Ten Ways to Upgrade Your Holiday Party
Your holiday work party can be the highlight of the season.
With the holidays around the corner many of us are thinking about the best way to celebrate the success of the past year. A holiday work party is a staple in the construction industry, and for good reason! They are a great opportunity for your team to get together and bond, celebrate the success of the year, and most importantly have a little fun! But holiday parties are about more than just fun. They are an invaluable opportunity for us to recognize our employees for a job well done!
Research shows that making employee recognition a part of your corporate culture can have a very real, very positive impact on your bottom line. Employees who feel recognized and appreciated every day are more productive and less likely to leave voluntary. In fact, the top companies with a “recognition-rich culture” actually had 31% lower voluntary turnover rates than their peers! With a global labour shortage plaguing the construction industry this can save you thousands of dollars in recruitment, training, and lost productivity costs.
While a holiday party and possible even a cash bonus may be a tradition for many companies, there are actually much more effective and low-cost ways to show your employees how much you appreciate them during the season of giving, and every day. So with all of the positive impacts recognition can have on your company, why stop there?
DOZR’s 10 Innovative Ways To Upgrade Your Holiday Work Party
1. Employees Recognition Awards
Host an Employee Recognition Awards celebration at your annual holiday work party. Let employees vote for individuals who best embody the company’s core values. Announce winners at the party, and present them with a personalized award and sincere letter of thanks from the President/CEO.
Recognizing hardworking employees at the end of the year is a greatly way to boost culture, increase morale, and let your employees know that you both appreciate and recognize their hard work.
2. Employee Appreciation SlideShow
Collect pictures from throughout the year (crowdsource photos from the team if needed), and create an Employee Appreciation slideshow. Make sure you include major milestones both within the office and outside of it (such as weddings, new babies, and new houses). Taking the time to celebrate these milestones will show employees that you care about their accomplishments inside and outside of work.
3. Fireside Chat with the CEO/President
Share the stories of significant successes the company achieved over the past year, and call out the employees who had a hand in achieving that milestone. Recognition in front of friends and colleagues is almost as powerful as family and will go a long way in creating positive feelings towards the company and it’s leadership.
4. Personalized Gifts
Take the time to find out what your employee’s value and give them a gift that is personal to them. For example, give concert tickets to a music fan or a Starbucks gift card to a coffee lover. A tailored-to-them gift will have more more meaning and they will truly be aware of how much you appreciate their efforts and accomplishments. Bonus points for experiential gifts!
5. Time Off Before or After the Holiday Work Party
Many employees sacrifice their personal time over the course of the year to help the company achieve their goals. For those in the snow industry, this can feel even more burdensome over the holidays when they are forced to miss holiday events and important family time during major snow events. Acknowledge the sacrifice your employees try to provide extended time off over the holidays or lieu time whenever possible. Give a gift card for dinner and a movie, and arrange for time off to spend with the important people in their lives. This ensures that everyone enjoys the season and comes back rejuvenated.
6. Holiday Swag
Give all employees a piece of branded swag (we love winter gear such as hats, winter jackets, and hand warmers) at the holiday party to build internal brand loyalty.
7. Career Growth & Training Opportunities
This is the gift that keeps on giving! Find out what your employee’s career goals are and provide the training and development needed to help them get there.
8. Give Back as a Team to Kick Off a Holiday Work Party
Giving back to the community can be the most rewarding gift of all. Combine an act of community service with an engaging team activity. For example, purchase and deliver gifts for a family in need, or volunteer at a local charity for the afternoon.
9. Just Say Thank You
A simple thank you goes a long way. And, with all of today’s technology, a handwritten note of appreciation will really stand out.
10. Commit to Year-Round Recognition
Regular & consistent non-monetary recognition goes much further than a single annual gift. Commit to making employee recognition a part of your company culture, and make it part of your corporate goals for the new year to recognize your employees every day.
