For you and your employees the summer season is a less formal time at the office. Work schedules may be more flexible to accommodate children being out of school. Workloads may become less stringent as clients and partnering businesses go on vacation. Many companies even allow a more relaxed dress code to keep employees comfortable during long hot weather. While the summer season is a great time to relax and enjoy a more casual time at the office, employers should be careful not to forget about employee recognition. The summertime is a great time to get creative with recognition and celebrate employees in fun and even bizarre ways.
Extracurricular Activities
Studies have shown that employees who are remembered for the things they do outside of the workplace are more likely to feel appreciated by their employers. Instead of only celebrating work-related achievements, take some time to think about your employee’s personalities, their interests, and their hobbies outside of the office. There are several ways to recognize the extracurricular achievements of your employees. Use on-the-spot recognition to congratulate an employee for winning their kickball tournament over the weekend. Have paper awards printed and framed to be presented to employees who spent time volunteering with a local charity. Encourage an employee working towards a certain health or weight loss goal with branded merchandise including water bottles, gym bags and other fun workout equipment. Your employees are involved in so many things that deserve recognition. Embrace the opportunity to celebrate their achievements and make each employee feel like a valued part of your work family.
Superlatives and Bizarre Holidays
The summer months are full of little-known holidays that can be celebrated with the entire office staff. Ever hear of National Pecan Pie Day (July 12th), or Left Hander’s Day (August 13th)? These types of “holidays” are a great way to celebrate unique talents and personalities. Give a blue ribbon to the baker of the best pecan pie. Recognize someone who is left handed by gifting them a piece of office equipment designed for left-handed use.
Did you know that July 28th is National System Administrator Appreciation Day? System Administrator Appreciation Day exists to give some recognition to the hard working employees assure your computers, printers, and servers are working and in good condition. Recognize their hard work with an appreciation gift.
August 5th is National Work Like a Dog Day. Recognize your entire staff with a catered lunch and a few group activities that allow them to step away from all the hard work they are doing and have a little fun. Incorporate fun superlatives and give awards to individual employees for being “Most Likely to Answer the Phone After 5pm” or “Always Going Above and Beyond.”
Find these and other fun holidays to celebrate this summer online.
Company Picnics
The summer is full of reasons to gather with friends and family and enjoy a buffet of picnic foods. Why not incorporate the time-old tradition of a summer picnic into your workplace? Hosting a company picnic shows appreciation for your employees while also building your company’s culture. Bring employees and their families together to spend the day enjoying food, games, and entertainment. Have games and competitions throughout the day allowing you to award trophies to the winners of each event. You may even consider giving each picnic attendee a commemorative medal or participation ribbon.
A company picnic shows your commitment to your employees and builds camaraderie. It encourages employee loyalty and continued hard work. Employees leave the picnic feeling appreciated and re-energized to tackle their projects at the office.
The summer season is usually the slower season for most businesses. It is an opportunity for employees to catch up on projects and spend the long hot days enjoying a more relaxed atmosphere at the office. Use the opportunity to recognize your employees for more than just their contributions to the office.
Download our Handbook for Happy Employees for creative ways to say thank you, or just recognize them for a personality trait that makes working with them so enjoyable.
