Showing love and appreciation in the workplace should definitely look different than the ways you show this in your personal life. At work, it’s important to maintain a level of professionalism with your coworkers. But this doesn’t mean that you have to keep your gratitude all to yourself!
There is something so energizing about workplace positivity and an inclusive work culture. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are much more likely to pour their hearts and souls into their work. Plus, work feels less like “work” when you enjoy what you do and the people you share it with.
Whether your company works remotely, meets a few times a week at a coworking space, or has a full-time office, striving to foster a positive work environment will surely pay off.
Here are some tangible ways you can infuse self-love and appreciation into your workplace:
Make a Monday more enjoyable with treats
After a fun-filled and relaxing weekend, Mondays can seem daunting, especially when you open your inbox to find dozens of emails. It can be difficult getting back into the work “groove” on Mondays, but surprising your coworkers or employees with treats can ease the pain! Consider picking up some donuts or muffins from a nearby cafe on your way into the office, or ask everyone for their coffee order in advance and bring in some much-needed caffeine. Everyone knows that happiness is a cup of warm coffee on a cool, dark morning!
Start every meeting with appreciation
Instead of jumping right into this week’s business, take a few minutes at the beginning of each meeting to recognize an employee’s recent accomplishment. If you aren’t leading the meeting, suggest the idea of highlighting someone’s above-and-beyond efforts or recognizing someone’s career milestones to the host. This is an easy way to start a meeting on a light, cheerful note.
Go out for lunch
And DON’T talk about work. Setting aside the time to go out for lunch with your team every month can foster team collaboration and build supportive relationships. It can be easy to default to work-related topics when chatting, but instead, try to ask everyone questions about their hobbies, pets, or other things that bring them joy.
Showcase employees
This is an update on the traditional “employee of the month” wall photograph. If your company has an external social media account, take to it and highlight an employee who has been performing exceptionally well that month. Customers or clients will also enjoy getting to know the hardworking people behind the company.
Call for no reason
Nothing is worse than only receiving a phone call from someone when they need you to do something for them. Get in the habit of calling your employees or coworkers with the sole purpose of checking in. Take this a step further by offering the sis some support with work tasks!
Wrap up early
Who doesn’t love ending the work week at noon on Fridays? Many workplaces implement “summer hours,” so their staff can leave a little earlier each day and catch the sun before it sets. If this is too much of a commitment, offer employees a flex day that they can use for a day off whenever needed, and don’t ask questions!
Let employees have creative freedom
We all have our passions, and it can be beneficial to encourage employees to explore theirs in the workplace. Instead of choosing and assigning special projects, work with your employees to develop a project that sparks their creativity. This offers them a superb opportunity to work on their personal growth.
