Tech Titan Treats: 10 Ways to Show Appreciation to Your People

Think of a superstar player of your tech team – a professional who handles their tasks flawlessly, hurdles past any challenges, constantly nurtures their talents, consistently meets deadlines, and even extends a helping hand to their teammates. A true gem in your crew. Now, ask yourself this: when was the last time you let them know just how valuable they are?

If your memory fails you, rest assured, you’re in good company. In the midst of the daily whirlwind of managing a team, showing appreciation for your employees’ hard work can sometimes fall by the wayside. As it turns out, this neglect is more common than you’d think – according to Quantum Workplace & BambooHR, 40% of employees feel undervalued at their workplace and over half crave more recognition from their bosses.

It’s when this hard work goes unnoticed that the cracks begin to show. Undeniably, recognizing and appreciating your employees’ contributions can make a significant difference to your business. Data suggests that employees who feel acknowledged are not only more productive and engaged but are also likely to stick around. In fact, Reward Gateway’s research indicates that 90% of HR professionals agree that a robust recognition program can positively influence a company’s bottom line, with 91% noting that it boosts retention rates.

Given this, it’s no surprise that more and more Data and AI companies are putting employee recognition at the top of their to-do list. Hopefully, our recommendations for expressing appreciation to your tech talents will aid you on this journey. 

 

Is appreciation and recognition the same thing?

In the hustle and bustle of day-to-day communication, terms like recognition and appreciation often get tossed around interchangeably, blurring into a common sentiment of positive acknowledgment. However, as vital as both terms are to a thriving team culture, there’s a subtle yet substantial difference between them that leaders should grasp to unlock higher engagement, loyalty, and performance within their tech companies.

At its core, recognition is a courteous nod to an individual’s capabilities, accomplishments, or successes. It’s an endorsement of a job well done, an affirmation of commendable efforts. Appreciation, on the other hand, goes a step further. It not only underscores the successful endeavor but also adds an element of gratitude. Hence, while recognition just highlights a task well done, appreciation brings in a dimension of gratefulness for that accomplishment.

In the work environment, we dish out recognition when an employee nails a task, or goes that extra mile. It’s that celebratory confetti thrown when someone does something right or exceeds expectations. This can be expressed formally, such as through awards, bonuses, promotions, or pay raises. At times, it takes a more informal shape, such as a sincere ‘thank you’ or a personal message. 

However, recognition does have its boundaries:

• Based on performance: Therefore, it’s dependent. 
• Built on the past: It focuses on what has previously been accomplished. 
• Confined: There is a limited quantity of praise to go around — not everyone can get a bonus or be promoted — and it may be difficult when many people are competing for a small amount of recognition.
• Comes from the top: The most significant types of recognition are bestowed by senior management.

Many tech companies have set up programs that allow peers to highlight each other’s efforts, but the promotions, raises, and so on usually are given by senior leaders.

On the other hand, appreciation is shown when supervisors and peers express gratitude for their employees’ hard work, diligence, and dedication. Acknowledging an individual’s intrinsic worth is what appreciation is about. It’s not about what they’ve already achieved but about the process and their value as a person and colleague. 

Consequently, while both recognition and appreciation are essential for motivating employees and fostering a positive work environment, appreciation tends to be more impactful since it conveys a message of sincere thanks. Even when your workers are successful on a day-to-day basis, there’s no way to avoid all the setbacks and obstacles. Depending on the project, there may be no certain outcomes to refer to. An IT leader will miss numerous chances to encourage his team members with appreciation if he just relies on complimenting favorable results and recognition. 

 

Ways to show employee appreciation

Personal praise

If you want to create a powerful impact on your employees, start with praise. Harvard research says that praise is one of the most powerful ways to build strong relationships among staff members while also fostering trust within the IT company as a whole – making it an overall better place for everybody involved.

Praise has a more motivating effect when it is delivered in person. In fact, 24% of employees say that the CEO’s personal praise was their most memorable recognition due to Gallup’s research, while 52% of personnel are seeking greater recognition from their direct supervisors, according to Quantum Workplace & BambooHR. 

A handwritten note or even a sticker is more powerful than a typed letter, and a sincere verbal thank you face-to-face is much more valuable than an email. Eventually, nothing surpasses receiving genuine praise from your boss. The fact that the tech leader personally praises his staff will prevent him from turning a statement of gratitude into an empty formality.

Dining & wining your team 

Everybody enjoys delicious food in good company. So why don’t you use it as a benefit? 

Monday morning meetings in a coffee shop or Friday evening pizza & drinks with your team may become a motivator and a source of unification. If everyone feels at ease, a little lunch meeting may do wonders for the company’s morale. Plan a get-together with some fine dining at a convenient location or suggest your top performer name a venue. Don’t bring up work all the time at those events.

