A box of chocolates, a team outing, a bouquet of flowers, a thank-you message on the intranet, a mailbox package with peanuts and a card... Employee Day is the perfect day to let your employees know how much you appreciate them for their hard work! But... is a box of chocolates or a company dinner really the way to do that? Or is true appreciation actually in the small and sincere gestures?

More than an annual token of appreciation

Employee Day, held every year on the third Thursday of April, was created to put employees in the limelight. Many an employer seizes this opportunity to come up with something special for their employees. They even set up special meetings for it. The idea behind this is fantastic: everyone is happy with attention and appreciation. A lack of this, or insincere appreciation, causes frustration and irritation. This in turn can affect absenteeism and the absence threshold.

Still, it is good to reflect on the question: does this attention stem from genuine commitment or is it mainly a matter of checking a box? So, that's it for this year, the employees are satisfied again!'' When appreciation is not sincere, and therefore felt to be insincere, it can lead to frustration and you as an employer achieve the opposite.

The consequence of appreciation

I like to compare such days to Valentine's Day. Do you want your partner to show that only on that one day, or do you prefer it throughout the year? But also the other way around: if there is no extra attention for you on Valentine's Day, does that disappoint you?

Of course, there is nothing wrong with thinking about employees and putting them in the limelight on this day. After all, your employees who feel seen and appreciated tend to be more motivated, more involved and show more job satisfaction. They are happy to walk the extra mile when needed, are less likely to call in sick and stay in absenteeism for less time. But then it's important that genuine appreciation be a priority at all times, not just on special days.

Valuing in practice

But how to do that, appreciate employees? Because a thank you on Employee Day and the annual Christmas package, are not going to make the difference. Make sure there is genuine attention and interest for employees, and invest in them. Offer a listening ear, try to get to know your employee better and take the time for a chat. Make sure you know where to find them not only when you need something from them, or when something needs to be done, or when something hasn't gone right. Ask how they are doing, how their weekend was, how the children are doing, or the sick parent. Take your time with it! Listen to the signals coming from the teams and have conversations with the staff about it.

Above all, let this Employee Day be the start of all of the above, and integrate it into your daily operations. It is often in small things:

  • A thumbs up after a busy day;
  • A chat at the coffee machine;
  • A lunch walk with the employee, instead of lunch at your desk;
  • Leaving your office door open;
  • Giving someone a heartfelt compliment after consultation.

They really don't have to be grand gestures that require a lot of time. As long as they are sincere and part of how you interact with your people every day. So as an employer, ask yourself this question: do you want to increase your employees' job happiness and engagement by giving attention on one day, or would you rather invest in it throughout the year?

Working on appreciation within your organization

Would you like to know more about how you can structurally work towards an organization in which employees feel appreciated and involved? A Labor and Health Advisor from De Arbodienst can advise you on this and is happy to think along with you. Contact us for more information and find out how we can support you in this.

Amanda van de Vendel, Adviseur Arbeid en Gezondheid bij De Arbodienst