The way you show your appreciation for your staff members should be tailored to them and their personalities. Now, I’m not saying you need to spend a ton of time or money on this. I’m simply saying, be aware of how your appreciation efforts are received. If Daphne is allergic to chocolate, baking chocolate chip cookies is not an appropriate way to celebrate her achievements. 

A few years ago I asked my team how they wanted to be appreciated when they performed above and beyond their duties, or when they experienced a major success in their work. I provided them with a few options: 

• I could bake for them
• I could send an email announcement about their achievement to the executive team
• I could do a shout out in front of the entire division at staff meetings
• I could take them out to lunch

Although I asked them for their preferences in a team meeting, I allowed room for special requests. For instance, while most people wanted food (lunch or baked goods), a few people stated that they would much prefer me spreading the word about their good work to the higher-ups. I made a note of these requests and honored them. 

Beyond finding out their preferences, this conversation also set the stage to inform them that they can look forward to being appreciated. For the newer staff members, this was important as they had not yet made any significant achievements, and were not clear on the culture of staff appreciation. 

If your company is not great at recognizing staff achievements, remember that there are a lot of ways that you can make meaningful gestures for your team without changing the policies and procedures, or spending a ton of time and money. On the other hand, if your company has a way of recognizing staff achievements, utilize it! Get your staff member’s name on the ‘wall of stars’—but also remember that doing something just from you, like a lunch out, goes a long way in developing strong and trusting relationships with your employees. 

How do you tailor your appreciation for your team? Tell us below in the comments.