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As you celebrate Thanksgiving this week with family and friends, take the opportunity to express your gratitude to the other people you spend a large percentage of your time with: your employees.

You work side by side with the same people every day, perhaps sharing coffee breaks and planning committees and cubicle walls with them for years at a time, and you may know their strengths, weaknesses, quirks, likes and dislikes inside and out. But when was the last time you expressed your genuine appreciation for what they do for your company? This Thanksgiving, follow these simple ways to demonstrate how you notice and value the everyday contributions of others.

Employee Appreciation Ideas

1. Recognize milestones.

It is always gratifying when someone else notices and commends the hard work and perseverance you have put into your work. Make it a point to pay attention to the progress your employees are making on various projects, and give them encouragement, support and praise for a job well done. A simple, “You did a fantastic job on that presentation” or “Thank you for making that last-minute deadline” can go a long way.

2. Be available.

Whether you realize it or not, you have great potential as a mentor and a coach to the employees you manage. Make time in your busy schedule to teach new skills, listen to questions and guide interests. Offer ongoing opportunities for learning, and show that employee development is important to you and your company.

3. Show interest.

Whether you manage two people or 20 people, every employee is unique in the way he or she learns or communicates or responds to stress. Make it a priority to show an interest in all of your employees — what they are good at, what they do outside of work, what kind of people they are– and find out how to bring out the best in each person. Recognize that employee development is most effective when it is tailored to individual interests and strengths.

What are your employee appreciation ideas? Share them in the comments!



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