and treat your employees to a fun lunch outside of the office. Go to a place you wouldn’t normally go so it feels extra special.
2. Go on a field trip
Field trips aren’t just for grade school. Take the team out of the office for a day trip to do something seasonal. Think a corn maze, apple picking, or something else that will put your employees in the festive spirit.
3. Write handwritten notes
Sometimes something as simple as a handwritten note detailing what you appreciate about an employee is the most effective thing in the world.
4. Throw a Worksgiving
Have everyone on the team bring in a Thanksgiving dish potluck style ( if you need some ideas, we have 'em! ), and treat the team to the main event: the turkey. Play some music and make the whole afternoon a holiday party.
5. Bring in treats every day for a week
Bring in donuts, cupcakes, or, to make it even more festive, pumpkin cookies or pecan pie. Do this every day for a week to make the celebration last for days.
6. Do one favor
If your team is small enough, tell each member of your team you’ll do one favor for them. Whether it’s bringing in their favorite lunch, taking a task off their to-do list, or letting them come in late one morning — you’ll handle it.
7. Sing their praises
Send around a newsletter near Thanksgiving that showcases each employee’s personal and professional achievements so the entire office can see how valuable they are.
8. Make a Wall of Fame
Put each employee’s picture on the wall under “Wall of Fame” and write a small description under each about the things they are best at and some of their biggest accomplishments.
9. Go on an elaborate coffee run
Come into the office in the morning with each member of your team’s specific coffee order, whether it’s a classic drip with two creams, an iced mocha, or a pumpkin spice latte.
10. Host an ice cream social
Bring in tubs of ice cream with all the fixings — sprinkles, cherries, hot fudge, whipped cream — and spend the afternoon making the best sundaes.
11. Hold an impromptu meeting
This isn’t an ordinary meeting. Bring the team into a conference room for a surprise meeting, dish out some treats, and take the opportunity to say out loud just how thankful you are for each and every one of them.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to show employee appreciation. Take the opportunity to find a fun way to show that you care about your employees as human beings.