Ordering coffee or snacks for your staff during a burning-busy day before the deadline for a project could be a noticeable gesture of appreciation to your tech talents. And for the work-from-home team, using a takeaway or transaction app to transfer lunch money can show your personnel how much you appreciate them.

Make a party

A statement that every employee is special and valuable means nothing if their leaders don’t congratulate them properly on their special day, such as a birthday or another major life event. properly. A personalized cake to share with the team staff is not so costly but definitely a memorable act of appreciation from the company. Alternatively, giving a “whenever-you-want” day off as a birthday present  can do wonders for your employee morale.

Yet birthdays are not the only celebration occasion to show appreciation. State holidays, successful project launches, specific organization events, or some non-obvious celebrations may be the most enjoyable time to make your staff happier. For unplanned parties, choose a day and time when your IT pros may be straining to keep up with the pace of the workday.

Statistics say that employees are more inclined to depart after a year of work in one spot, and younger generations are more likely to change jobs often. For this reason, celebrate the anniversary of an employee’s hiring to reward them for loyalty. 

Create a staff page

A quick look at the company website can speak volumes about the level of employee appreciation. Does it have a staff page? Can you learn about CEOs only, or are mid-level workers included? Is there a way for clients to meet tech organization talents before they enter your office?

Obviously, you can’t put everyone on your website if you run a large firm or have privacy concerns. But you can place an adequate number of your best talents on the staff column, no matter the position, and allow them to create their own biography description. 

Reflect on presents

Presenting gifts to employees is not an unexplored recognition method to discuss. But when it comes to actual and meaningful appreciation, individual preferences matter. What motivates one person may not inspire another. The Bonusly research found that 44% of employees prefer to get gift cards as rewards, and 41% chose a paid vacation with coworkers. Consequently, it is essential to consider what they value.

For peep-to-peer engagement presents, you may use a cue from the “secret Santa” tradition and establish a “secret pal” gift exchange. Each worker should write their name on a piece of paper and place it in a box or a jar. Then each individual draws a piece and surprises the person, whose name was written, with a small, not expensive present. This may become a great way to build a warm peer-to-peer appreciation in your working environment. 

Take care of their health

Physical activity, both exercise as well as relaxation-related, is widely recognized as an effective way to maintain both physical and mental health. After all, preventing diseases, nervous breakdowns, burnout, and strengthening the body and spirit are much more pleasant and profitable than lengthy and costly treatment. And if this is also a way to show care for your staff, as well as a method of uniting the team, then it should definitely be used by an IT employer.

Gym training, fitness incentives, group Zumba meetings combined with yoga, relaxation courses, or even talk therapy can make your workers less anxious, more focused, fulfilled, and adaptable. That will affect staff productivity and creativity and build a healthy company culture. 

Promote staff LinkedIn profiles

Promotion and salary raises are employee recognition methods, which are rare, budget-based, and limited. The advantages of employee appreciation from this point of view are obvious – the employer can help boost your staff’s career development and show appreciation beyond the workplace.

Writing a glowing LinkedIn recommendation for a team’s top talent is a great example. Such recommendations can help and encourage the employee to achieve more success in their current position and in the future one.

Recognize victories outside of the workplace

Your workforce includes individuals who are accomplishing amazing feats outside of work. They spend their free time crafting, helping the homeless, feeding animals, volunteering, and engaging in various other social-important activities. Why not acknowledge them for those selfless acts in front of everyone? 

We all prefer to share information about ourselves with others, yet most of us don’t like to boast. Share your excitement about the team’s great qualities and talk about your employees. That shows how much you value your worker’s personality, not just their business achievements, and has a significant positive effect on morale.

Make “thank you” contagious

Employee appreciation will be more forthcoming in a tech organization where workers express thanks for little contributions on a habit basis. For instance, take a look at email signatures with thank-you messages. This holds true for Slack, Asana, and other office communication tools as well.

A company may create a workplace where managers and workers consistently show appreciation for one another by adopting these concepts. Employee engagement will gradually increase over time, and the goodwill fostered by this appreciation culture will also influence customer relationships.

Ask “how are you,” meaning it

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Whoever said that it’s a wonderful reminder for an IT employer. Contact the employees you work with. You may demonstrate your concern for someone by asking them how they’re doing and what challenges they’re facing at the moment. Ultimately, actually meaning what you say and not just trying to be polite is more authentic and meaningful.

 

Eventually, building a culture of appreciation ultimately boils down to a variety of simple, commonsense behaviors, such as not taking your employees for granted, expressing your gratitude in a genuine and personal manner, and demonstrating your interest in the personal development of your staff members.

Grow your technology business with a workforce that is ever-engaged and brimming with enthusiasm. Unlock the secrets of establishing an unparalleled culture of appreciation that stands out from the rest – book a call with me or my team at Bateman Fox, and discover how to take employee satisfaction to new heights!